Oceania Glass: One Facility Upgrade Away From Salvation?
Not long ago, Oceania Glass announced it was going into voluntary administration, leaving industry professionals on rocky ground. Glasscutters waited with baited breath, anxious to see what would happened next.
Sadly, any hope for securing domestic architectural glass was dashed as the company announced it was closing for good. According to the Australian Financial Review, a large part of the reason for its closure is due to a lack of funding for facility upgrades – something that is having a domino effect across the whole industry.
With the security blanket pulled from under them, glasscutters are now having to reconfigure their own facilities. Scrambling for ways to keep stock on-shore and maximise productivity is no easy feat – and it’s taking it’s toll on decision-makers.
Financial savings gained from imported panels are now being put toward extra floor space and storage solutions. For many, that means finding bigger factories or warehouses where stock can safely be stored. For others, it means investing in space-saving equipment that maximises existing footprints. In both cases, it means change. The question is; which course of action to take?
To expand or to upgrade?
At present, glasscutters across Australia are faced with three choices:
- To shift to other glass importers for a hopefully steady supply,
- To find a bigger facility and start importing their own glass, to have more control over the supply chain or;
- To maximise existing floor plans with smaller-footprint machinery and storage solutions to keep more stock on hand
Each choice has pros and cons. Relying solely on imports is risky, with delays and damage always a looming threat. A bigger facility allows for greater growth; yet has ongoing overhead costs, which are likely to increase as energy costs rise. Investing in storage solutions, on the other hand, requires capital – and a different way of working.
The right path depends on your strategy, vision for the future, and willingness to change. One thing is for sure: change is coming to the industry – and there’s no way around it.
Glass processing machinery: to upgrade or to change tack?
The search for bigger factory space across Australia’s cities is daunting. We’ve heard first-hand accounts from customers of their struggles to find real estate big enough to house and power their operations. While it’s a necessity move for some, more often than not, optimising your existing setup is the best course of action. Especially if it’s already time to upgrade machinery.
CMS has recently come out with a range of small-footprint glass processing machines that give greater yield, while also saving space.
These include:
– The new CMS TakTika
– The CMS Electa. and
– The CMS Proline waterjet
CMS Taktika
The Proline is a multi-purpose waterjet that is fast, small, and efficient. The TakTika has generated a great deal of interest since it’s debut at Glasstec 2024, especially thanks to it’s small size and potential for pushing productivity even further. The Electa has also been sought-after, and we’ve recently installed several machines in factories across Australia. If you’re curious to see how our customers are liking it, feel free to ask our reps for a demo viewing.
The change to gain a competitive advantage is here – and you have nothing to lose by exploring your options.
Schedule a no-obligation consult with our Glass reps today and see if you can’t seize it.
