Easysteel has been with SKOPE for much of the company’s remarkable journey, with a relationship that dates back more than 30 years. SKOPE set another manufacturing milestone in 1994, when it became the first Australasian company to install the Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS). That same year, Easysteel became its sole supplier of steel.

Continual improvement

As well as having strong links and partnerships with a number of global commercial refrigeration leaders, including MISA and Irinox in Italy. SKOPE is proud to be the sole distributor of Irinox blast chillers and holding cabinets and MISA polyurethane modular cool and freezer room. SKOPE also leads the way in the custom design and build of commercial refrigeration systems.

“SKOPE has the highest brand awareness of any refrigeration brand in the market at over 50% recall from the industry,” says Marketing Manager, Natalie Taylor.

“Our brand and business focuses on excellence. The SKOPE promise ‘Depend on us’ creates expectations and it’s imperative to us that we ensure these expectations are met, if not exceeded.”

As part of their journey of continual improvement, SKOPE have refined their manufacturing processes to operate to Theory of Constraints, a process improvement methodology designed to remove bottle-necks from the manufacturing process. It also requires suppliers to be at the top of their game:

“This model requires our suppliers to be flexible when dealing with varying demands,” says Norm Williams, SKOPE’s Purchasing Manager. “We have daily requirements in terms of sheet steel, based on these demands, and Easysteel has consistently delivered.”

Rigorous requirements

In addition to the local market, SKOPE exports to Australia, Pacific Islands, China, and the United Arab Emirates where their technology has proven to be a winner in the Middle East’s demanding heat conditions.

In terms of the quality of cut steel supplied by Easysteel, the exact standards and specifications were set early on. The key requirements relate to the flatness of the sheet, and the galvanising thickness and finish.

As SKOPE’s Quality Manager, James Polden, explains:

“This allows us to achieve three things – to process the sheet successfully without any machine ‘crashes’ through the FMS; to achieve a good surface finish after powder-coating is applied; and to ensure our products last even if they get a scratch through the paintwork.”