The lights are always on at this Winnipeg-based service center where equipment, technology and a skilled labor force are focused on meeting the high expectations and tight delivery schedules of a growing customer-base. With oxyfuel, hi-definition plasma, CO2 and fiber laser cutting capabilities (complete with automated material tower) Brunswick’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility operates around the clock seven days a week.  And while automation was clearly being leveraged throughout the shop floor, the same could not be said of the company’s sales and estimating departments where manual quoting remained the norm.

“In our case job estimating relied almost solely on Excel spreadsheets,” explained Brunswick Steel Sales Manager, Dallas McInnes. “Our quoting process was complex, manually intensive and required a certain level of experience and expertise.  Consequently quotes were not being created in a timely or consistent manner.” 

For Brunswick Steel and a growing number of others throughout the industry, the answer to generating fast, winning and profitable quotes came in the form of a software program called SecturaFAB from SecturaSOFT.  Developed especially for the meatal fabrication industry, SecturaFAB accelerates quoting speed and accuracy by replacing unknown time and cost variables with up-to-the-minute information. Brunswick began using the quoting tool in 2017 and the results were immediate.

Automating Quoting

Automating, simplifying and standardizing the quoting process allows companies to reallocate resources as needed to aid the sales process. This might mean taking advantage of downtime of an employee from a different department to create quotes.  Brunswick Steel is doing just this by routinely tapping its entire sales and administrative staff to prepare quotes.

“Automation is the key,” said McInnes.  “In the past quoting was limited to a select few individuals; but SecturaFAB opens processing quotes up due to the software’s relative ease of use. Those with minimal experience may not have the true feel for factoring in all time and costs related to labor, material handling and other aspects of the job. Automated quoting allows us to confidently bid on more jobs while being assured of quote accuracy. Simply put, SecturaFAB takes a highly skilled task and reduces it to a task that others can confidently take on.”   

Brunswick began using SecturaFAB with four users.  Today, because of the software’s success, the company is extending use of the software throughout its sales staff. The results are a measurable increase in quote volume and accuracy. “At Brunswick we pride ourselves on exceeding the expectations of our customers,” concluded McInnes. “The automation and accuracy of SecturaFAB helps us to grow our business while remaining responsive to our customers.”