Important Note Before You Start:

• A 10% increase in factory productivity is projected to increase annual profit by 30%
• A 20% increase in factory productivity is projected to increase annual profit by 60%
• A 30% increase in factory productivity is projected to increase annual profit by 90%

Please request our financial template to confirm. Client Case Studies in Full are Available on Request.

104 CLIENTS’ TESTIMONIALS

Empower 21 Years

27 Fibreglass Boats

Ocean Dynamics (Tauranga, New Zealand)

Using PC on the workshop floor and Empower Software our 10 workshop staff are a lot more aware of their times taken on their jobs

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop

Productivity and Scheduling Software App:
Real time reporting is key
Accurate time reporting is key
Empower has great historical record of times taken on every job
Empower is flexible and suits the nature of fibreglass manufacturing

Matt MacCormick, Managing Director 021 848 770

(17/06/2024)

Composite Group (Christchurch, New Zealand)

38% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within 2 years of using Empower software we got our factory staff down from 25 to 18 factory staff whilst retaining our weekly production, which was a 38% increase in our factory productivity.

The 7 staff saving (25 down to 18) we achieved initially in our boat division was a substantial annual wage cost saving. This is also a substantial time and cost saving for the products that we manufacture, which in turned allowed us to substantially more cost competitive in the market place, and more profitable"

Greg Simons, General Manager

(03/03/2016)

28 Contract Fibre Glass Products

Ocean Dynamics (Tauranga, New Zealand)

Using PC on the workshop floor and Empower Software our 10 workshop staff are a lot more aware of their times taken on their jobs

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop

Productivity and Scheduling Software App:
Real time reporting is key
Accurate time reporting is key
Empower has great historical record of times taken on every job
Empower is flexible and suits the nature of fibreglass manufacturing

Matt MacCormick, Managing Director 021 848 770

(17/06/2024)

Composite Group (Christchurch, New Zealand)

38% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within 2 years of using Empower software we got our factory staff down from 25 to 18 factory staff whilst retaining our weekly production, which was a 38% increase in our factory productivity.

The 7 staff saving (25 down to 18) we achieved initially in our boat division was a substantial annual wage cost saving. This is also a substantial time and cost saving for the products that we manufacture, which in turned allowed us to substantially more cost competitive in the market place, and more profitable"

Greg Simons, General Manager

(03/03/2016)

29 Project Boats

McMullen & Wing (Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to Be Determined

"As a world class boat builder, using Empower we now have a world class software solution for managing our production activity. 

We have witnessed significant factory productivity increases and time saving.

Empower Factory Productivity Software has been a substantial improvement from our previous manual system:

  • Improved factory productivity
  • Improved accuracy of times recorded on jobs
  • Improved management capability 
  • Improved planning
  • Live feed-back of job status and performance, which has reduced our report times from weeks to minutes"

David Porter, Director, +64 9 573 1405, +64 274 486349

(08/09/2016)

30 Equipment Repairs & Servicing

BPF Equipment (Dry Creek, SA, Australia)

15% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We used to use time punching machines that workshop staff punched on and off each jobs.  Workshop staff were not aware of their budgeted times for the job at job start and not aware of their actual time on the job at job end.  Workshop staff worked largely unaware of time on each job and worked at their own pace.

Using Empower we have achieved an estimated 15% increase in factory productivity

John Wright, Workshop Manager, +61 8 8262 1000

(06/07/2020)

31 Plastic Components Machining & Fabrication

Strata Precision Plastics (Hamilton, New Zealand)

25%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have witnessed an estimated 25% increase in factory productivity in the first 2 years.

Empower is an effective job and staff management system which has enabled us to achieve and maintain substantial factory productivity gains that we would not be without.

I recommend Empower Software to other manufacturers because it is very good and effective." Khalif Cable, Production Manager, + 64 7 846 9536 

(12/11/2015)

34 Electrical & Electronic Based Products

Allflex Livestock (Hamilton, New Zealand)

25%+ Less Time on Jobs.  Therefore 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using Empower I estimate we achieve a 25% reduction in labour times and labour cost on jobs.  We track and manage all our Downtime on Empower which bring substantial additional time savings

We export Orders and Jobs from SAP via csv spreadsheet and import all into Empower.  So we have one seamless solution – there is no double data entry

Empower’s accurate and real time actual to budgeted times data on Products and Stages of Products is “Gold”. This enables us to achieve and maintain consistent profit on all Products and all Orders”

Philip Cozens, Production Manager Allflex philip.cozens@merck.com +64 21 403 583

(8 7 2022)

Connex Wire (Auckland, New Zealand)

15% to 20%+ Less Time on Jobs.  Therefore 15% to 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Labour time on our jobs and therefore our labour cost on jobs has reduced by 15 to 20%.

Empower Software is the tool that allows me to be a professional and thorough production manager. Using Empower I: plan production far better, monitor production far better, get a lot more out of my factory staff team and I build and maintain a high moral and great company culture.

We would not be without Empower Software. We certainly would not go back to “manufacturing in the dark”, as we were manufacturing previously with manual time sheets"

Jay Ropati, Production Manager, +64 21 152 6698

(22/04/2020)

Engineering - Metal

Infab HVAC Sheet Metal (Takanini, New Zealand)

We estimate Empower has saved us around 15-20% by increasing the accuracy on time recorded for jobs, decreasing incorrect job coding, unallocated downtime and streamlining payroll processing.

"We chose Empower after seeing the benefits it provided to other companies in our industry.  Empower has become the industry standard and is now an essential tool in our workplace."

Hayden Walker, Director Infab

(7/10/2024)

Makaira Boats (Auckland, New Zealand) – July 2024

My goal is to reduce non value added labour through continuous improvement of process and line set up and empower is a critical tool to evaluate our improvement. Since we invested in Empower we have improved some procedures by 50% in man hours.

In 2017 we invested in Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software to manage our staffs time keeping and production tracking, we installed 55 inch TV Screens in workshop presenting our Jobs, Staff and all Times in real time this investment in technology 6 years ago has helped Makaira Boats to: 

  • increase from 6 to 26 workshop staff 
  • more than sixfold our production 
  • purpose design and build a new production lines for typically 8 to 10 metre boats to flow through our production cells 
  • achieve and maintain substantial boat orders worldwide… 

I believe we have world class software in the Empower Software tool

Allan Shaw, Director Makaira Boats

(7/8/2024)

Landquip Engineering (Hastings, New Zealand)

Our previous manual time sheet system was very expensive in lost production hours per workshop staff member per day by our 15 staff and our administration time per day approximately $90 per workshop staff member per week so our 15 workshop staff was costing us $1,350 per week and costing us $67,500 per year.

Empower Software for our 15 workshop staff is now costing only us $157 per week and only costing us $8,164 per year.

We are confident that using touchscreens on the workshop floor, TV in the workshop and Empower Software we will secure the following:
- 20% or more reduction in manufacturing times
- 50% or more reduction in all forms of our downtime

Calie de Nysschen, Production Manager calie@landquip.co.nz

(13/05/2024)

BIC Industries (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

Empower is the very best of Digital Manufacturing and Manufacturing Technology

“I love the workshop floor touch screens, the big TV screens and Empower Software technology, for myself and two daughters not aware of engineering and new to owning BIC Industries this technology enables us to manage our core business, our labour. We can ensure the substantial majority of our jobs come in on budgeted time and we can ensure that we refine our labour cost in our quotations to maintain profit on the majority of our jobs” 

Wendy Northey, Managing Director +61 4 1980 8588

(24 6 2024)

NuFab Industries (Wonthella, WA, Australia)

We have probably reduced our labour time on jobs by 20% to 30%, therefore reduced our labour cost on jobs by 20% to 30%

Sarah Allen-Hauser, Administration

(25/06/2024)

DNA Boats (Nelson, New Zealand) – June 2024

We then advanced to Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software, complete labour productivity software to give us specifically what we needed as a jobbing engineer.

