After 10 years... 'A leading manufacturer of plastic window frames with a no-nonsense mentality'

KUFA Window Systems is 10 years old. High time for a review (how did it all come about, what was the ambition in 2009 and why does the vision of KUFA window systems appear to be successful?) and, of course, a preview of the years to come. Henk and Didier of the window manufacturer from IJmuiden are speaking. Focusing on the most important organizational and technical achievement of 2019: the welding line has been expanded.

"I had - when we started - one clear main objective,  says Henk right at the start of the conversation. "Ten years ago I wanted to minimize failure costs for the market. I was looking for a more efficient way of working in the chain that would benefit everyone. And, secondly, I wanted to be able to make the most difficult frames. So I had no ambition to be a gray mouse in this industry. I wanted to be the biggest mouse."

Well, that seems to have succeeded in the past decade. KUFA window systems has established a solid market position. "Innovation in thinking and doing has always been the credo."  so continues Henk. "We were the first in the Netherlands to give a technical boost to the HVL, both single and double HVL^®. Not for nothing were we the first to be KOMO certified on both systems." According to Henk, this way of working and thinking does not fall under the credo of "good entrepreneurship. "It's simple: you just have to listen carefully to the customer and the market."

KOC

Digitization in particular was high on the agenda within KUFA window systems. It became the basis for the creation of KOC (Kufa Online Calculation). Didier: "If you develop something like this, you have to be able to really get into the minds of the users - the partners. And, you have to know what their interests are. The optimal calculation is the result of that. We have been working with the system for a number of years now - to the satisfaction of our partners who have now also made efficiency gains - but we are not there yet; with KOC we have also formulated a new objective: we want to deliver turn-key to the market."

Of course plenty of automation at KUFA in IJmuiden.

Welding Street

There was a "celebration" in August when the new welding line was inaugurated. "We expect further growth in the coming years. In fact, if you were to ask me how we will be in 10 years, I really estimate that we will have doubled in size with multiple products. So it was necessary to invest in our own machines. After all, you have to want to optimize your own production processes every time. And that despite the complexity of the Dutch window frame market. After all, we are dealing with an unprecedented variety on the market. There are so many shapes and types. And, there is a lot of renovation in the Netherlands. That means you have to deal with many different window frame layouts."

"But there is something else the market is seeing,  so surmises Henk in conclusion, referring to our own strong market position. "We are no nonsense. Now on the one hand that is easy to say, but on the other hand I sincerely believe that we are just that. We act normal, we are always available and approachable. Every day we work with passion on quality, a good price, ultimate delivery reliability and excellent service. Because that is what our partners want. Nothing more. And never anything less. This is how it will be for the next 10 years as well."