After the restructuring started in July 1995 (as reported in issue no. 6-95 of Glass Technology International), Copmes, the Italian machinery manufacturer has, over the past year, been able to focus o…
After the restructuring started in July 1995 (as reported in issue no. 6-95 of Glass Technology International), Copmes, the Italian machinery manufacturer has, over the past year, been able to focus on developing programmes involving all departments of the company. According to the company delivery times have been brought down from 90-120 days to 30-60 days, confirming a recovery in production in line with company targets. The technical department has also been strengthened. A team of five designers and technical experts today works exclusively with CAD technology on the design of machinery which meets all European and international norms. As regards quality, Copmes has also set about achieving ISO certification – a complex and demanding task, but one which management considers as essential to underline the high standards of the company“s output: in fact, since March 1996, three members of staff have been working full-time on ensuring that every detail of company procedure meets ISO certification criteria. According to the company, after having determined its overall strategy, attention has now been turned to products, already undergoing significant innovation, and to its worldwide after-sales network, which is being extended. Copmes has decided that, as part of its new philosophy, all of its agents, wherever they are, must be able to directly provide technical support for repairs and servicing in order to speed up service to clients. As far as machinery is concerned, Copmes is now delivering its new Edara 33 cutters, to be followed shortly by the Edara 26 range. These models, redesigned and updated, can exploit the great number of possibilities offered by Microsoft“s Windows “95, for which specific software has very recently been developed to control all machine operations. Considerable work will also be done on the Brava range of NC cutting tables, due to be presented in October on the occasion of Glastec “96 in Dsseldorf. Copmes plans to revamp its entire product range through these and other developments. The strong point of the entire range will, states Copmes, be the numeric control capability with Pentium-driven computers, ensuring speed and efficiency of operation as well as many other innovative functions. Furthermore, the company offers firms which already have Copmes equipment the opportunity to update machines purchased some years ago which are still mechanically efficient but which may be electronically obsolete. Updating may cost around 20-30% of the original purchase price, which Copmes claims to be reasonable considering the potential offered by Windows “95-based operation and the possibility of having “on-line” access to technical assistance via modem, thus ensuring constant machine efficiency.