Initially we were paper based manual time sheets that workshop staff filled in their jobs and times daily, this was very expensive in lost production time daily and management time rekeying into our job cost system, to produce a single report total time on each boat, times that were woefully inaccurate and reporting that was 2 days after production had occurred.

We then advanced to electronic time tracking of jobs, which was far better than manual time sheets but very limited in reporting.

I estimate our Jobs are completed in 20% less labour time at 20% less labour cost on each boat

Jason Elvines, Director DNA Boats

(20/6/2024)

Duralloy Truck Bodies (Queensland, Australia)

I estimate using touchscreens on the workshop floor and Empower Software our labour times on jobs is 20% less

"Previously we used the archaic system of manual time sheets. We invested in technology of touchscreens on workshop floor for our workshop staff use and the Empower Software App back in 2017 and never looked back"

Deana Thornton
Administration Management

0061 7 3293 2923

(20/5/2024)

HotChilly Sheet Metal (Wellington, New Zealand)

Based on knowledge of other engineers in our industry and the gains they have achieved and the fact I am production manager of our workshop floor I conservatively plan to and estimate we will achieve a 25% less time on our jobs

"Based on knowledge of other engineers in our industry and the gains they have achieved and the fact I am production manager of our workshop floor I conservatively plan to and estimate we will achieve a 25% less time on our jobs…

Key Points we like about 24 inch Touch Screens on our workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1 workshop staff engagement on their 24 inch touchscreens, they will see their job list, budgeted time at job start and actual time at job end, so staff can manage their own performance

2 all jobs and times are viewable on all the 75 inch TVs in real time for all workshop staff and all management to see
"

Craig Gadsby, Director 021 425 08

(5/4/2024)

Global Pumps (NSW and WA Australia)

Conservatively we have reduced our labour time on jobs by 10%

Empower is our workshop productivity and scheduling software and MYOB Exo is our accounting software, which interface seamlessly with each other. All New Jobs when entered into MYOB Exo and when saved go straight to Empower and at intervals throughout the day job times…

Workshop staff have long list on Tasks and Jobs ahead of them on Empower on their workshop devices. This keeps workshop staff fully: aware, engaged, time and job focused and therefore highly productive…

Empower enables management, production management and workshop foreman to all be involved in scheduling and assigning Tasks and Jobs. This makes for far more accurate and effective scheduling of forward work… Empower Software saves us practically a full time scheduling management role and associated cost, in scheduling area alone…

Pru Seeley, Project Co-Ordinator, Global Pumps
Pru.Seeley@globalpumps.com.au

(12/10/2023)

Tricon Drilling Solutions (Perth, WA, Australia)

We have witnessed a conservative 20% reduction on times on jobs and labour cost on jobs

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1 easy, quick and enjoyable for workshop staff and management to use
2 transparency of times on jobs and job status in real time is highly valuable
3 real time reporting of times on jobs and job status is highly valuable
4 good for scheduling
5 good for improving our budgeted labour time and labour cost in our quotations
6 good for staff performance reviews

Anyone is welcome to contact me regarding Empower

Diovian Luwandri, Technical Services Manager, +61 8 9477 2666, Perth@Triconds.com.au

(18/5/2023)

Transport Engineers Southland (Invercargill, New Zealand)

Real time reporting of Jobs and Staff is huge benefit of this new technology

“Empower was easy to set up and implement. We started with the basics and added to it over time

In conjunction with Lean Manufacturing we have achieved 20% less time on Jobs using Empower Software

In summary, Empower has been very good for us, we should have done it years ago.”

Meegan, Management Team

(15/12/2022)

Smart Shelters (Auckland, New Zealand)

We estimate that using touch screens on the workshop floor and Empower Software we complete our jobs in 20% less time.

“We estimate that using touch screens on the workshop floor and Empower Software we complete our jobs in 20% less time…

We previously used an electronic time on job capturing system, that gave us two reports namely: Hours Worked for Payroll and Labour Job Cost, total time on each job.  In comparison to our previous electronic time capturing system Empower Software does enormously more for us…

The Empower Software program itself is progressing and improving significantly all the time.”

Jim Cottle, SmartShelters

(18/10/2022)

Panther Protect & Widescreen External Blinds (Queensland, Australia)

A 40% reduction in labour time on our Jobs therefore a 40% labour cost reduction on our Jobs

“Based on Empower data to date I am very confident we will achieve:

1. a 40% reduction in labour time on our Jobs therefore a 40% labour cost reduction on our Jobs

2. All Overtime being eliminated and

3. Downtime reduction of 50% to 75%, saving 4 to 6 hours per workshop staff member per week times 7 workshop staff is a total reduction of 28 hours to 42 hours per week, which is $2,520 to $3,780 additional revenue weekly associated with the reduction in Downtime

NO Australian business should be manufacturing or engineering any product or projects without touchscreens on the workshop floor, 50 inch TVs in the workshop and office walls and the latest software technology like Empower Software. Empower is a phenomenal tool that will make widespread, massive and long term benefits to our manufacturing”

Tony Hopkins, Widescreen Product and Systems Designer, +1 914 965 1520

(20/9/2022)

Arcalloy (Invercargill, New Zealand) – February 2022

Ballpark we have reduced our job times by at least 20% to date.

“1 Empower provides us with the latest technology in digital manufacturing. Workshop staff get their job lists on their tablets on the workshop floor. Management and workshop staff get real time reporting on all Tasks, Jobs, Downtimes, Individual Staff and all times

2 I like the real time reporting of all production 50 inch TV screen, which is presenting real time job times down to individual staff and their Jobs continuously 8 hours a day".

Doug Jukes, Production Manager

(1/2/2022)

Stabicraft Marine (Invercargill, New Zealand)

Significant but confidential

“10 years ago I worked at Stabicraft Marine in a Manufacturing role and I witnessed first-hand how well PCs on the workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling App worked at making our manufacturing staff a lot more engaged and a lot more productive.  I also witnessed back then how our Production Manager used the tool to very good effect, Empower’s real time accurate times compared to budgeted times to Jobs, Tasks and Individual staff.

I will now be fully responsible for the Empower Software tool at Stabicraft and fully responsible for planning and driving and maximising workshop productivity.  Empower has certainly developed enormously over the last 10 years I look forward to using it.”

Damian McNaught, Manufacturing Manager, +64 21 223 6717  

(5/10/2021)

DomeShelter Australia (Cunderdin, Western Australia)

Confidential

“Our staff are a lot more aware of job priorities and a lot more aware of their budgeted times and actual times on jobs

When individual staff challenge the budgeted times for tasks and jobs, I enjoy presenting them with accurate budgeted times based on accurate actual times averages, which confirms the budgeted times are realistic and accurate

As a production scheduler I would not be without Empower Software I am happy with it

We are now moving into new manufacturing premises to cope with our growth.”

