Reliability trumps with new sawing machine

Supplier in turning and milling. It is a label that fits many metal processing companies. But what Decolan from Izegem delivers is really much more than average. Literally and figuratively. Both lengthwise and breadthwise, the company does not shy away from larger work. "In order to always be able to help our customers," explains manager Heidi Vangroenweghe, explaining the strategy behind it. A philosophy that the company also extends to sawing. Decolan saws, if desired to the customer's size, also in subcontracting. And that requires a machine that excels in reliability. A Behringer, in other words.

Decolan saw the light of day at another location. At the time of the takeover, however, current manager Heidi Vangroenweghe saw more advantage in a new location. "An opportunity we could not pass up," she says. "At this location, the production hall could be expanded according to a logical flow, which not only benefited the organization but also ensured a pleasant and safe working environment. An asset not to be underestimated in the search for good people." In addition to its main activity in turning and milling work from small to large - both in volume and size - Decolan was able to offer sawing, welding, assembly and wet painting from here as an additional service.

Capacity and technicality

On the one hand, Decolan makes a difference with its capacity in both small and large pieces. Anyone walking through the halls will encounter an impressive array of machinery. Vangroenweghe: "The common thread is the choice for quality. What use is a cheaper machine if it breaks down every so often? We have to be able to rely on our machines and suppliers to keep the promises we make to our customers." And those customers come knocking on Izegem's door from all over Flanders from numerous sectors: food, pharma, flax, recycling, automotive... but just as much supplying other metalworkers. 

On the other hand, Decolan bets on short lines of communication and the technicality of the employees in the workshop. "They do programming on the machines. They are not knob turners here, but professionals who can think along about how we can make our customers' products in the most efficient way."

At Promatt at the right place

Next to the raw materials warehouse is the sawing department, where a Behringer recently did the bulk of the work. An investment that took a while to make. "Actually, it was already on the planning when corona broke out. But due to the subsequent resource and energy crisis, we prioritized our capacity in turning and milling." That did give Decolan time to do its homework very thoroughly. "For us, the priority is not the purchase price, but the full long-term cost picture. For example, how reliable a machine continues to work after the warranty period is a factor, but also how good the supplier's service is. You could tell from the rock-solid construction of the machines that Behringer was the right place to go in this respect. And from colleagues we heard nothing but praise for Promatt's service", says Vangroenweghe.

Fast, precise and reliable

The fact that of the three sawing machines at Decolan, it is mainly the Behringer that is now in use has everything to do with its reliable operation. Vangroenweghe: "Thanks to the saw band monitoring, our operator does not have to stand by all the time. As soon as she no longer saws within the parameters, she stops automatically. So we are assured that all material coming off the sawing machine is perfectly straight and that no material is lost unnecessarily. We can trust that blindly." A second plus point that Vangroenweghe points out is its user-friendliness. "It's our first Behringer, but our operator got along with it in no time. We haven't regretted the investment for a second. Fast, precise, because we are often dealing with tight tolerances here, and oh so reliable," she summarizes.