Gabriele de Col, MD of SCM UK
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While unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic keeps developing and spreading, and the central and local governments continue to present new indications on how to behave and what we should or should not do, the world of the woodworking industry in reality continues to steam ahead with newfound energy and focus. Furniture & Joinery Production spoke to Gabriele de Col, MD of SCM UK, for his views …
“Being it the outcome of a developed resilience, the hope for a vaccine and new treatments to return to a normal life, or just the construction and refurbishment market recovering from a few years of relative stability – 2020 is proving an incredibly dynamic and successful year from a commercial point of view for SCM and its dealer network,” states Gabriele. “Furthermore, the major projects, initially stalled, have returned to life with excellent prospects for 2021.
“Because of this favourable situation, SCM UK is working flat-out through the logistic difficulties to guarantee our customers continuity in deliveries of new machinery and spare parts, technical support for installations, repairs, maintenance, training and advice for new equipment purchases or complete reorganisation of the workflow for new production investments.
“SCM UK has added new resources, especially in the areas of service and general machinery management. Great focus was also put on training to adapt the skills to the new functionalities provided on all SCM product lines.
“Technological innovation, digital factory and all-round support services to the customer are SCM’s primary objectives. Today, more than ever, SCM aims to continue remaining at the side of all industry professionals with its Smart&Human Factory, as well as technologies and state-of-the-art software and digital services, which are being further strengthened in these delicate times,” says Gabriele.
“The ‘R-Evolution’ that SCM product supply is constantly going through has projected our solutions to a higher level in terms of functionalities and data management, both fundamental to Industry 4.0 implementation.
“Practical demonstrations, training and optimisation of maintenance and assistance activities continue even remotely, thanks to the IoT Maestro Connect platform. Designed and developed to meet the needs of Industry 4.0 production, it provides instant access to a wide range of services, to allow woodworking operators to be flanked and supported by the SCM team, even in ‘virtual’ mode.
“Above all the digital services, what stands out is the Smartech augmented reality (AR) assistance – thanks to a wearable computer and a specific control software, SCM experts can diagnose and solve problems in real-time. Smartech incorporates video, camera, microphone and loudspeaker functions with wireless connection. This ensures hands-free, two-way communication with interactive data sharing.
“The eye-M widescreen and multitouch operator’s panel can be found on most of our new CNC-controlled machinery and it is granting ever-improving functionalities. These allow remote diagnostics and data collection, giving SCM engineers a quicker and deeper support on fault-finding, also allowing customers to download and analyse their own production and machinery data to foresee productivity improvement opportunities, incoming issues or a need for service visits.
“Last but not least, thanks to our e-Campus platform, the training and all-round service offered to clients are further enhanced, with increasingly more personalised courses based on the specific individual needs of companies in the woodworking industry.”
In conclusion, depsite challeneing conditions in many ways, Gabriele’s mindset is very positive: “The Covid-19 pandemic might not be easily defeated, but we are dealing with it, and we look forward to a successful 2021,” he concludes.