Cristina Mico, Steel Production Scheduler, +61 8 9690 1100

(20/7/2021)

Stabibuild (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs. 30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“The age-old saying, “you cannot manage what you cannot measure,” could not be more true for Stabibuild.

Our core business is labour management and Empower enables us to monitor our labour accurately and in real time.

Our labour time on jobs have reduced 30% conservatively, using Empower Software.

Empower Software is great technology and is an integral and vital part of our business – I would not be without it.”

Blair Neal, Manufacturing Manager, +64 27 410 5012, blair@stabibuild.co.nz

(21/7/2021)

Equiptec (Napier, New Zealand)

10% Less Labour Time on Jobs. 10% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using tablets on the workshop floor and Empower Software workshop staff focus on meeting and beating the times they are given, as budgeted times. Before Empower there was no target time and therefore no time urgency by workshop staff, and Jobs simply took the time they took.

Empower is a very good reporting tool, with wide range of standard reports and screens, on all aspects of production, productivity, work in progress and scheduling.”

Bruce Senior, Managing Director and Tom Senior, Operations Manager,
+64 6 842 0222

(15/6/2021)

Manta Marine Stainless (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Minimum Less Time on Jobs.  30% Minimum Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have witnessed a minimum 30% reduction in labour times on jobs therefore 30% labour cost on jobs.  If we turned off Empower today our labour time on jobs and labour cost on jobs would increase 30% which would have a massive negative impact on our Job profitability and ultimately our sales and production levels.  We definitely would not operate our business without Empower.”

Steve and Louise Pribicevich, Directors +64 9 620 71027

(12/3/2021)

CNC Solutions (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20+% Less Time on Jobs. 20+% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I worked for engineering businesses previously, some of which had good and some of which had poor processes, systems and reporting.  When I started CNC Solutions I had a good understanding of why it is essential to have and use good processes, systems and reporting. 

Using the Empower Software App we “run rings around” many engineering firms we compete with which have no scheduling software and only manual processes and systems which provides limited, late and inaccurate job status and labour time and labour cost reporting.

I estimate that jobs take 20% minimum less time at 20% minimum less labour cost using technology of tablets on workshop floor and Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software App.

Laine Etwell, Director

(16/2/2021)

Chapman Fabrications (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I ceased using manual time sheets and instead I now use tablets on my workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App, which costs $76 per week so for my 5 workshop staff I immediately saved approximately $300 per week and $14,700 annually.

I found the Empower Software App easy and relatively quick to put in and start using.

I would guess that is we turned off Empower Software then we would have no individual staff, job and task reporting of job times, therefore no workshop staff and no management transparency, awareness and accountability the would result would be jobs would take approximately 20% more time and 20% more labour cost.”

Simon Chapman, Managing Director, +61 4 0880 6086

(14/1/2021)

Dix Engineering, (Remark, SA, Australia)

20% Less Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“If we turned off Empower today then tomorrow onwards jobs would go back to taking 20% or more longer at 20% higher labour cost. The technology of Empower Software and the workshop floor tablets certainly makes workshop staff aware and engaged and it enables workshop staff to continually meet and manage their times on all jobs”

Andrew Parkinson, Managing Director, PH: 08 8586 1500, MB: 0418 210 124, Email: awelton@canam.co.nz

(9/12/2020)

TrailLite Motor Homes & Caravans (Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity

“We employ 70 staff…We are building 90 motor homes a year and the price range of each motor home is $250,000 to $350,000

I like the technology of tablets on workshop floor and Empower Software App which provides us accurate to the minute job times, task times and individual staff times on tasks and real time reporting

The reduction in job times and labour cost using the Empower Software App have been and are significant.

We are very happy with the Empower Software App, it is an important reporting tool in our business that we would not be without”

Shaun Newman, General Manager, TrailLite Motor Homes, PH: +64 9 238 6869

(13/11/2020)

Accurate Australia (Brisbane, Qld, Australia)

30% to 50% Less Time on Jobs.  30% to 50% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

Using Empower we have 30% to 50% less time on jobs therefore 30% to 50% less labour cost on jobs

The number of jobs we deliver to clients on due date has increased substantially using Empower.  Our DIFOT % (Delivered In Full On Time) is almost 100% monthly

My discussions with workshop staff are now backed up fully with accurate real time reporting, so I can be fair, equitable and professional

Our 50 inch TV screens on office walls and workshop walls, Empower always reporting all jobs, all staff and all job times in real time continuously throughout the day certainly increases workshop staff awareness, engagement and focus

Kate Honeyman, Production and Sales Administrator, +61 7 3881 3056

(2/11/2020)

EDS Engineering (Brisbane, QLD, Australia)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Empower Software has reduced our labour times and labour costs on jobs by an average of 30%, which is massive.

Our return on investment (ROI) with Empower is very high.

We looked nationwide and internationally before deciding on Empower Software and are convinced that it is the best possible labour management and job scheduling tool available by a long shot, even the big software brands did not have what Empower has.

Support from Empower office is comprehensive and amazing”

Gareth Webster, Co-Owner, +61 4 3860 0367 mb, +61 7 3881 0223 wk

(23/04/2018)

Keelow Jetboats & Avon Engineering (Gore, Southland, New Zealand)

30%+ Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I am confident that if we turned off Empower Software today we would go back to jobs taking 30% longer at 30% higher labour cost… In summary, Empower is a great tool that we would not be without”

Paul Cross, Managing Director, +64 27 408 4057, +64 3 208 9995 wk

(03/03/2020)

Carac Engineering (Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand)

20%+ Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Our reduction in labour times on jobs and labour cost on jobs is 20% currently.  We are confident that we can get drive our labour times and labour cost on jobs significantly down further"

Mike Doyle, General Manager, +64 27 241 4580

(08/09/2016)

Heat Tech Ltd (Auckland, New Zealand)

20% to 25% Increase in Factory Productivity

“'Lie sheets' my factory staff used to fill in at the end of every day. On our previous manual system we used to pay factory staff for poor performance. With Computers on the factory floor and Empower we pay factory staff accurately and fairly, which is a win win for my factory staff and the business.

In our business we employ staff of all backgrounds Indians, Japanese, Germans, Philippines and Kiwis, tradesman & non tradesmen, 20 to 60 years of age and of many religions. As production manager and owner it is necessary for me to be clear in all communications, accurate in production numbers presented and fair and equitable to all factory staff, which Empower allows me to do

We have secured a 20% to 25% increase in my factory productivity using Empower Software” Wolfgang Schoense, Owner and Production Manager, +64 9 418 1102

(19/01/2017)

Express Sheet Metals (Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand)

25%+ Less Time on Jobs.  25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We were a small 10 man business manufacturing ducting struggling from job to job at $1 mill revenue per year.  4 years later we were doing $6 to $7 million per year, and now 9 years later we are employing as many as 200 staff and doing as a guide $15+ mill revenue per year.  We could not have managed and controlled our growth without Empower.

Empower Software has transformed our entire business operation. Our factory staff culture has become very positive and committed to meeting and beating the times on all our jobs.

Our jobs are taking on average 25% less time to complete [ie. a 33% increase in factory productivity].

With 25% less labour time and less labour cost we are highly cost competitive in the market place which has lead directly to our increasing sales and increasing production.  We love the Empower system and certainly would not be without it."

