Business Micros has demonstrated its ability to provide a completely tailored solution for customers with an unusual application for its Evolution software in Cornwall.

Carrick Housing is an ALMO working under a license agreement for a number of local councils and social housing providers around Truro. Its fabrication business provides a complete PVC-U window upgrade and refurbishment service for up to 300 houses per year.

At the end of 2009, this business switched to Business Micros Evolution software in order to improve its efficiency and to access the support and automatic upgrades which Business Micros offers.

For many years, Carrick Housing had used the Aluplast PVC-U system but following the system’s demise, it wanted to retain continuity in its manufacture, so has purchased its own dyes which means it can continue to produce the individual sashes required.

The Business Micros software has been set up specifically to operate with these frames and sashes and to enable Carrick to achieve the efficiencies in production and material optimisation which it was seeking.

Carrick operates by replacing just the sashes in windows in social housing properties and adding new sealed units with warm edge spacer bars. The aim of each refurbishment is to upgrade the thermal efficiency of the houses by bringing the energy performance of each window up to a standard equivalent to a BFRC C rating.

In some cases, new sashes are also installed to create fire exit windows or to give tenants more practical solution in terms of opening sashes and lights.

By replacing only the sashes and not the frames, the external insulation and coloured render on many of the properties remains intact and there is less disruption for tenants.

Phil Jenkin, a PVC-U Technician at Carrick Housing, described the service as ‘the greenest solution available’. He said: “Our aim is to improve the energy efficiency of the properties, whilst at the same time maximising the use of resources and minimising waste. We only remove windows as a last resort if they are beyond repair or a bad design.”

Carrick Housing is using the Business Micros Evolution software for its manufacturing processes at present but says that it may add other Evolution software modules in the future to help with the management of orders and stock.

Phil Jenkin adds: “We estimate that our refurbishment programme is equivalent to just 2/3 of the cost of fabricating and installing a new window which obviously benefits the social housing organisations within our ALMO. Now, with the Business Micros software we are improving our efficiency still further and are confident that we can deliver even greater cost savings.”

The software was installed by David Stockwell a member of Business Micros’ team of highly trained installation engineers. Carrick Housing was impressed by his ability to tailor the solution to its specific fabrication requirements and to liaise successfully with the IT departments of the various councils involved with the project.

Phil Jenkin says: “David worked very hard to get Evolution running exactly the way we wanted it and his enthusiasm and friendly approach made him an excellent ambassador for Business Micros.”