A win-win situation
Interview with Deputy General Manager Keren Bian of Harbin SAYYAS
Harbin SAYYAS Windows Co., founded 1998 in China, is known as the pioneer and market leader in development and production of wood-aluminium windows. The company is the first wood windows producer to be authenticated by the PHI (Passive House Institute). The company has three production plants with a total area of 40,000 m2 and reaches an annual production capacity of 200,000 m2 consisting of window series, door series and ecological window and door systems for passive construction.
Additional to the domestic market share of 25%, the SAYYAS wood-aluminium windows are exported to the US, the UK, Canada, Russia, Australia, Japan and several other countries and regions. Under the mission statement “better life, lower energy consumption”, SAYYAS devotes all efforts to developing and producing the most energy-saving wood-aluminium windows in the world’s most energy-saving factories.
Mr. Keren Bian, deputy general manager of SAYYAS, sat down with us to talk about his experiences and his expectations of LiSEC.
LiSEC: When and why did you start a cooperation with LiSEC? How would you describe the partnership?
Keren Bian: The cooperation with LiSEC started with the purchase of the first glass cutting machine in 2002. I was deeply impressed by the outstanding quality of the advanced LiSEC products and services. LiSEC not only ensures the desired productivity but also creates a very high level of production standards. Generally LiSEC’s high-quality machines and innovative solutions have contributed greatly to the expansion of our markets as well as our brand awareness. For me personally, getting to know the LiSEC employees in charge of the projects was a definite bonus. Through those different perspectives, I gained a better understanding of the machine production process as well as the LiSEC brand concept. During our cooperation with LiSEC we improved our reputation in the industry and became a prominent brand in our segment. The mutual trust, as well as LiSEC’s firm position on quality and respect for their customers, are the foundations of this 16-year partnership, which has been confirmed as the right choice!
LiSEC: Which LiSEC products has SAYYAS purchased? What is your assessment of them?
Keren Bian: We have purchased numerous glass processing machines from LiSEC: besides the glass cutting table we have purchased the KSL connected to the table, as well as an insulating glass production line. Since the start of our partnership, all lines and machines have performed very well and they are still in excellent shape. The machinery allows us to keep up with the rising technical standard while ensuring high levels of quality and energy saving, which we consider crucial.
Our successful partnership will continue as SAYYAS just invested in a new IGU line as well as LiSEC's bending machine with zero-radius corner technology.
LiSEC: What issues did SAYYAS have to deal with, and what kind of solution could LiSEC provide?
Keren Bian: The LiSEC solution with automatic breaking direction for trim cut removal and 3 point technology for X, Y, Z breaking helped us to reduce manual work and simplify processing. Our performance increased at least by 20% and the wastage rate decreased by a remarkable 50%. LiSEC also supported us with accompanying services that enabled our technicians to familiarize themselves with the machinery very quickly. Therefore, the equipment integrates perfectly and with high efficiency into the production process, which really helps us to improve the productivity of doors and windows. This combination of products and services was the perfect solution for us.
LiSEC: From your perspective: why is LiSEC the leader in the industry?
Keren Bian: The ability to reflect on themselves – beyond their development potential and limits – is decisive for staying competitive. The industry does not lack excellent brands, but a leading position requires a company to think outside of their own range and to broaden their horizon. In my opinion, LiSEC continuously pursues technical breakthroughs with their innovations and never loses focus of the relationship between product and user, as well as between their products and the environment.
LiSEC: Which aspect of LiSEC do you appreciate the most?
Keren Bian: LiSEC's customized products have earned my respect. To meet our high quality requirement for triple IG products, inspection is important and indispensable. Last year, when we considered investing in a new IG line, the LiSEC sales team suggested installing two frame mounting stations, where the second frame mounting station can be used as an inspection station. This increased our performance by 20%. From my point of view, LiSEC’s efforts are very valuable. The company considers the user experience in relation to increasing the quality in order to create more and more customized products. I do believe that LiSEC will continue to amaze us.
LiSEC: Into which direction will SAYYAS go? And what role will LiSEC play on that journey?
Keren Bian: We want to produce the most energy-saving wood-aluminium windows using the most efficient plant in the world. We hope to remain true to our key philosophies – modern functions and natural products, which satisfy people’s growing psychological need to respect and embrace nature. As the pioneer and leader of Chinese wood-aluminum windows, SAYYAS dedicates themselves to developing energy-saving external windows. We definitely look forward to cooperating with LiSEC on the exploration of the fields of energy-saving production and eco-friendly products, and to achieve a win-win outcome through pursuing a balanced relationship between humans and nature.
Regarding my investment plans, I am considering the sorting and buffer system. Our new plant in Nanjing will open next year, so I expect challenges to improve the output very soon. I think the sorting and buffer system could streamline at least 30% of the operation cycle.
LiSEC: Which LiSEC product or service do you personally like most and why?
Keren Bian: During this partnership I got to know many flawless products in terms of quality, design and service. The product that impressed me most is the insulating glass line. I noticed that LiSEC’s product design considers both the technical ramifications as well as the production details, allowing precise control of the end products. This facilitated our packing and logistic procedures and greatly reduced production time.
LiSEC: What are the trends of the industry today? In your opinion, how could they affect SAYYAS?
Keren Bian: In recent years, artificial intelligence has created many new opportunities for our industry, and this is also the focus of our development. SAYYAS’ goal is to lead this trend in our field and to bolster our superiority regarding intelligent processing and production. LiSEC’s “intelligent glass processing system” is leading the industry’s innovation and represents a shining example of matured research in this field.
