Simply Shutters makes moves to expand services.

Simply Shutters are grateful to our many loyal customers who have supported us over the 23 years that we have been in business building and supplying beautiful, custom made external shutters.

To help our business expand and to continue serving this very specialised niche market we have purchased a CNC router table to enable us to develop and manufacture new styles of shutters as well as have more control over the design process.

So, what is a CNC table router? CNC stands for Computer Numerical Controlled and is a system used in manufacturing to create products that would otherwise take much longer making by hand. Using the clever CNC computer software means the machine can be programmed to cut material with accuracies of a fraction of a millimetre to create a beautifully finished product.

The CNC table router that was purchased with the aid of funding from the Anglia Growth Hub Small Grant Scheme is portable and foldable and offers autonomous cutting as well as WiFi/ USB connectivity. Because the equipment can be folded and stored  out of the way when not in use it means that available space can be utilised for a different purpose instead of creating a dedicated area for CNC router use. This allows us to use the space that we do have more efficiently.

We intend to use the table router to build bespoke louvre doors to customer requirements. The CNC facility will space each louvre blade precisely so there are no odd gaps or for the need to cut a louvre blade down so that it fits the finished door size. We shall also be able to make doors that have a sloping side so that it can precisely match the sloping roofline of rooms where dormer windows are installed.

This new equipment enables us to create and add new designs to our shutter and louvre door ranges such as combination louvre / panel styles as well as offer an alternative solution for customers who are after door sizes that we have sold out of and cannot afford to wait for fresh stocks to arrive.

Using the CNC table router means we can build efficiently and innovatively as well as increase productivity so we are optimistic this will help to improve sales by being able to better meet customer requirements.

So how did we acquire this fantastic machine?

The New Anglia Small Grant Scheme that is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, offers grants to small and medium sized businesses in the Norfolk, Suffolk & Essex areas. After approaching the New Anglia Small Grant Scheme we were able to obtain a sizeable contribution towards the total cost of the equipment and tooling that made the project affordable. Without this aid we would not have been able to fund everything that was needed.

Grants are invaluable to smaller business as the extra funding can help in variety of ways including hiring new staff, the purchasing machinery or other goods, to help introduce new products and providing funds to introduce increased efficiency and productivity measures to name but a few.

The scheme is offered in partnership with New Anglia Growth Hub and Suffolk County Council.

Thank you New Anglia Small Grant Scheme, we really appreciate the help you have given us.