Mike Arcari, Director, +64 9 276 8238, +64 21 973 273 mb

(11/07/2019)

Donovan Engineering (Whangarei, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We have witnessed the following 10 Productivity Increases using Empower Software:

1. Having Empower in for only 4 months we had dropped our nightshift and maintained same level of production...

3. All forms of time that factory staff stole in working hours during the day has been practically eliminated...

8. Having Empower in for only 4 months our lead time on jobs being completed for clients had dropped from 15 days average to 7 days average. This was a massive improvement in our customer service...

10. Overall I estimate our total factory productivity increase using Empower to date is 30%.”

Kyle Donovan, Director, +64 9 438 1562, +64 21 456 158

(24/05/2016)

AlRound Sheet Metal (Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand)

30% to 35% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Our production and our revenue has increased 10 times in our 7 years to date.

6 years ago we invested in touchscreens on our workshop floor, 55 inch TV screens for our office and Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software.  Our production and our revenue increased 4 times in the first 3 years. 

The use of Touchscreens on our workshop floor, 55 inch TV screens for our office and the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software came highly recommended to us by colleague from local engineering firm who were using the Empower Software who had increased their production, revenue and profit substantially.

If you are using workshop staff completed manual time sheets as I was, or not recording time on jobs at all you are manufacturing “blind” of your labour time on jobs and “blind” of your labour cost on jobs, which is poor management of your labour force.  Conversely using Empower you are manufacturing with 20 20 vision with real time information from your workshop floor, and all individual workshop staff are fully aware, transparent, accountable and highly productive".

Alex Sullivan, Director, +64 21 444 403, +64 9 622 2139

(05/12/2023)

Longveld Engineering (Hamilton, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to be Confirmed

“Whilst it is not easy to quantify exact % factory productivity increase using Empower Software I believe we have achieved significant factory productivity increases in the following areas:


Factory Staff seeing on the factory PC:

  1. daily job list and workload
  2. budgeted time for each job on job start
  3. time through the job as job progresses to keep on track
  4. completed time against budgeted time to monitor their own performance
  5. any other staff currently logged onto their job

Management seeing on the PCs in the office:

  1. daily job list and workload – to ensure enough work is loaded
  2. time through the job as job progresses to keep on track
  3. completed time against budgeted time on each job
  4. any other staff currently logged onto their job
  5. ability of production manager to speak to staff live on the factory floor about time on current job”

Mark Callen, General Manager Finance, +64 7 846 6901

(29/02/2016)

Easy Access Company (Maungatoroto, Northland, New Zealand)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower we have achieved an estimated 25% increase in our factory productivity

Key Points we have found with Empower Software:

  1. Factory staff know the costed time and are more likely to achieve it
  2. Good for measuring productivity MTD between teams to foster friendly competition
  3. Easy for management and team leaders to assign tasks quickly and monitor production times
  4. Product back costing is very easy
  5. Simple way of recording down and unaccounted time, more staff accountability
  6. Producing WIP and forward work documentation is easy."

Neil Hodges, Production Management.  Jeff Wearmouth Director

(27/5/2016)

Compass Trailers (Dargaville, Northland, New Zealand)

30%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have achieved an estimated 30% increase in our workshop productivity...

Our advice is threefold, if you are a manufacturer or engineer make sure you chose only workshop labour management software where:

· 100% of client users of the software are manufacturers and engineers

· the software has been around for 10 or more years and

· the software has written case study proof of the significant workshop gains that many clients have achieved using the software"

Hamish Campion, Managing Director, +64 21 228 3735

(07/07/2020)

MARs Transport Equipment (Riverland, SA, Australia)

50%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within six months of using the software we had turned our factory productivity on its ear, increasing it by an absolute minimum 30%. 

At eight years on using Empower Software we have increased our factory productivity by an estimated 50%.

We are now a much more competitive and stable business looking at growing sales, factory staff and annual profit. 

In hindsight, attempting to manage this business and attempting to manage factory staff for all those years without PCs on the factory floor and Empower time tracking software I was "pissing in the wind”.

Putting in Empower Software is the best thing I have done in my business since owning the business in 1987."

Peter Morelli, Managing Director, +61 4 1883 9156 mb

(05/07/2015)

Delta Stock Crates (Fielding, New Zealand)

10% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We get accurate manufacturing data being captured in real time. We can instantly see who is working on what and report on, and analyse, up to the minute data - from individual staff times through to accumulated time on current jobs, or just a specific part or component being manufactured. This is invaluable for at driving factory productivity which in turn helps keep manufacturing costs down.  

Currently we use only a part of Empower Software.  We don’t use Scheduling at all and we don’t use some of the productivity reporting that I have seen other Empower clients use.  Regardless, I estimate we have achieved a 10% increase in our factory productivity by using Empower Software.

Our factory staff have endorsed Empower and there is now a greater awareness and interest in meeting their times on jobs and knowing "time is money". The culture change has been quite refreshing.

Darryl Coleman, Director, +64 27 435 5386

(19/04/2016)

Combo Industries (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

15% to 20% Less Time on Jobs.  15% to 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Previously we used manual times sheets. Our workshop staff tried to remember then recorded their jobs and times on jobs at day end, many times were “fudged” by staff. They used to take each staff member approximately 10 minutes each to complete daily, which across 15 staff totals 2.5 hours per day, 12.5 hours per week of lost production and lost chargeable time totalling $1,000 per week (ie 12.5 hours times $80 per hour). Our administration staff used to take an additional 1.5 hours per day, 7.5 hours per week, collating and inputting times into our job cost spreadsheet, so wage cost, some $30 an hour, was an additional $225 per week. To produce my single job cost report from manual time sheets used to cost me $1,225 per week.

Empower cost me only $130 per week for the first 3 years and now I’m paying $49 per week. Moving from manual time sheets to Empower is saving me $1,176 per week and $61,152 per year. Plus I have gained all the additional benefits Empower Software provides: accurate times, real time reporting, reporting times of jobs and down to task level, reporting times of individual workshop staff, reporting real time jobs, staff and times on 55 inch TVs on office walls and workshop walls, job scheduling and a 15% to 20% reduction in job times and 15% to 20% reduction in labour cost on jobs "

Darryl Barber, Director, +61 8 8349 4366, +61 4 1884 2670

(31/07/2020)

Otago Transport Engineers (OTE) (Dunedin, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have achieved an estimated 20% reduction in time on jobs overall.

I am a big believer of work shop staff and job times transparency.  Empower reports time in real time and accurate to the minute which is very powerful. 
 
In summary Empower is an amazing tool that makes my life easier and allows me to do a better job as production manager"
Richard Swale, Production Manager, +64 3 489 2553

(28/08/2020)

Rata Industries (Timaru, New Zealand)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity within the First 3 months

 "We witnessed a 40% increase in our factory productivity within the first 3 months.

A colleague running another manufacturing business heard we had Empower and phoned me to seek my advice.  I respectfully advised him at the end of our conversation "you would be mad not to put Empower in as it certainly does work".  The colleague followed my advice and put in Empower and I know he too has secured substantial increases in his factory productivity and is very happy with it"

Bert Walton, Production Director, +64 3 688 2478

(20/04/2016)

Carac Engineering Group (Taranaki, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using Empower Software, we now have a companywide, all workshop staff, all management and all administration staff awareness of and focus on job times.  All management and all staff in the same boat rowing in the same direction

Our reduction in labour times on jobs and labour cost on jobs is 20% currently.  We are confident that we can get drive our labour times and labour cost on jobs significantly down further”

Mike Doyle, General Manager, +64 27 241 4580

(27/02/2020)

Versalite Windows and Doors (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower our staff and factory productivity has increased by 40%, saves us around $96,000 per year in wage cost and has brought about a significant and real positive culture change to our factory floor."

