Happy Holidays HiTen Members!
This month we have some important announcements.
Lysaght – Lysaght wants your business! Lysaght has lowered HiTen’s group rates and Lysaght is now in the ball park.
Stratco – The new Stratco price file is 99% finalised. I’m just waiting on final rates for about ten items and then we will update the price file next week in ACT
Roler Doors – Centurion’s roller door price file has been updated. Accessories will be implemented into ACT next week. Centurion and Steel-Line Roller Doors freight costs have been implemented to every Metroll location, so when selecting a freight destination please use “Consolidation Centre” and the doors should be correctly priced delivered to Metroll for consolidation. The same applies for Steel-Line roller doors. Alternatively, Stratco will not accept Centurion or Steel-Line roller doors for consolidation (because they want you to buy their Napoleon doors which are also available in ACT). I have worked with Centurion and Steel-Line and you can now price the roller doors delivered to any jobsite where Stratco delivers in SE QLD and NE NSW. Centurion has also given us national freight rates to deliver up to (6) roller doors to jobsites using a 10T crane truck. We are working on this new freight package and I hope to see it fully implemented in ACT by the end of May.
Don’t forget to add roller door wrapping from EXTRAS when pricing sheds with roller doors. This is probably the most common thing people forget to do when designing a shed.
AMIA – We received a new AMIA window price file last month. AMIA has increased their rates by 6.5% but state their costs have gone up 8-15% depending on the material, so expect further price increases. This increase was implemented into ACT the last week of March. Due to world-wide Magnesium shortages used to make aluminium, and increasing freight costs, window prices will continue to climb.
Freight rates – for nearly every supplier have gone up 5% -15% in the past month. These increases should be implemented in ACT by the end of next week. Most have already been implemented. Note, Supply chains continue to be more stressed due the war in Ukraine and Covid Re-Tooling (the process of shutting down and reopening). Russia is not banned from exporting it’s raw materials but insurance companies are refusing to insure cargo vessels that operate in the conflict zone, so commodities such as oil, gas, wheat and barley will continue to rise in cost. The United States may also ban oil exports to keep their own petrol prices from rising further. This could create a 1980’s style oil crisis – so be weary. This is not something that we can control and leading economist predict that it will take years for supply chains to catch up, so plan ahead and promote Aussie made products!
Software Development News:
Diaphram Bracing – Next month, we intend to release diaphragm bracing in ACT. So, if you want to get the absolute lowest price using diaphragm bracing (designs with less strap bracing), then you will need to fix the AMIA window into position with cut girts and a framed opening. You will not be able to use diaphragm bracing with field located windows (un-cut girts). They must be fixed in a location for diaphragm bracing to be used.
SHS Posts designs and Carports are being worked on now. This has been released for testing purposes internally and both should be released to you later this month.
Overhangs – are scheduled to be worked on in Oct-Dec this year.
Insulated panels – I have now turned in the Delta (regional) and Kingspan (national) price files to ACT for implementation These will be added to the roll former’s price files. Delta Insulated Panels will be implemented with Stratco, and Kingspan will be implemented with Metroll, Lysaght and Stramit. Once fully implemented in ACT, you will simply select the insulated panel in lieu of a single skin panel to design an insulated shed with 50-200mm panel thicknesses. The insulated panels will be delivered separately from the shed pack, directly to the jobs site.
Queensland Shed Builder Course – The CSQ have advised us that if industry achieves a good take up of the course they will fund the second half of the course up to 80% of the total cost. You do not need to be Queensland to take the course. This is an online course, designed to help bring your people into the industry. A set of nine (9) shed courses – ranging from planning and organising the build, right through to selecting and installing roof sheeting and wall cladding and the best use of tools and equipment. You train the apprentices in the field. Their skills are tested online and upon completing the course, the student receives certifications in Shed Building. Click on the following link for more details: Funded training available for formal shed-building course through Constriction Skills Queensland. (mailchi.mp)
Enjoy the holidays. I look forward to working with you when you return.
Best regards,
Chris Lynch
