Within a few days we will close this year and move on to 2016. On behalf of the complete XPAR Vision team, I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year! In this NewsFlash, we would like to look back on some of our highlights of 2015. Hope you enjoy it.
Paul Schreuders
CEO XPAR VISION
Gob Assist
In 2015 we had more than 25 installations of our newest product Gob Assist and Blank side Temperature Control system (GA/BTC). As you may understand, so many installations of a new and rather complex product put a lot of pressure on all of us. On our developers, who had to deal with practical service to customers implementing the new software all over the world. On our field service engineers, who had to set up the new devices in all kind of customer environments. On our sales organisation, who had to take the orders of the various customers. Despite all the pressure, we are proud of the achievements in regard to the implementations of the GA/BTC.
Partnership
Another highlight of 2015 is our partnership with Bucher Emhart Glass (BEG). In 2014 an Original Equipment Manufacturer agreement (OEM) was signed under the terms of which BEG launched its Blank Radar device, based on our GA/BTC. In 2015 we sold the first systems under this agreement. There is no need to state that this partnership for us is a true recognition and that success of this co-operation has a lot of significance to us.
Amazing articles
In order to play our role as leader in the field of hot end sensor technology, we have promised to share practical findings of applying the GA/BTC to all. In co-operation with Glass Worldwide we have started a series of articles in 2015, under the title of “Amazing discoveries….part X”. By early 2016 issue number five will be published.
New V7 software
In regard to our core product, the InfraRed Dual camera system (IR-D), we have started the launch of the latest software V7 in 2015. As confirmed by customer experience, this V7 is a step by step change and improvement from the former V6: new functionalities, easier to use, higher accuracy. V7 is available free of charge for all IR-D users, and also for users of single camera systems (IR-S). As this new software requires more processing power in some cases in order to be effective, new computers and/or cameras have to be ordered.
Implementation Road Map
Also this year, we have released the first version of what we call the IR-D Implementation Road Map, a standard method for effective and beneficial implementation and use of our IR-D system, on any production line. As market leader we see it as our responsibility, not only to develop and sell systems, but also to actively guide our customers to get the most out of our systems. The Road Map is based on experience and customer feedback of more than 500 system implementations, done so far. In the next Newsflash we’ll come back to this subject.
High performance BoX
In regard to BoX, the result of our joint development with Bottero, we proudly present more than 25 lines operational by end of this year! BoX is a control loop and integration between XPAR IR-D and Bottero timing, automatically controlling the ware spacing and the vertical glass distribution. The market feedback is enthusiastic: higher process stability, less defects, higher efficiency, less operator workload and more safety. Besides this - maybe even more important - more and more customers are getting used to the idea of automatic control, talking about it and even expecting it. We believe that by automatic control, the individual glass makers - and the glass industry as a whole - will make a big step towards higher performance.
More developers
All the developments around GA/BTC, IR-D, BoX and other new products and projects require more and more capacity. Therefore, throughout the last 1.5 years, we have doubled our development team from 7 to 13 employees, which equalizes about 50% of our total staff. We are very proud of our new team, a necessity for continuous development of hot end sensor technology and related automation. And that is what XPAR VISION stand for!
Customer Support
Tower of strength is our Customer Support Team, which is even after office hours truly committed to solve customer questions and problems. Feedback from our customers learns that our support service is one of a kind in this respect, with fast (same day) response and quick (online) problem solving. Remote connections to all hot end sensor systems installed worldwide have proven to be very effective.
Keep us posted
As mentioned earlier, we have chosen to intensify our external communication. The regular Newsflashes and a series of articles in Glass Worldwide are the visible results. In addition, we are working on a complete new website, to be launched early 2016. The new website will be built in responsive design and will have a special division for what we call ‘knowledge articles’. We want our online visitors to become active partners in sharing and developing knowledge for the benefit of the container glass industry. So, visit us and keep us posted!