Michael Myers, Managing Director, +61 2 6765 3222, +61 4 2960 9568 mb

(08/07/2014)

Packers Windows and Doors (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

“Empower definitely makes our factory staff fully conscious of the times we have sold the jobs for (ie the budgeted times that they see on Empower on the factory PC screens). So factory staff are aware of what is expected of them and they appreciate having the target times and direction.

We have achieved a 40% increase in our factory productivity"

Seb Packer, Managing Director

(06/07/2014)

Sandbrooks Marine Windows (Wiri, Auckland, New Zealand)

10% Increase in Factory Productivity in 4 Weeks.  20% Increase in Factory Productivity Target within 3 months

"In the very first four weeks we achieved a 10% increase in output. This is the equivalent to a saving in wages of two factory staff totalling $60,000 saving per year.

We are confident we will get our increase in output to at least 20% within the next two months. This will be the equivalent to a saving in wages of four factory staff totalling $120,000 saving per year."

Glen Sandbrook, Director, +64 276 872 874     
glen@sandbrooks.co.nz

(18/06/2007)

Crittall Arnold Windows (Auckland, New Zealand)

22% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Across our 18 factory staff we have achieved an estimated 130.5 additional production hours per week, which is enormous. This is an estimated 22% increase in our factory productivity"

Darren Arnold, Managing Director, +64 9 296 5520

(28/02/2017)

Makaira Boats (Keri Keri, New Zealand)

30%+ Less Time on Jobs.  30%+ Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have only been using Empower for 9 months and I estimate we have made approximately a 30% reduction in our labour times and labour cost already.

"My goal is to reduce our labour times and labour cost by 50%.”

Allan Shaw, Director, +64 21 121 8889mb, +64 9 401 6641 wk

(13/01/2019)

Keelow Jet Boats & Avon Engineering (Gore, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

“I am confident that if we turned off Empower Software today we would go back to jobs taking 30% longer at 30% higher labour cost…

In summary, Empower is a great tool that we would not be without”

Paul Cross, Managing Director, +64 27 408 4057 mb, +64 3 208 9995 wk

(03/03/2020)

Composite Materials Based Manufacturers

Ocean Dynamics (Tauranga, New Zealand)

Using PC on the workshop floor and Empower Software our 10 workshop staff are a lot more aware of their times taken on their jobs

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop

Productivity and Scheduling Software App:
Real time reporting is key
Accurate time reporting is key
Empower has great historical record of times taken on every job
Empower is flexible and suits the nature of fibreglass manufacturing

Matt MacCormick, Managing Director 021 848 770

(17/06/2024)

Allflex Livestock (Hamilton, New Zealand)

25%+ Less Time on Jobs.  Therefore 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using Empower I estimate we achieve a 25% reduction in labour times and labour cost on jobs.  We track and manage all our Downtime on Empower which bring substantial additional time savings

We export Orders and Jobs from SAP via csv spreadsheet and import all into Empower.  So we have one seamless solution – there is no double data entry

Empower’s accurate and real time actual to budgeted times data on Products and Stages of Products is “Gold”. This enables us to achieve and maintain consistent profit on all Products and all Orders”

Philip Cozens, Production Manager Allflex philip.cozens@merck.com +64 21 403 583

(8 7 2022)

Composite Group (Christchurch, New Zealand)

38% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within 2 years of using Empower software we got our factory staff down from 25 to 18 factory staff whilst retaining our weekly production, which was a 38% increase in our factory productivity.

The 7 staff saving (25 down to 18) we achieved initially in our boat division was a substantial annual wage cost saving. This is also a substantial time and cost saving for the products that we manufacture, which in turned allowed us to substantially more cost competitive in the market place, and more profitable"

Greg Simons, General Manager

(03/03/2016)

McMullen & Wing (Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to Be Determined

"As a world class boat builder, using Empower we now have a world class software solution for managing our production activity. 

We have witnessed significant factory productivity increases and time saving.

Empower Factory Productivity Software has been a substantial improvement from our previous manual system:

  • Improved factory productivity
  • Improved accuracy of times recorded on jobs
  • Improved management capability 
  • Improved planning
  • Live feed-back of job status and performance, which has reduced our report times from weeks to minutes"

David Porter, Director, +64 9 573 1405, +64 274 486349

(08/09/2016)

BPF Equipment (Dry Creek, SA, Australia)

15% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We used to use time punching machines that workshop staff punched on and off each jobs.  Workshop staff were not aware of their budgeted times for the job at job start and not aware of their actual time on the job at job end.  Workshop staff worked largely unaware of time on each job and worked at their own pace.

Using Empower we have achieved an estimated 15% increase in factory productivity

John Wright, Workshop Manager, +61 8 8262 1000

(06/07/2020)

Strata Precision Plastics (Hamilton, New Zealand)

25%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have witnessed an estimated 25% increase in factory productivity in the first 2 years.

Empower is an effective job and staff management system which has enabled us to achieve and maintain substantial factory productivity gains that we would not be without.

I recommend Empower Software to other manufacturers because it is very good and effective." Khalif Cable, Production Manager, + 64 7 846 9536 

(12/11/2015)

Connex Wire (Auckland, New Zealand)

15% to 20%+ Less Time on Jobs.  Therefore 15% to 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Labour time on our jobs and therefore our labour cost on jobs has reduced by 15 to 20%.

Empower Software is the tool that allows me to be a professional and thorough production manager. Using Empower I: plan production far better, monitor production far better, get a lot more out of my factory staff team and I build and maintain a high moral and great company culture.

We would not be without Empower Software. We certainly would not go back to “manufacturing in the dark”, as we were manufacturing previously with manual time sheets"

Jay Ropati, Production Manager, +64 21 152 6698

(22/04/2020)

Joiners - Panel & Timber

Harrington Kitchens (Hamilton, New Zealand)

I am confident that if we turned off Empower we would go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture our kitchens.

“Montage Kitchens have been involved in the development of Empower over the last 22 years. The software has been developed largely by kitchen makers for kitchen makers that’s why it works so well for our industry.

The big screen TVs in our office and machine shop with Empower Screens on displaying our Jobs, Staff and Times in real time.  Real time and accurate time information makes all our management and all our workshop staff highly transparent and highly accountable"

Jared Monk, Director
Montage Kitchens
Hamilton, New Zealand

(09 10 2024)

Harrington Kitchens (Narellan, NSW, Australia)

We did not track staff time on jobs previously. Empower is a big step up!

“Previous to Empower when we had quality issue for example “door handles” left off a kitchen 2 weeks ago I had to walk the factory floor and ask 8 staff “who did the door handles on Mr Smith’s job, to get 5 staff advise me it was not them and 3 staff advise they could not remember. This was time consuming, frustrating, and made difficult for me to hold staff to our systems and our quality control. Now with Empower Software I pull up the Job Number and I see exactly which staff member did the handles, I go straight to that staff member remind them they were assigned the job to do the handles on the Smith job and the discussion I have with the staff member a lot easier and the outcomes a lot better.

Empower is good for scheduling kitchens, more accurate time lines are provided to sales management, clients and our contractors.” 

Jasn Barz
Production Manager

(25 7 2024)

Independent Kitchens and Joinery (ACT, Australia)

Accurate times on Jobs is helpful to ensure we are quoting labour with accuracy to ensure we have enough in each job.

