2008 Press Releases from Wolf Systems

  10/11/2008 - Investment benefits Wolf Systems.
With the recent downturn in the UK construction industry, few timber engineering specialists can claim to have achieved an increase in sales of their products this year. One that can, however, is Coventry-based Wolf Systems, sales of whose easi-joist metal webs have increased by over 35% in the past 12 months.With the recent downturn in the UK construction industry, few timber engineering specialists can claim to have achieved an increase in sales of their products this year. One that can, however, is Coventry-based Wolf Systems, sales of whose easi-joist metal webs have increased by over 35% in the past 12 months.

Over the last two years, Wolf Systems invested more than £1 million in a new factory with large offices, a new press line and tooling for its easi-joist webs; this probably represents the largest single investment in the industry since Wolf first began in the UK 20 years ago.

Alan Ritchie, Sales and Marketing Director of Wolf Systems, acknowledges that nobody is immune from the effects of the economic downturn, but maintains that Wolf Systems is well-placed to steer a steady course through difficult times.

“We have had three customers close since the credit crunch began” admits Alan, “but over the same period, we’ve added five new customers – we’re actually growing our customer base” he adds.

Sales of steel nailplates – vital components in the production of trussed rafters – have fallen across the industry as a result of the sharp decline in housebuilding. “But our nailplate production has fallen by a much smaller margin than that of our main competitors” remarks Alan.

He attributes this to the fact that many of Wolf Systems’ customers are less exposed to the larger housebuilders. “Our customer base tends to take advantage of our superior design software to do more one-off specialist, complex and commercial projects and is less dependent on national housebuilders” explains Alan.

Wolf Systems’ customers can look forward to further developments in the coming months, including new management software, WMS, which is being rolled out to customers to increase productivity and efficiency in their businesses.

Wolf Systems is part of the €400 million-turnover Wolf Group which has 20 companies in 16 countries and is active in every major European market. A family-owned company originating in Austria and Germany, the Wolf Group has a strong financial base, says Group Chief Executive Michael Stadler:

“In recent years, there have been huge investments in nearly all companies of the Wolf Group which were financed out of our cash flow”, says Michael. “The group has a very solid financial foundation and is not dominated by banks or other financial investors, and all shares of the main companies are under family control.

“We have seen Wolf Systems UK grow and develop significantly in the past 20 years and we believe that the recent investment will carry us forward strongly into the future” he adds.

01/09/2008 - Smartroof first with Robust Standard Details.

Smartroof first with Robust Standard DetailsSmartroof, the eco-friendly structural insulated roof panel system, has become the first “room in the roof” panel system to be covered by Robust Standard Details (RSD). Smartroof was established seven years ago in a collaboration between engineered timber specialist, Wolf Systems, and timber engineering manufacturer, Wyckham Blackwell.

Designs covered by RSD are able to guarantee compliance with the requirements of Part E (resistance to the passage of sound) of the building regulations without the cost burden of acoustic pre-completion testing for compliance in every new building.

While most RSDs have focused on floor and wall constructions, few currently apply to roof structures and none to “room in the roof” timber frame panel systems.

Smartroof is a fast, economical and versatile, timber-based roof panel designed for gable-to-gable installation. Capable of creating a totally unobstructed loft living space quickly and easily, the system requires no additional strengthening to accommodate stairwells and dormer windows.

Smartroof is fast to install (typically less than three hours per roof) and is capable of achieving Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6, as demonstrated by its inclusion in the Barratt Green House project at the BRE in Watford.

For further information, please visit www.smartroof.co.uk or call 01675 442345.


16/07/2008 - Two in Wolf’s pack complete pioneering course.

Two in Wolf's pack complete pioneering courseAnthony Masters and Craig Boneham, of Wolf Systems, have successfully completed the Trussed Rafter Association’s (TRA) new on-line training course; they now hold the TRA/Napier certificate along with four credits given under the Credit Rating scheme of SCQA and Napier University. Wolf is the first TRA member where employees have completed the course since its introduction in April.

Pictured left to right: Craig Boneham, Susan Farrow (Director of the TRA) and Anthony Masters. 


27/05/2008 - Welsh roundhouse constructed using engineered joists.

Welsh roundhouse constructed using engineered joists.A stylish, successful residential development in the historic Welsh city of Swansea has been built by a project team encompassing some of the biggest names in the construction industry. The unusual design of one property on the scheme has also served to demonstrate the speed of erection, strength and versatility of metal web joists.

As a member of the Trussed Rafter Association (TRA), Fforest Timber Engineering has been a manufacturer of Wolf Systems’ easi-joists for the past three years and covers an area stretching from central Wales up the M4 corridor to London. In the case of the Regalian Clyne development, which sits close by Clyne Castle, the company was supplying a site-specific package of easi-joists to one of Laing O’Rourke’s trade sub-contractors.

Fforest worked closely on the design with the Cardiff office of Arup, the structural engineer on the project, to accommodate loadings, service penetrations and features such as stairwells.

