Norgren's dedication to increasing its e-business capabilities makes the global pneumatics expert well placed to meet the increasing demands in this field predicted by industry analysts.
Doing it the e-way Norgren's dedication to increasing its e-business capabilities makes the global pneumatics expert well placed to meet the increasing demands in this field predicted by industry analysts. I
'E-business is here ?

it's not some vision for the future.

Without it you are dead ?

possibly sooner rather than later', says Norgren's international marketing director Sean Toomes.

E-Business, Toomes explains, is so much more than e-commerce.

It's about using the Internet to streamline all aspects of your operation, from stock ordering to warehousing and distribution.

Norgren formally launched its online sales capability, the 'Webstore', to the British, American and French markets last year.

This was followed by the launch of technical support online in English and German.

The Webstore will also be available to Norgren customers in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and Scandinavia in the early part of this year.

Norgren's web based 3D CAD capability was launched in the US market in January 2001.

This service is set to follow in Europe in quarter two 2001.

The Webstore: customers who visit the Webstore at www.norgren.com can select and order a full range of pneumatic products.

They are also able to check price information, lead times and the progress of any existing orders.

A powerful server, the use of advanced software and a special page design for faster loading help to speed up the ordering process.

The Webstore features every product in Norgren's catalogue.

Customers can select products by part number or, in the case of original equipment manufacturers, by their own part number.

Visitors to the site can scroll through the product directory, adding items to their virtual shopping basket at leisure.

Norgren says the Webstore is able to guarantee next-day delivery of thousands of items in its product inventory.

Customer support is provided by a synchronised network of Norgren branches and independent distributors.

Internet orders are integrated with telephone orders, ensuring that customers receive a seamless service, regardless of the method they use.

Customer feedback generated since the launch of the site has been used to develop it further.

Examples include the display of both list and net prices, the highlighting of stocked products and the provision of a running total for the on-screen shopping basket.

Personal touches such as the address book facility, which allows distributors and resellers the option of having an order delivered to the end user by simply choosing its address from their personal address book, give customers more control.

New options for saving orders, enabling customers to pop in and out of the Webstore while they are placing their order, and the option of running multiple accounts from one e-mail address, eliminate the need for multiple passwords and log-in procedures.

The introduction of a buyer hierarchy and the ability to print draft orders for internal approval allows purchasing managers to spread the load.

Engineers benefit from technical resources including technical summaries and full data sheets in pdf format on all catalogue products.

Technical support online: customers can log on to the Norgren website to 'chat' online in real time to a Norgren engineer or to access a library of FAQs providing quick solutions to common queries.

Engineers based in the UK, USA and the Pacific handle the enquiries through different time zones enabling Norgren to provide a 24-hour service.

German language support is available during office hours.

The online technical support service completes the existing telephone support service which operates throughout office hours.

3D CAD Design engineers will soon be able to access 2D and 3D drawings of Norgren's core products quickly and easily via Internet without the need to download any software.

Visitors to the Norgren Webstore will be able to view and manipulate a model of any component or mounting to ensure it is exactly what they want before downloading it into their own CAD software.

The free service is already available for Norgren's Webstore customers in the USA and will be rolled out across other Webstores.

Ultimately, the full product range will be accessible via the website.

Engineers will be able to rotate, zoom and pan the model on the screen and bring their designs to life even faster by using the service, which also offers: * parametric CAD modeling * a choice of native file formats including DWG, DXF, STEP, Pro-E and CATIA * interactive online CAD viewers that require no downloads and * part configurator enabling quick selection of CAD models Norgren will develop customised private web areas exclusive to individual customers.

These will be used by Norgren and its customers to achieve optimum communication and enhanced project management facilities.

Digital revolution for pneumatic valves: Norgren, will launch the world's first completely digital proportional valves at Hanover Fair beginning on 23 April next week.

The new valves, designated V51 and VP60 - represent the next generation of proportional valve.

Circuit board technology and a digital display allow the user, for the first time, to programme the unit to exact specifications off-line, so no time is lost to setting-up after fitting to the machine or subsequent maintenance.

In addition fine-tuning can be carried out on-line.

A signature, unique to each unit, enables each valve to be identified, its settings recorded and its performance monitored.

High performance LEDs provide instant notification of tolerance limit settings and changes in outlet pressures.

The valves can be linked to a fieldbus system and the data displayed on a PLC.

Engineers can choose which of any five languages, English, German, French, Spanish and Italian, they want to use on the menu structure.

They can also specify that either imperial or metric measurements be used.

Digital electronics ensure the valves operate accurately at speed and in any position.

The valves boast rapid response times of less than 100ms for a 10-90% step change.

They are, therefore, ideal for use at any point in the production process where accuracy and high speed changes are needed, and are particularly designed for printing, packaging, textiles and adhesive applications.

'They combine the existing high performance specifications of our existing analogue VP50 VP21 and VP22 proportional valves, like stability control and pressure feedback, with new features and increased flexibility,' Sean Toomes, Norgren's international marketing director, said.

The digital family is available in nominal diameters 4, 8 and 16 for pressure control (VP51), and in sizes 6 and 12 for flow control (VP60).

IMI Norgren is one of the world's leading manufacturers of pneumatic control and automation components.

It is the principal member of the fluid power group within the GBP1.5 billion IMI plc.

From plants in Europe, America and the Pacific, Norgren manufactures and distributes a wide range of pneumatic components including cylinders, valves, air line equipment, tube fittings and associated fluid power components for use in pneumatic and electro-pneumatic automation and control systems.

Norgren's customers can also make use of its associated services including technical advice, training and complete systems engineering assistance.

• In the UK, Norgren employs around 1,400 people, with four manufacturing plants and 7 technical sales centres.

It has a unique network of more than 65 distribution outlets operated by independent distributors.