“Empower is good for scheduling jobs and assigning tasks to staff.

We did purchase Empower to individual workshop staff job times and productivity reporting.” 

James Philpott, Director
Independent Kitchens and Joinery
ACT Australia

(23 7 2024)

McNaughton Timber Windows & Doors (Auckland, New Zealand)

If we did not have Empower Software we would have less clarity and less accountability and jobs would take estimated 20% longer

"Currently we have been using Empower for 10 years…

In my role as production manager at intervals during the day I get a good “snapshot” of the workshop from my PC, I can see the workshop staff are on the right jobs and I can see jobs are progressing. I see jobs, staff and times in real time and times are accurate"

Malena Cheung, Account Administrator

Chris Henasy, Production Advisor

(15/05/2024)

JFK Interiors (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

I estimate using Empower Software our jobs are completed in 15 to 20 % less time.

“We are one of the largest joinery operations in Australia…

All our workshop staff and our office staff involved in pre production are tracked on Empower…

We have 3 touch screens on our workshop floor for our staff to access their job list and start and finish their jobs…” 

Paul DiBlasi
Director

Tel: (03) 9358 3721

(15 5 2024)

Sunshine Joinery (Napier, New Zealand)

It is early days but I estimate that our labour times on Jobs are 20% less using Empower so our labour cost on Jobs has reduced by 20%, which is substantial

“When we implemented Empower for a month we ran manual time sheets in parallel with Empower to be genuinely shocked as to how vastly inaccurate manual time sheets were. Manual time sheets is information “too little, too late, too inaccurate and too expensive to produce”. Further manual time sheets did not make any of our staff time aware, time transparent or time focused

Empower saves us 5 hours per week in administration time rekeying in manual time sheets to Job Cost which at $80 per hour labour overhead cost was costing us $400 per week $20,000 per year."

Rick Martin (Director) and Cameron Auld (Factory and Installation Team Leader)
06 844 6105 / 021 532 269
rick@sunshinejoinery.co.nz

(29/2/2024)

Southern Creations (Christchurch, New Zealand)

We have been using the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software App for 10 years, its been good for us and I recommend it.

Empower is a good tool, we mainly use it for:
- Scheduling our Jobs and Tasks
- Assigning Jobs and Tasks to our Workshop Staff
- Ensure all Jobs get put into our system
- Ensure all Jobs are invoiced and correctly
- Hours Worked for Payroll

Fraser Bickley, Managing Director, +64 3 384 7096, fraser@southerncreations.co.nz

(11/10/2023)

NeoDesign Cabinetmakers (Auckland, New Zealand)

Using Empower we estimate we achieve 20% Less time on Jobs at 20% Less labour cost

We have been using Empower for 14 years to date, since 2009

Empower Software ensures Companywide Continuous transparency of Jobs, Times and Staff, which brings maximum accountability and maximum workshop productivity

Using the technology of touchscreens on the workshop floor and the Empower Software App has been very good for NeoDesign, we would not be without it

Derek Saward, Director NeoDesign

(20/2/2023)

Wyer + Craw (Queensland, Australia)

“Touch screens and 50 inch TVs in workshop and offices and Empower Software App technology will definitely deliver substantial reductions in our labour times and our labour cost on jobs and also substantial reductions in all forms of our Downtime”

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1  Ability to have live view of; all jobs, all staff, all job times is valuable

2  Ability to “dive” down through extensive reporting options to see all levels of Jobs and individual staff times is valuable

3  Empower Scheduling is gold

4  50 inch TVs in office and workshop delivering total transparency always is gold

5  Empower is simple for management and staff to use, which is important

Michael McKim Partner, Operations Manager +61 4 1676 1315

(15/11/2022)

The Woodsmiths (Maungatoroto)

I estimate that without Empower Software Jobs would slowly slip back to taking 20% longer time.

I estimate that without Empower Software Overhead Jobs and all other forms of Unproductive time would slowly slip back to taking 50% longer time.

“15 years ago we used paper based manual time sheets for workshop staff to record their time on their jobs, which provided us with information that was “too little, too inaccurate, too late and too expensive to produce”. Then we progressed to electronic punch cards.  Then we progressed to Empower Software.  It would be a big step “backwards” for us to go back to electronic punch cards and it would be an even bigger step “backwards” to manual time sheets”

Tony Boakes, Operations Manager, 021 228 3921

(23/9/2022)

TLD Kitchens (Queensland, Australia)

I estimate our Jobs would go back to taking 20% longer, and at 20% more labour cost, if we turned off Empower Software

“By using Empower Software technology we get away from the “dinosaur” old manual systems and the resultant companywide “chaos” that existed on our workshop floor and in our office. Our previous manual systems where very labour intensive and very costly and a real “pain in the butt” daily.

If we turned off Empower Software tomorrow the transparency and accountability would drop to “ZERO” and I estimate our Jobs would go back to taking 20% longer, and at 20% more labour cost.”

Jenny Muyoma, Administration Manager

(23/9/2022)

Elmhall Millworks Inc (New York, USA)

There will be labour savings on jobs, I will provide accurate data in a few months

“Empower shows us our issues and mistakes clearly and concisely on our 50 inch TV screens in the office and our workshop in real time so we can fix them in real time

All management and staff can see at a glance on our 50 inch TVs in our office and our workshop, viewing our three teams including: Workshop Staff, On Site Staff and Preproduction Staff, and everyone can see what Task each and all staff are working on, and how they are tracking actual to budgeted time” 

Keith Murphy, Owner, +1 914 965 1520, info@elmhallmillworks.com

(20/9/2022)

T Built (Queensland, Australia)

Too early to estimate

“We are moving away from the typical model of paying our staff solely on hours worked.  We are moving to paying our staff based on output performance, reported in Empower which incentivises our staff to work. There is a big difference in the two approaches…

Everyone in our “Value Chain” will be tracked on Empower including:
Pre Production – our draughters, materials orderers’ etc
Workshop floor – machine operators and assemblers, including contract painters
Install Teams - All our installers”. 

(28 4 2022)

Independent Doors

Independent Doors (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20% reduction in Labour time on Jobs therefore a 20% reduction in labour cost

"The future of Manufacturing is using touch screens on the workshop floor and the likes of the Empower Software App and presenting Job, Task and Individual Workshop Staff times in real time on 50 inch TV screens in the workshop and office 

I estimate that our Job times and therefore our labour Cost on jobs has reduced by 20%.  This is on top of a substantial reduction in time in all forms of our daily and weekly Downtime.

Empower is a great investment, we unreservedly recommend it and would not be without it"

Chris McQuire
+64 22 625 4582 or +64 3 384 1113

(26 11 2021)

Prime Joinery Ltd (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Not tracking properly at present but intend to do so over the next 3 months

“Empower Software is a “very good” production management tool.

These key screens and reports, and many more, enable us to manage our growth and maintain margins on every job. Empower allows us to keep our business “on track”

Empower Software certainly makes our factory staff and management a lot more aware and a lot more accountable to their times taken on jobs.”