The key reasons for Fforest being awarded the contract to supply its high specification metal web joists for the two and three-storey dwellings – now on the market for between £695,000 - £1.25 million - focused on the ease of manual handling as well as strength and other performance attributes.

The majority of the 342 joists supplied were manufactured with the top flange being extended to sit directly on top of the main steel beams. The open web design then permitted the plumbing, electrics and high-speed data cabling to be routed along with mechanical air handling ducts.

The stability of metal web joists such as easi-joists not only helps avoid the nuisance of squeaking floors, but also contributes to achieving the creation of party floors complying with the requirements of Approved Document E to the Building Regulations. In total, Fforest Timber Engineering supplied 595 linear metres of the easi-joist beams at a depth of 219mm.

For further information on the Trussed Rafter Association, please call Susan Farrow on 01246 230 036, or visit www.tra.org.uk. For further information on Wolf Systems, please call 02476 602303.


22/05/2008 - Smart designs!

22/05/2008 - Smart designs!Wolf Systems’ smartroof panel system is an innovation in roof construction; it simply slots together. Smartroof is a pre-fabricated, pre-insulated set of panels which targets housebuilders tasked with creating high-density dwellings for both private and social housing. Smartroof also answers all the questions of sustainability, health and safety and air-tightness and more than covers the higher requirements for increased insulation.

Barratt Developments is specifying the smartroof system on its standard housebuild types throughout its regions nationwide.

Barratt Developments has worked with BRE (British Research Establishment) on the Barratt ‘Green House’ and Wolf’s smartroof has been specified. The ‘Green House’ is the first house in the UK, to be built by a mainstream housebuilder, which meets the UK Government’s zero carbon criteria; therefore zero stamp duty and is ideal for volume production.

Smartroof was established seven years ago in a collaboration between timber systems specialist, Wolf Systems and timber engineering manufacturer, Wyckham Blackwell.

The timber-based panels, which are installed gable-to-gable rather than from ridge to eaves, represent a greater step change than the introduction of trussed rafters as an alternative to cut roofs; quickly creating a totally unobstructed loft living space. Unlike conventional roof trusses, however, the longitudinal spanning members do not require strengthening or doubling up to span stairwells or accommodate dormer windows. A run of rooflights, ribbon style, is even made possible. Norbord’s Sterling OSB boards are used to manufacture the smartroof structural insulated panel system.

David Leaney, Managing Director of Wolf Systems comments, “We are delighted with the growing success of smartroof and Barratt Developments’ specification. This demonstrates that there is a growing realisation of the massive potential that smartroof offers; being suitable for use in combination with timber frame, steel frame, concrete and masonry construction. Smartroof is also at the forefront of the drive towards zero carbon housing.”

02/05/2008 - Modern floor construction made easi

02/05/2008 - Modern floor construction made easiDownward pressure on house prices, combined with ever-stricter regulatory requirements, is encouraging designers to embrace value engineered and factory pre-fabricated building systems such as the easi-joist timber and metal composite floor joists offered by Wolf Systems.

Tried and tested, Wolf’s easi-joists were at the forefront of product developments which facilitated the move towards adopting modern methods of construction, offering both economic and performance benefits compared to traditional timber joists; and even finding applications for the constructions of roofs, walls and floor cassette systems.

Sets of plot specific easi-joists are manufactured using Wolf Systems’ high strength, corrosion protected connector plates to form the webs between engineered timber flanges. The latter present 72mm wide flanges which make the accurate fixing of OSB or other flooring materials far simpler than for alternative systems. The joists’ construction not only obviates the age old problem of squeaking floors.

The open design to the webs also presents architects and service engineers with ample room to route plumbing, drainage and electrics. They will also accommodate the often bulky ducts used to connect whole-house or heat recovery with mechanical ventilation systems that are being used to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes.

In the UK, specifiers working on apartment projects or other designs for buildings of multiple occupation will be further attracted by the fact that easi-joists can be utilised as a Robust Detail for the construction of sound separating floors. Importantly, no insulation material has to be packed into the voids to meet the requirements of Part E of the Building Regulations.

Wolf Systems’ easi-joist manufacturers offer consultants and customers full technical design and installation support.


30/04/2008 - Wolf Systems gains UKTFA Q-Mark certification!

30/04/2008 - Wolf Systems gains UKTFA Q-Mark certification!The UK Timber Frame Association (UKTFA) has recently awarded the Q-Mark certification to member, Wolf Systems.

UKTFA’s Q-Mark is a bespoke timber frame quality assurance scheme; in February 2007, the UKTFA launched the complementary Q-Mark for Suppliers. The incorporation of the supply chain under Q-Mark makes it the only fully integrated quality assurance scheme in the construction sector from suppliers through to design, manufacturing and erecting. The main aim of the quality assurance is to provide credibility and integrity that satisfies the needs and increases the confidence of the member’s customers.

David Leaney, Wolf Systems’ Managing Director comments, “We are delighted with this award; it means specifiers and end-users know that they are buying with 100% confidence.”
 
