Improved logistics and customer service

On the 24th of September in Castenedolo, Brescia, was inaugurated the new headquarters of the Italian Reynaers Aluminium, one of the most important names in the Italian and international panorama for production and distribution of door and window systems in aluminium, counting more than 1,200 employees, with a turnover of a total up in 2008 of 337 million Euros and 31,000 tons of aluminium sold. The forecasts for 2009 have a 30% drop in sales, which will correspond to a -10% of total turnover, excluding Italy, which is recording positive + 4%.
Entered in the Italian market in 2007 with the objective of consolidating and significantly increasing its presence throughout the national territory, therefore Reynaers Aluminium makes the first significant step in that direction by focusing its attention on research and development, sales of accessories and customer service but, especially, the proposal for 'cut and dried solution', fundamental to the Italian market.
The structure of the new headquarter, for which Reynaers Aluminium has invested 10 million Euros, covers an area of 14 thousand square meters and includes a logistics pole of 9 thousand square meters and an office building, with three floors, externally covered with a glass and aluminium facade, built with the upright and cross wide system of Reynaers CW50.
“The new logistics centre – said Matthew Robitschek, Chief executive officer of the Italian branch of Reynaers Aluminium - will allow us to significantly improve punctuality on delivery because we have united under one big roof, the assembly line and all the services which allow us to optimize the supply chain management”.
How does Reynaers Aluminium deal with the problem of the competition of alternative materials to aluminium? "Where there is a strong demand of large window systems and of the profiles by the thin thickness, the aluminium will always be a winner compared to PVC," said Amaury de Cordes, Chief Marketing Officer of the Belgian company. "It will help to keep up the competition from alternative products and also to continue with innovation in more sophisticated products and a higher value added”.
Which are the predictions for the future? According to Reynaers Aluminium in Italy it is expected a -7% for aluminium systems in 2009, and a recovery of 5% in the two-year period
2010-2011. For Europe, the company expects a 10% drop in 2009, with stabilization in the two following years.
Among the novelties presented in that occasion, we point out Ventalis, the ventilation system which is able to assure continuous ventilation and the control of air currents in dry environments.
This is a profile installed on top of doors and windows; self-regulating units open and close the air intake, automatically compensating for differences in pressure and maintaining a constant flow of air. Among door and window systems, the last launched is Eco ID (Italian Design), the Italian version of Eco System, which is distinguished by the presence of rounded profiles that soften the curves of the apertures, while maintaining all the technical and specific isolation characteristics of the system. Finally, the new sliding CP 130, developed to complement the international range, and the integrated façade system with maximum transparency CW 65 are some of the novelties introduced by Reynaers Aluminium in 2009 and exhibited in the new showroom of Castenedolo.

The numbers of the new headquarter
Total surface: 14,000 m2
Total investment: 10 million Euros
Facade surface in aluminium and glass: 470 m2
Surface logistic area: 9,000 m2
Lead time: 10 months
Tons of aluminium stored: 1,000
Systems used: CW50