Sunconfex Group:

Strong together into the future

Sunconfex has become large as a specialist in custom-made sun awning fabrics, while Solaye Fabrics is increasingly a trusted address for roll-to-roll sun awning fabrics. Both companies from Ypres, Belgium, will henceforth continue as the Sunconfex Group. Thanks to an optimally streamlined production process in Ypres and the brand new production location in Leipheim, Germany, the sun protection specialist is ready for the future. 

The Sunconfex Group presents itself with an entirely new visual corporate identity, while maintaining the familiar "eye" in the logo, however. The new logo was created with an eye to the future, while winking at the past. "Still recognizable, but tighter," says Sunconfex Group marketing coordinator Emelien Kestelyn. By that, she is also referring to the fact that the ready-to-wear company wants to continue to provide the tightest screens on the awning market. "What also does not change is that the customer remains our number one priority, that everything is perfectly finished and that delivery is fast. In short, we offer the best quality under the sun!" 

Innovation starts with employees

As a specialist in tailor-made awning fabric, Sunconfex has big ambitions. In April, for example, a new production site was opened in Leipheim, Germany. "With an area of 8000 m², the hall has no less than double the production capacity of our previous site in Jettingen-Scheppach," explains Emelien Kestelyn. Both Sunconfex sites, both in Ypres and Leipheim, are fully committed to innovation. "Many of the innovations come from our employees. It is our people who do their job with heart and soul every day who know best how production can be even better and more efficient. And more sustainable. Because that too is of fundamental importance to Sunconfex."

Sunconfex innovates with production techniques from Industry 4.0: far-reaching automation and digitalization, which, on the basis of data, allows for even better performance and quality, but also safer, more user-friendly and more ergonomic production. The "smart factory" of the future, today. "In Ypres, for example, we switched to an ERP system that digitally controls our production process," Kestelyn clarifies. "Production starts with an automated cutting machine. The quality control at the end is also automatic: down to the smallest detail we check for the correct confection side, width, height, squareness and other critical measurements that ensure that a fabric appears tight in front of the window. This quality control is so important because with us every canvas is unique and must be accurate down to the millimeter. And all within a delivery time of five to seven days after ordering."

Does that mean that humans will soon be superfluous at Sunconfex? "Not at all! Only thanks to the interplay of new technologies with the knowledge and experience of our employees can we deliver top products every day," Kestelyn believes. 

New quality cloth on roll

Solaye Fabrics - the second pillar of the Sunconfex Group - is the exclusive distributor for Europe of Alkenz Sunshadow® screen cloth on rolls. The company will soon launch a new quality cloth on the market: the Sunshadow 3000 RR 2% ALU with plus-minus 80% reflectance value. "Thanks in part to its denser weave, this fabric is by far the best indoor sunshade fabric on the market in terms of heat and light reflection," concludes Emelien Kestelyn. "With that, this quality cloth will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of Alkenz's collection of high-quality cloths for indoor screens."