Quick start for cooperation with AAS International
That all planes are at the right gate and land on the right runway is thanks to the Dutch company All About Signs (AAS) International. It has been developing and supplying high-quality products for signage and signalling at airports for years. Since last year, the Brabant-based company has partnered with Pillen Group to produce various signage for taxiways, runways and taxiways.
Place: Eindhoven
Customer: AAS International
Product: Waterproof road signs
Ontwerp: Pillen Group
Processing/expertise: Sheet-metal working
AAS International is a global specialist in airport signage. “We are a small company: developing, designing we do in-house but we like to be closely involved in production. That same involvement we have with our articles we were looking for in a production partner,” explains René Meulenkamp, technical director. The airports of Auckland (New Zealand), Düsseldorf (Germany) and Dubai, among others, as well as Schiphol Airport, are home to AAS International signs. These are essential in signage for pilots and airport staff.
Wanted: technical partner
To improve the quality of its current portfolio of products, AAS International was looking for a partner with technical knowledge of all materials. One that can not only produce but also handle complete assembly. “If production and assembly are concentrated in one place, it saves risks and costs and, not unimportantly, it is also more sustainable,’ explains René Meulenkamp. “Furthermore, we are looking for partners who can think along in R&D improvements. We wanted to upgrade our signs in terms of watertightness, from IP rating 65 to IP rating 67, unique in the market. At Pillen Group, we found all that. We never hear “it can’t be done”, we all look at how it can be done. Only then will you get further.”
Prototypes and testing
Robertjan Ansink, operations manager at Pillen Group: “We have all the knowledge and production facilities of the materials AAS International works with in-house. So we could take care of the complete production in-company of plate and profile machining. We are also flexible to switch quickly where needed.” Both companies decided to embark on the quality process together, with QA management as the basis whereby the desired quality was secured. That process started with making several prototypes. Time was also taken to carry out various tests. Robertjan: “AAS International’s products go all over the world. Signing or redesigning an airport is subject to strict requirements and air traffic is often stopped for a specific period of time. These are all factors that call for tight project management and a high level of quality.”
Tight deadlines
Cooperation was and is expressly sought. With some regularity, employees of AAS International visit Pillen Group in Lichtenvoorde to watch. René: “If you change something in the assembly process, it affects everything. We come to complex places where quality is important.” Robertjan: “The deadlines are tight, it has to be right the first time. We get to deliver the products directly to the end-user so it is nice to act together in the preliminary process to be able to make adjustments in time if necessary.”
Stable production
Jointly, critical consideration was given to the use of materials, production and assembly. Not only did Pillen Group’s engineers take a critical look at Sourcing and Supply chain management in this respect, but the work planners and cooperating foremen were also involved to arrive at the desired product.
Large orders
The specific transparent plastic sheets and electronics come to Pillen Group via AAS International and are assembled there, with the other parts produced by Pillen such as aluminium frame frames and sheet metal parts. Robertjan: “We always made small test orders that were then tested at us and at AAS International. In the process, there was always close contact with each other so that we could switch quickly. Slowly we arrived at a number of prototypes of which the first larger orders are now out the door. Large orders for Schiphol and Paris, among others, will follow later this year. That went faster than we all expected, rightfully a flying start.”
IN CASE:
The challenge::
- Producing and assembling waterproof signage for airports (from IP value 65 to 67)
- Ensuring stable and efficient production (waterproof bonding)
- Securing a high level of quality
- Producing and assembling at one location
The result:
- A continuous production process that meets AAS International’s requirements
- The first airports have been provided with new signs
- Follow-up orders are planned