Roger Syme, Managing Director, 021 344 606 or 03 982 1700

(27/9/2021)

One 68 Shop Fitters (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

20% Less Labour Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I estimate that if we turned off Empower Software tomorrow jobs would go back to taking 20% longer at 20% additional labour cost. Workshop staff are so much more time focused and accountable when tracked in real time on each and all Tasks and all Jobs, using workshop floor tablets and Empower Software”

Scott Minter, Production Management, One 68 Shop Fitters
+61 4 6748 4289 / +61 3 9518 5168

(15/6/2021)

JR Hewitson Carpentry and Joinery (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“From using Empower Software at JR Hewitson the staff culture has improved enormously to be job and time focused and consequently our production, productivity and profitability has improved enormously.

We have reduced our labour time on jobs by 30%, that is we have reduced our labour cost on jobs by 30%, which has had huge improvement to profit

As a manager I like the fact the business has progressed from no and poor systems to using technology to manage and maximise our core business, which is our labour”.

Wayne Brazier, Joinery Management +61 4 0779 8044

(15 3 2021)

Cowdroy Doors (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs (planned)

“We went live with using Empower Software on our workshop floor this morning.  Within 1 day we have moved from “manufacturing blind” to “manufacturing with 20 / 20 vision”.  Tablets on the workshop floor and the Empower Software app have dragged us out of the “Dark Ages” and into the “21st century…

It has taken me 5 days to watch Empower’s training videos, read the Empower Help system, use the Empower Easy Start system, and play with the software to then set up and start using Empower on our Workshop floor.  The phone and Zoom support several times a day over the 5 days from the Empower office has been great…

We confidently expect to achieve a 30% reduction in labour times on jobs therefore a 30% reduction in labour costs on jobs.”

Andrew Budgen, Production Manager, +64 204 184 2905

(18/3/2021)

B & M Joinery (Cromwell, New Zealand)

25% Less Time on Jobs. 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Previously we used manual time sheets that workshop staff filled in by hand at day end to record the jobs they worked on and the time they started, finished and spent on each job.  Manual time sheets are more accurately known as “Lie” sheets and “Cheat” sheets.  Manual time sheet information was “too little too late and too inaccurate”

Now that we have PCs on our workshop floor and Empower Software the culture of all our staff has changed entirely to consistently be job, productivity, time and profit focused.

We would recommend the Empower Software App to all manufacturers and engineers, as it is an essential tool to manage all your labour

Overall we estimate jobs take 25% less labour time at 25% labour cost.” 

Kate Munro, Director

(17/2/2021)

Matakana Kitchens and Joinery, (Matakana, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I estimate times on jobs are now 20% less using tablets on the workshop floor and Empower Software

I view Empower on 50 inch TV screens throughout the day in real time to see:
• which staff are working and which staff are not
• current job status (this saves me leaving my desk for approximate 10 minute walk to the workshop to sight each time)

I run Empower reports to back cost jobs accurately to 1) improve our quoting accuracy and 2) address with production management job times that significantly exceed budget”

Jeff Smith, Managing Director, +64 9 422 7804 wk

(24/11/2020)

Total Kitchen Solutions, (Mt Gambier, SA, Australia)

28% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower we get an estimated 28% more kitchens per month from our factory staff. As a result we save $80,000 per year in wage costs"

Richard Hein, Managing Director, +61 8 8725 8755 wk

(29/04/2014)

Hodgman Kitchens, (Launceston, TAS, Australia)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have achieved a 20% increase in our factory productivity"

Dale Hodgman, Director, +61 4 1814 5900

(16/09/2016)

Debrich Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

15% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Ingredients of high quality information from Empower Software 1) real time reporting 2) accurate to the minute times 3) Job times down to task level and 4) reporting individual staff involved in each task on the Job and their actual times involved – with all this information in most cases we can fairly and accurately pin point issues and discuss the issues openly and positively

I estimate our jobs are completed in 15% less labour time overall therefore 15% less labour cost on our jobs

Richard, Managing Director

(10/10/2020)

Jag Kitchens and Bench Tops (Auckland, New Zealand)

65% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower Software we get 65% more kitchens out the door each week, with the same factory staff number and same hours worked.

We have started up a new business, Jag Benchtops, that we use Empower in. Empower works equally well for us in kitchen bench tops as it does in kitchens"

Nick McLagan, Managing Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(28/03/2019)

Wedgerwood Joinery (Alexandra, New Zealand)

33% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on our factory floor and Empower Job and Staff Tracking Software we have achieved a 33% increase in production from our same factory staff.

The lifting of our factory productivity by 33% has made a huge improvement to our cost competitiveness and resultant ability to win more jobs, which has made a huge improvement to our annual bottom line profit"

Blair Harris, Managing Director, +64 3 214 6030 

(08/07/2014)

Montage Kitchens (Hamilton, New Zealand)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"In the 1st year of using Empower we maintained output and achieved wage cost savings of $150,000 per year.

I am confident that if we turned off Empower we would go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture our kitchens"

Ken Monk, Managing Director & Craig Mackie, Production Manager +64 7 847 9174

(04/03/2014)

Kitchens R Us (Tauranga, New Zealand)

40% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have significantly increased our annual production and turn over whilst at the same time reduced 2.5 to 3 staff. Overall our factory productivity has increased by an estimated 40%. Empower Software has saved us $120,000 per year in wage costs.  

In 7 years we have not missed one install date. 

I could NOT operate and grow my business as I do without Empower software."

Russell Reardon, Managing Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(08/07/2014)

Misco Joinery (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We have been using Touchscreens on our workshop floor and Empower Software for 9 years. Over the last 9 years we have increased our production and revenue approximately 250%.

We have achieved and maintained a 20% increase in our factory productivity using Empower Software. We highly recommend Empower as it has certainly helped Misco Joinery with our growth over the past 9 years". 

Glen Colenso, Managing Director, +64 3 383 4384 wk

(27/11/2023)

Barretts Joinery (Timaru, New Zealand)

24% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We achieved a 19% gain in factory productivity within the first 2 years.

Within 4 years we had achieved a 24% gain in factory productivity. Our wage cost savings from our gains is approximately $190,000 per year"

Glenn Sherborne, +64 21 515 801, Director Production Management

(11/07/2014)

Elite Kitchens (New Plymouth, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We needed Empower Software largely because our main competitor in town was putting in Empower and we could not afford to be without it, as our kitchens would take substantially more time to manufacture.

Empower allows us to complete kitchens in the quickest possible time, therefore be cost competitive in our market place and therefore maintain our profit margin.

I am confident that if we did not have Empower Software I would get an estimated 30% less production out the door each day and each week"

Graeme Walton, Production Manager

(08/07/2014)

Whangamata Woodwork (Whangamata, New Zealand)

15% to 20% Less Time on Jobs.  15% to 20% Less labour Cost on Jobs

“Empower has conservatively reduced our labour times and labour cost on jobs by 15% to 20%. Empower also allows to budget our labour and quote considerably more accurately.  Both reducing labour cost on jobs and quoting our labour more accurately makes a substantial improvement to our profit”

Clive Roberts, Director. +64 27 241 9780    

(08/07/2014)

Counties Kitchens, (Auckland, NZ)

20% to 25% Less Time on Jobs.  20% to 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We have secured 20% to 25% less labour time on jobs therefore 20% to 25% less labour cost on jobs …. Empower is a great tool I certainly recommend it"

 John Crawford, Director, +64 27 222 7782

(13/07/2020)

Riverland Cabinet Makers (Riverland, SA, Australia)

40% Less Time on Jobs.  40% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Using Empower Factory Productivity Software we have maintained our weekly production with 40% less factory staff. This is a 66% increase in our factory productivity."

