Forterro’s Logikal MES System enters operation at Chigwell Window Centre

The first UK installation of Forterro’s LogiKal MES production tracking system is now live at Chigwell Window Centre. The trade, retail and commercial fabricator opted to install MES when it was planning its brand new 42000 sq ft production facility in Colchester to maximise efficiency and help achieve a paperless production environment. Chigwell’s Technical Manager Joe Perkins said: “We had the opportunity with the brand new factory layout to achieve meaningful improvements in efficiency, and we felt that the new MES system could be key to that. It enables us to track our aluminium output in the same way as we already track our PVC-U, and give us really valuable insight into what is a fast growing part of our business. “Having used LogiKal software for our aluminium processing for some time, we had faith in the product and were really pleased to win the race to be first in the UK.”

LogiKal MES is an advanced solution that integrates seamlessly with the LogiKal aluminium processing software, providing fabricators with complete visibility of their production – from material optimisation through to identifying and managing manufacturing deviations. It displays real-time tracking of jobs, order status, errors and solutions and allows for centralised control and reporting via an integrated dashboard, which can be accessed either in the factory or remotely 24/7.

The team from Forterro’s BM Aluminium installed 12 MES barcode scanning terminals in the new Chigwell Windows factory to track items through all the machinery and fabrication stations. They also used the machine interface contained within the software to enable direct communication between the machines and the terminals, so that the start and end of every operation is automatically reported.

For Chigwell, one of the added benefits of MES is that it helps to provide the traceability required for the company’s ISO9001 certification. Joe Perkins added: “It’s a robust system which will simplify our future ISO9001 audits, as well as obviously improving both internal and customer communication.”

Forterro completed the MES installation and set up at Chigwell in just over a week and delivered comprehensive onsite training for the Chigwell workforce. The response from the factory floor has been very positive, with many reporting operators just how easy the system is to use.

Daniel Hodges, Sales Team Lead at Forterro, commented: “We have already completed a follow up installation of MES at a second UK fabricator, and all the feedback we’re getting is that this is a potentially transformative product, promising very quick payback. Ultimately, it’s all about improving efficiency and in turn delivering an even better service to fabricators’ customers.”

Chigwell Window Centre’s new factory is located at Centurion Business Park in Colchester. As well as doubling production capacity, the new factory has brought all the company’s manufacturing and distribution facilities under one roof for the first time.

As part of the BM Group, BM Aluminium was acquired by the industrial software solutions Forterro in January 2025 alongside Orgadata, who are the developers of LogiKal and LogiKal MES.