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Vertex BD streamlines Metframe Australia’s offsite manufacturing for faster, sustainable building solutions.
The conversation about offsite construction had been forming in Penrith-based Metframe Australia’s managing director Steve Merheb’s business plan for many years.
And, with over 20 years’ experience as a building designer and traditional onsite builder, the opportunity to harness the company’s construction and design expertise and blend it with modern methods of construction (MMC), proved to be a compelling opportunity that resulted in launching Metframe Australia, a light gauge steel (LGS) manufacturing business two years ago.
“We’ve always been really interested and passionate about the benefits of LGS framing, and had used it on a number of our own jobs; it’s that passion that just drove us to start our own manufacturing and fabricating plant. We could use it for our own projects, but also offer it to other builders in the market,” said Merheb.
A crucial element in Merheb’s business decisions was ensuring that the choice of software offered the flexibility to operate seamlessly across their two roll forming machines from different suppliers.
“Vertex BD does not restrict us with our machines, nor with our designs; it’s very powerful and intelligent. The main reason we chose this software is because we can run it on both of our machines.
“The flexibility that Vertex BD offers to connect to differing machines is really important, it gives our business greater levels of efficiency because we only need to learn the one software program,” confirmed Merheb.
Eighty percent of Metframe Australia’s current output supplies residential, multi-residential (single and two storey) houses and dual occupancies.
The balance of their work services a blend of commercial facades, studios, accessory dwelling units (granny flats), and tiny houses.
Ongoing and accessible support from Vertex BD was also a consideration when confirming Metframe Australia’s selection of software.
“It’s not only the smarts of the software; it’s the support that Vertex CAD/PDM Systems supply. They’ve got great experts who are incredibly resourceful and knowledgeable and they can customise everything for my business needs to ensure that I get the best outcome and output. They take on the user’s feedback to continuously improve their system and they’re always investing in their software to make sure that it stays up-to-date helping the end user get the best output is at the centre of everything they do.
“Their expert team don’t just do it for you, they’ll teach you how to do it so you can develop your skills and do it for yourself,” said Merheb.
A key driver for Merheb is to educate builders on the benefits of offsite construction, “so they can truly see the productivity efficiencies in their business; both from a time and a cost perspective, the reduction in double handling, the improved quality of the final build, and the reduction of onsite waste material”.
“Prefabricated technology has advanced significantly in recent years and prefabricated products have never been more accessible to everyone in the industry. We’ve got custom machinery that is state-of-the-art, partnered with Vertex BD’s incredibly intelligent software system and the outcomes are of the highest quality, strength and accuracy, and are truly efficient. It’s phenomenal what these smart technologies and systems can do together – it really takes offsite construction to a whole new level. When you explain all the benefits of offsite construction to a builder and how accessible it is for them, their jaw just drops in awe,” concludes Merheb.
See: https://vertexaustralia.com/
See: https://metframe.au/