11/03/2008 - Covering 100 miles


Covering 100 milesWyckham Blackwell has recently celebrated manufacturing 100 miles of Wolf Systems’ easi-joist; that is 18 times the height of Mount Everest! To coincide with this milestone, Wyckham Blackwell also recently doubled its production capacity on easi-joist.

easi-joist is a metal web floor system designed for engineered floor applications and boasts quality performance, ease of use and design versatility. The open web system ensures there is no need to notch or drill for services. easi-joist is the only metal web floor system to have gained Robust Detail Approval, Irish Agrément Board Certification and European Technical Approval.

David Leaney, managing director of Wolf Systems comments, “Wyckham Blackwell has been manufacturing our easi-joist metal web beams for the past four years and we are delighted that they have now manufactured over 100 miles of easi-joist.” David continues, “Builders are increasingly seeing the many benefits of the system and we anticipate it won’t be long before Wyckham Blackwell supply their next 100 miles.”

07/03/2008 - Wolf Systems brings metal web manufacture in-house

For the last five years, Wolf Systems has imported metal web products from Australia. During this time, this UK operation has developed engineering software and technical materials, trained customers’ staff, jointly developed a machine to produce the floor beams, and undertaken exhaustive testing procedures. As a result of these achievements, the easi-joist® product gained full European Technical Approval, Irish Agrement Board approval and Robust Detail E-FT-3 in 2007.

Today, demand has increased to the point where it is now economic for the easi-joist webs to be manufactured at the company’s premises in Coventry, West Midlands; increased shipping costs and currency fluctuations have made imports from Australia less attractive.

Wolf Systems brings metal web manufacture in-houseWolf has invested over €1 million in new tooling and a new 200-tonne Rhodes press to produce these components alongside the established nailplates.

David Leaney Wolf UK’s Managing Director explains, “Buying components from Australia allowed us to develop the product, gain technical knowledge and write our own software to support the product. At the same time, we developed a new market which sits very well with our nailplate business and perfectly complements roof truss and timber frame manufacture. The Wolf team at Coventry has been active in selling the floor system mainly through our existing manufacturers; 30 are now producing easi-joist, with sales increasing continuously. This move offers better quality control and allows us to manage stocks more efficiently. We see this floor system as a very fast-growing market; both timber frame and masonry housebuilders are changing over to easi-joist in the UK and Ireland.”

What is easi-joist?

easi-joists are parallel chord trusses which use stress-graded timber chords on flat or on edge. These chords are plated together with a precision-engineered and precision-manufactured structural steel V-shaped component called the metal web. When pressed together, using a 35-tonne head joist or truss press, they form the easi-joist.

The combination of steel webs and timber chords provides a very strong, lightweight floor joist which has an excellent span-to-depth ratio. The system is popular in general housebuilding, timber frame construction; including apartments and industrial buildings where solid timber and concrete floors need to be replaced.

David adds “At the moment, the UK market is relatively small, yet the trend is for rapid growth as the easi-joist becomes more popular with housebuilders, contractors and specifiers. Whilst we are working with 30 manufacturers throughout the UK and Ireland, more interest is being shown in off-site production due to shortages of skilled craftsmen on site, and availability of timber supply in large sections.”

05/02/2008 - Wolf offers customers a new and unique complete solution!

Wolf Systems has recently launched a new and unique software system, WMS, which represents a major step forward in how software can help manage a timber engineering business. The new system provides the essential tools required to run all aspects of a manufacturing business; from design through to CRM functions and production control.

WMS, Wolf Management Software, is a completely integrated system that brings together all the key functionality required in a modern timber engineering business. The system can be used for; the design of roofs, floors and walls, creating databases for quotations and orders, planning of production, deliveries and allocating resources, business reporting, analysis and cost monitoring. This is the first system where all of these functions can exist within one application.

Wolf offers customers a new and unique complete solution!A major advance is the separation of design and costing which is a real benefit for most manufacturers. For example, commercial decisions on a project can be made by a manager who doesn’t need to have access to the design software. All of the re-costing, together with projected margins, can be made instantly rather than re-running a complete design.

The structure of WMS allows databases from different sites and departments of the same company to be replicated and shared. The system also allows users full access to all functions both in the office and off-site. Remote access is a huge advantage as it allows all employees, from travelling sales people and managers to factory staff, to keep up-to-date with the business. Another advantage is that Wolf Systems has ensured open standards have been used throughout the software, meaning all of the critical management information is also available to easily transfer into other external software packages.

Alan Ritchie, sales and marketing director at Wolf Systems, comments. “Wolf Systems has been supplying management tools to our manufacturers for as long as we’ve been supplying design applications. Through listening to our customers and getting input through focus groups, we believe we have a unique understanding of how good management software can help a business run efficiently and successfully on a day-to-day basis. The development of WMS was also guided by customers to ensure that it deals with all of the day-to-day issues that a manufacturer encounters.





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