Great Experience from the “Engine Room”

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Flemming Hansen has been the project manager at RIVAL for a good year. He is experienced in the business due to his former positions as machine worker and production engineer, which are valuable factors in the collaboration with the customers.

Flemming finds it very motivating to be involved in the customer’s project from the beginning to the end. He experiences having has a lot to offer in all phases of the project due to the knowledge, he has gained from his previous positions as machine worker, production engineer and constructor.

Close collaboration equals to the best starting point
“In the beginning of many of our projects, our sales director Christian Aarup and I discuss the customer’s needs and the technical possibilities to solve them already at the bidding,” says Flemming. “Thereafter, we might involve our foreman Glenn Scharling to get his opinion on the project. That results in the best starting point of giving the customer the best bid and ensuring RIVAL a reasonable economy on the project.”

Bigger projects and serial production
Right now, Flemming is the project manager of a big project to a customer in the defence industry, whose components RIVAL is responsible for assembling and installing after processing. “These types of projects are more and more frequent in our business, for which reason we are more experienced in helping the customer all the way throughout the project,” says Flemming. “At the same time, I am responsible for a number of projects, in which we serial-produce a large number of framework agreed components. In these types of projects, good communication is essential – both in-house and with the customer – to make sure that the project outcome is delivered in agreement with the terms.”

Wide experience provides daily benefits
Throughout the years, Flemming has had his hands far down in the engine room in the production as machine worker at several machining companies. The experience, he has built in the engine rooms is very valuable in the daily collaboration with both customers and colleagues in the production. “When we look at a new drawing of a component, which we have to design for a customer, I know pretty fast, which questions to ask. I share my knowledge with the customer’s engineers and we can solve potential confusions together very fast.”

Exciting development at RIVAL
Flemming appreciates RIVAL as his workplace. “At RIVAL we are very honest with each other, for which reason no one hold grudges, even though we do not agree on everything. It is very liberating and pleasant in the daily work,” says Flemming. “A lot has happened at RIVAL in the past year, we have started collaborating with new customers in new lines of businesses, we have implemented new machines in the production and we have carried out the new two-sided production strategy. It is very exciting to be a part of this development.”

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Full Steam on RIVAL’s 5-axis Multi-Machine

The first components have been produced on RIVAL’s new DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK CNC milling machine. The production process is optimised continuously and the capacity of the machine is in great demand.

Initially, RIVAL’s 5-axis CNC milling machine has to produce approximately a thousand components to a big customer in the defence industry. “The processing centre works perfectly with components, to which the precision demands are high and there is relation between the turning and milling surfaces,” says production manager Søren Djursland.

Ongoing optimisation of processes
The components, which are processed right now, have a size of Ø700. The processing centre can handle components to the extent of Ø1000. “We have made a 100 % measurement of the first components processed on the Zeiss measurement in order to get the proper knowledge about the stability of the processes,” according to Søren.

Among the critical measurements of the components are a flatness of 0.05 mm and a drilled hole of Ø4 mm through two types of material over a length of 200 mm.

“We have delivered the first components to the customer, who approved them, and we have implemented good and stable production processes,” says Søren Djursland. “Still, we are continuously optimising the processes in order to secure the best productivity. In that connection, we have a close collaboration with our tool manufacturers, who are in possession of specialised knowledge, which makes the production processes even better.”

Twenty-four-hour operations require more “clever hands”
Initially, RIVAL has specially trained three employees in programming and handling the production on the new machine. “Today, we successfully operate by two-shift working and the plan is to implement three-shift working around the clock,” according to Søren Djursland. “We are constantly searching for new employees with “clever hands”, who are experienced in 5-axis milling, Siemens-operations and processing of big, complex components.”

Continuing development of the strategy
The DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK CNC machine is an important parameter in RIVAL’s production of critical and costly one-off components to the customers. This is an area, in which RIVAL has many competencies as a result of working in many industries, such as the oil & gas, the defence, the robot and the wind industry.

At the same time, the machine is part of the company’s new to-sided production strategy, in which RIVAL’s current business is expanded with night production of other components, than those typically produced during the day.

“With the new strategy, we offer our customers something new, which increases the value of collaborating with us,” says Søren Djursland. “Being the machining company of the future, we are very aware of continuous development and progression. We want to improve our current lines of businesses and we want to think innovatively. For this purpose, the two-sided production strategy is a good example.”

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Daily focus on processes, traceability and non-conformances at RIVAL

If you want to be a subcontractor to important customers, it is a requirement that you are in control of processes and traceability, and that you deal with non-conformances. People know this at RIVAL, which is currently working on converting from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015.

RIVAL was first ISO certified in 2012, in accordance with ISO 9001:2008, and has since been re-certified with praise. In the spring of 2018, the company is converting its certification to ISO 9001:2015.

Important part of the strategy
“For our business here at the machined component developer and manufacturer of tomorrow, it is crucial that there is control of the entire quality area, including dealing with non-conformances, drawing versions, measuring of tolerances and many other areas ”says CEO Carsten Tønnes. “Several of our customers carry out ongoing audits at our premises to confirm that we meet the quality assurance requirements for their projects. These audits form a valuable basis for the future collaboration.”

