PROFITING FROM DESIGN

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN: It is one of those products that nobody takes much interest in – as long as it works. But Cimbria Herning has created significantly more sales by redesigning its loading chute

Bulk goods from silo to ship, truck or railway – a transportation process that takes places thousands of times every day all over the world without anyone giving it a single thought. It just needs to be done, and how difficult can it be?

Not very, if you know how and have the right tools for it.

So does Cimbria Herning, a Danish company, which for many years has manufactured the special coupling that connects a silo with the hold. A loading chute that helps ensure the transportation process takes place in a reliable and environmentally sound way. Cimbria’s knowledge in the area has made it into the world’s largest manufacturer of loading chutes, which are marketed under the Moduflex name.

100% sales increase
But even the world’s biggest and best in its field can improve. Cimbria Herning’s director Lars Nørgaard realised that after a number of the company’s engineers and industrial designers from 3Part sat down together to hatch new ideas. The result was a range of products, which have boosted sales significantly.

“In recent years, Cimbria Herning has generated revenue growth of 10-15%, but the collaboration with the designers resulted in a revenue increase last year of more than 100%. Profits likewise increased, which is important,” says Lars Nørgaard. According to Lars Nørgaard, this is due not only to the design company’s involvement in the visual expression of the loading chute, but also to the choice of materials and the production process itself. 3Part subsequently helped prepare the sales material.

 
Designer Simon Skafdrup of 3Part with a model of the loading chute.

Lower production costs
“We succeeded in simplifying a lot of the components a loading chute consists of,” says designer and director Simon Skafdrup of 3Part. “A large number of variants were standardised, which resulted in lower production costs and a more flexible production process.

Since we consider design a part of the totality, it was also implemented in the sales material, which now to a much greater extent appeals to those who handle purchasing of Cimbria’s loading chutes.”

http://www.cimbria.com  
http://www.3part.com