Summary
• Software that integrates both management and design functionality is available.
• Intuitive software reduces training time and support.
• Software developments have enabled businesses to manufacture their own roof trusses and components.
• It’s important for software applications to process and pass data between different departments.

Design software manufacturers might bandy words around like ‘functionality’, ‘integration’ and ‘real-time reporting’ about their products but there are really only two things their customers want to know about the software: does it work – and will it save me money? Fortunately, judging by what’s on offer from some of the UK’s leading design software companies, the answer to both these questions is a resounding ‘yes’.

Despite the downturn in the housing market, suppliers are reporting continued levels of sales, particularly as timber engineering companies recognise the increasing need for automation. Add to that the growth in offsite manufacture and you’ve got a strong platform from which to push design and engineering software which can help timber engineering manufacturers run their businesses efficiently and profitably.

According to Karl Foster, sales and marketing director at Wolf Systems, some companies still don’t feel sufficiently confident to update existing technology.

“But it’s quite clear,” said Mr Foster, “that to meet the demands of a fully recovered construction industry, manufacturers will have to adopt more automated practices than those used at present. This is particularly true for timber frame manufacturers who may need to look more closely at closed panel production techniques and floor cassette production.”

Wolf’s software package integrates the key functions of work organisation and design functionality into a single ‘application’ designed to enable manufacturers to run their businesses more efficiently and profitably – from enquiries, through manufacturing and delivery to full management reporting.

“Integrated software such as ours means manufacturers benefit from only having to create data once, the chance of errors is minimised and the flow of information throughout a manufacturers system and organisation is maximised,” explained Mr Foster. “The intuitive interface of our software also assists the user in quickly becoming familiar with it, reducing training time and support.”

Tools within the software also enable easier ‘offsite’ working. “It’s possible to ‘remote’ into the systems from an external connection, enabling managers or salesmen to view business activity, even when they’re away from the office,” said Mr Foster. “Designers can also produce designs externally and then ‘plug’ them back into the system – handy if you’re visiting a customer or at a site meeting.”

Critical transparency

Transparency of information is critical. “Detailed cost management is always important but never more so than in the current economic climate,” said James Morgan, business development director at MiTek Industries, whose 20/20 suite of software is used by some of the UK’s leading timber engineering companies.

At the heart of the software suite is the MiTek MBA management software, designed to enable users to report accurately on, and manage the costs of, a particular project. “Construction projects often run over many months, if not years, and the MiTek system enables the user to alter raw material prices as they fluctuate and monitor the impact on their margins,” explained Mr Morgan. Component costing methods are set up for the various manufactured items, such as trussed rafters, Posi-Joists or timber frame panels, enabling manufacturers to report down to the last nail, the materials and labour used in the manufacturing process.

Mr Morgan says there is a small, but growing, breed of timber businesses that have diversified into trussed rafter and prefabricated component supply – facilitated by software developments.

One example is North Yorkshire Timber, an established timber merchant in the north-east that acquired equipment from Palgrave Brown when it went into receivership and began truss production in September 2009. “This trend seems to be partly driven by good experienced component designers moving jobs in the currently volatile employment market and taking their expertise with them,” said Mr Morgan.

Taking control of manufacturing

Jason Ruddle, sales and business development director at Gang-Nail Systems, agrees. “During the last two years we have seen a number of our clients make the move,” he said. “It’s not that they weren’t getting a good service but they feel that they need to be in control on all aspects of the structural kit, so that the end client becomes more comfortable that they are dealing with a one-source supplier and not multiples.

“It is certainly working in our favour as last year we had four existing timber frame manufacturers move into the production of trusses and metal web joists.”

Gang-Nail is seeing growing demand for its Matrix tool that links all of the company’s software products: Roof and Truss, Ecojoist, Framing and StairCon are controlled in a single environment that is used from project inception to completion and delivery to site. This .NET-developed solution controls estimating, order processing and invoicing using a central data source.

“This management application can help run overall businesses from one site to multiples, which provides added value in sharing of critical data,” explained Mr Ruddle. “Details of production capacities suited to each of the business functions assists in the procurement process of timber engineering requirements from personnel through to the volume of stock required for job completion and dispatch.”

Mr Ruddle says that, over the last 18 months, there has been a big drive for businesses to integrate software solutions that spread across the whole business to reduce not only overheads but also become more efficient in processing information.

“The focus on modular construction and automation for some companies has meant that there is a definite need for the software applications to process and pass data to these functions seamlessly and efficiently,” he said. “But, as we all know, it is not all that simple as each business requires something different.”

Flexibility is at the heart of C4Ci’s new iPro system launched earlier this year that effectively enables the system ‘dealer’ (merchant, a roof truss or timber frame company or a bespoke floor kit supplier) to be able to design with any engineered wood system that is available in the UK.

“This means he is no longer tied to a particular company’s software or limited to only use that company’s products,” said James Sweet, commercial director at C4Ci. “iPro allows for a fairer market, eliminating these constraints. This software will change the manner in which the market approaches the selling and distribution of engineered floors and roofs. We intended it to be ‘game changing’ – and it will be.

“Business is much tougher than it ever was and timber businesses need to be able to have the choice of systems to make sure they keep their competitive edge – without this choice they have been locked into one supplier. Once a company either switches to iPro or adopts iPro from the start, they will never have to change software again – they can, however, switch to whatever system offers them best value. This is huge and the market hasn’t quite realised it yet.”