Focus gives the customer certainty
Liv Vallø is the quality coordinator at RIVAL, and works on the ongoing optimisation of the management system and its integrity in relation to the management of processes and the documentation of this. “I see that our customers recognise the whole of our approach to the area, and it provides certainty in the daily collaboration,” says Liv. “The way we deal with non-conformances is of course a point of interest for our customers, and they value our tough follow-up, which means that we become better and smarter all of the time – and in the final analysis, minimise potential hassle for the customer and our quality costs.”

Prerequisite for collaboration
At RIVAL, they have developed strong quality conduct, which is valued by the company’s customers – but it is also a prerequisite for collaboration. “We know that it both increases productivity, quality and reduces any hassle for the customer,” says Carsten Tønnes. “We therefore constantly work to further develop our conduct in the area. This is done in close collaboration with both customers and employees, which is an important part of ensuring that the overall quality conduct is strengthened.”

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Munck Cranes, Norway

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High Demands on Quality, Documentation and Delivery Ability

Many customers make high demands on RIVAL’s ability to manage critical and costly components. One of these customers is Munck Cranes, who started a working relationship with RIVAL last spring.

High demands
The manager from the Norwegian company Munck Cranes made high demands when they were in the market trying to find a sub-supplier, who could process wire drums to the company’s cranes. The demands were not only on quality, but also on delivery ability, documentation and price.

The wire drums are critical and costly components, for which reason no failures were allowed. Munck Cranes chose RIVAL’s, who obtained raw material in record time and processed 14 wire drums in different sizes to the Norwegian giant cranes. The collaboration went well. “We are very pleased with the effort and the result. There is no doubt that we will use RIVAL again,” says senior buyer Odd H. Olsen from Munck Cranes, who employs 185 men in Scandinavia.

A competitive price
Hiring a sub-supplier to produce the wire drums was a late decision. Munck Cranes’ own production was out of operation, for which reason the company put high demands on the sub-supplier’s ability to deliver on time.

“We chose RIVAL for the job, because we believed in the company’s ability to lift the job quality-wise and getting it delivered at the agreed time to a competitive price,” says Odd H. Olsen.

Despite the distance between Norway and Denmark, RIVAL was good at communicating and giving feedback on the job. “They were very accommodating and quick at reporting back to us. Also, they contacted us if they were in doubt about something,” Odd H. Olsen says.

Critical and costly components
Henrik Holvad remembers how the Norwegians emphasised the importance of RIVAL being able to manage critical and costly components. “Managing critical and costly components within short time spans is a parameter, which we will focus on even more in the future. Concerning this parameter, we can really make a difference in the market,” says Henrik Holvad.

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12 quick questions, Christian Aarup

Sales Manager
Christian Aarup (1976), married with Kathrine. 2 children, Dicte (2005) og Villads (2014).

Direct: 8788 5560
Mobile: 2027 5077
E-mail: ca@rival.dk

Music:
Depending on my mood, however Linkin Park, U2 and Tim Christensen never get old.

Film:
Lord of the Rings, Seven and Ocean’s Eleven. I like nice film techniques and effects.

Drink:
IPA beer, Italian red wine and a 16 years old Lagavulin enjoyed in great company.

Book:
Non-fiction books, hunting related.

Actor:
Morgan Freeman, Linda P or Anders Matthesen if I’m in the mood for vulgar humour.

Hobby:
My family, hunting, travels and my country house close to Fredericia

Animal:
Man’s best friend.

Holiday location:
South Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. Maybe I’ll go to the Far East someday.

TV programme:
The News.

Person:
Ulrik Wilbæk, you have to respect a guy, who can handle that many women.

Craziest experience:
Seal hunting in 22 m/s snowstorm in northern Norway.

Football team:
You don’t watch football, your play it. However I go with AGF.

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12 quick questions, Henrik Holvad

Owner

Henrik Holvad (1963), married with Kirsten. 2 children, Helena (1995) og Caroline (1998)

Direct: 8788 5580
Mobile: 2537 1530
E-mail: hh@rival.dk

Music:
Right now my favourites are definitely Simon Kvamm, Folkeklubben and Miten.

Film:
The Godfather, Life is Beautiful and Everest.

Food:
A good steak.

Drink:
Red wine.

Book:
Dan Brown’s Origin and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. It is a great experience to read all of Dan Brown’s novels and I think the Maria Magdalena plot in The Da Vinci Code is genius. I did some research on the internet whilst reading the book and later I visited The Leonardo Museum in Tuscany. Likewise I’m on my way to Guggenheim in Bilbao to check out if everything is true…

Actor:
Sidse Babett Knudsen.

Hobby:
Skiing and climbing mountains, golfing, MTB cycling and Icelandic horseback riding.

Animal:
Our Icelandic horses and little white dog.

Holiday location:
The Alps.

Netflix:
Vikings (HBO), Breaking Bad and House of Cards.

Person:
Anders Matthesen.

Craziest experience:
Climbing Mount Blanc 4810 metres in 2016 with my oldest daughter, Helena. It was taught and unforgettable.

Football team:
AGF.

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