Ricky Wagner, Director, +61 8 8584 5892

(05/03/2015)

Finecut Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Empower and the factory PCs force factory staff to be aware of their budgeted and actual times on each job and take responsibility for jobs they work on.  Our factory staff are aware of how long they are taking on a job realise the importance of finishing on time.

Empower has helped management and the sales team ensure that our prices are accurate as far as our labour component is concerned.

We have achieved a 25% increase in our staff and factory productivity"

Mitchell Black, Production Manager, +61 4 3128 7866

(24/05/2015)

Tasker Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower we are getting 20% more joinery out the door each month. 

Our business consultant confirmed that a 20% increase in our factory productivity would increase our annual profit by an estimated 60%"

Greg Tasker, Managing Director, +61 2 9540 4100

(24/05/2015)

Gartshore Group (Tauranga, New Zealand)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Our factory productivity has increased by an estimated 25%.

Empower is a great production manager's tool, I would not be without it.

 Richard Grey, Factory Manager, +64 7 571 7354

(12/06/2015)

RH Page now Retail Dimension (Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet To Be Confirmed

"We regard Empower HQ as a strategic partner to our business.

We regard Empower Software as an essential tool and we could not contemplate running our business without Empower in the future."

 Andy Page, Chief Executive Officer, +64 21 660 611

(24/6/2014)

MWF Joinery (Christchurch, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within 2 years of rolling out Empower we had a 30% increase in factory productivity. In summary Empower has been very good for us and we would not consider manufacturing without it. We recommend it to every manufacturer we talk to about factory productivity and profitability"

Gary Alternburg, Managing Director, +64 21 900 607

(07/08/2015)

Ferndale Furniture (Wellington, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet To Be Confirmed

“Accurate time keeping and reporting with Empower Software enabled Ferndale Furniture to bank significant bottom line gains as soon as we started using it.

8 Years down the track Empower is still adding value to the performance of our business with incremental improvements every year.”

Grant MacDonald, Managing Director, +64 4 568 7879

(3/09/2020)

Peppertree Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

100% Increase in Factory Productivity

"At 10 weeks of using Empower Software we got 46% increase in factory productivity, at 6 months we had got to a 86% increase and at 3 years we had got a 100% increase in factory productivity. 

On factory productivity increases alone generated by Empower Software our annual profit has increased by approximately $200,000”

Mark Tozer, Managing Director, +61 4 0000 8172 mb

(04/03/2014)

Premier Furniture (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

20% to 25% Less Time on Jobs

"Empower Software has made a substantial improvement to factory productivity and bottom line and we would not be without it. 

I estimate that if we turned Empower off, in doing so go back to having no visibility and no accountability on the factory floor we would immediately require 20% to 25% more time to complete jobs"

Peter Langford, General Manager +61 4 0740 1612 mb

(08/07/2014)

Interia Systems (Perth, WA, Australia)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have increased our factory productivity by 30% using Empower Software"

Jon Craddock, Owner, 1300 784 814

(27/02/2020)

Pfitzner Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Minimum 25% increase in factory productivity in the first year.  Resulted in no overtime required at any time including Christmas.

Empower provides us with efficient, accurate and live time recording on jobs and reporting of work in progress"

Andrew Pfitzner, Director, +61 8 8391 0492

(16/06/2014)

Silverlynx Furniture (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to be Confirmed

"Our factory staff really enjoy using Empower and look forward to the challenge of improving their individual productivity pie chart results each week.

Empower Software is an essential production and productivity tool to our business"

Simon Bowler, General Manager

(27/02/2020)

Taylormade Caskets (Masterton, New Zealand)

35% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Prior to using Empower Software we used to use cheat sheets (ie timesheets) where workshop staff at day end manually recorded their job times which were ‘a complete work of fiction’.  Job times recorded were typically 20% to 40%+ inaccurate and regularly job times were 100% inaccurate as jobs that staff worked on the staff wrongly did not record any time on those jobs at all…

Since last year we have increased production and revenue by 35% without increasing workshop staff or hours worked.  This has made an enormous improvement to our profit…

Empower is the tool we use to manage our core business firstly, ensuring we budget labour correctly in the first place and secondly ensuring we deliver the substantial majority of our jobs on budgeted time.  We should have put Empower Software into our business 10 years earlier”

Dean Taylor, Director, +64 21 486 233

(14/07/2020)

Comseat Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"I estimate that using Empower our factory productivity has increased by 25%. Using Empower we now have two less staff whilst at the same time increased our weekly output"

Brian Zanker, Director, +61 8 8349 8800

(09/05/2016)

Beauty Craft Surfaces (Maungatoroto, New Zealand)

Unable to Quantify

“We would not want to work without empower or an alternative to it.

Without doubt Empower significantly assists us in our business to remain productive and it was definitely a sound investment.”

John Cochrane, Owner/Director

(27/9/2021)

Jag Kitchens & Benchtops (Auckland, New Zealand)

65%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower Software we get 65% more kitchens out the door each week, with the same factory staff number and same hours worked.

Our production management consultancy firm, Lean Manufacturing, who consult to and benchmark the performance of many kitchen manufacturers throughout Australia and New Zealand, advises us that other progressive kitchen manufacturers require three times the factory staff to manufacture the same number of cabinets per month that Jag Kitchens do

We have started up a new business, Jag Benchtops, that we use Empower in. Empower works equally well for us in kitchen bench tops as it does in kitchens"

Nick McLagan, Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(28/03/2019)

Barretts Joinery (Timaru, New Zealand)

24%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We achieved a 19% gain in factory productivity within the first 2 years. Within 4 years we had achieved a 24% gain in factory productivity. Our wage cost savings from our gains is approximately $190,000 per year"

Glenn Sherborne, +64 21 515 801, Director Production Management

(11/07/2014)

Wedgerwood Joinery (Alexandra, New Zealand)

33% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on our factory floor and Empower Job and Staff Tracking Software we have achieved a 33% increase in production from our same factory staff.

The lifting of our factory productivity by 33% has made a huge improvement to our cost competitiveness and resultant ability to win more jobs, which has made a huge improvement to our annual bottom line profit"

Blair Harris, Managing Director, +64 3 214 6030 

(08/07/2014)

Continental Stairs (Auckland, New Zealand)

20%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"It’s a great tool for factory staff to manage their own times and bring their jobs in on budgeted time.

Empower was easy to put in and we were using Empower well within 2 weeks.

In the first 12 months 20% factory productivity increase. We have made incremental increases in our factory productivity using Empower over the years as management have used it more comprehensively"

Anthony Van Erp, Director, +64 21 281 4188

(27/04/2014)

Doors n More (Maungatoroto, Northland, New Zealand)

25% to 30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"When I did due diligence on Empower Software it was clear that it is proven over many years and many manufacturing sites to be highly effective.  Also it was important to us that Empower provided a turn key solution of support that got us set up and using the software quickly and successfully

Using Empower I estimated we have achieved a 25% to 30% factory productivity increase"

Patrick Simkin, General Manager, +64 9 439 4910

(30/06/2020)

Halswell Timber (Christchurch, New Zealand) 

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"I estimate that our factory productivity has increased by 25%. That is, we get 25% more production out the door each day using Empower which is 25% more daily revenue"

Allan Burt, Production Manager, +64 3 338 9199

(11/07/2014)

12 General Engineering

CNC Solutions (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20+% Less Time on Jobs. 20+% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I worked for engineering businesses previously, some of which had good and some of which had poor processes, systems and reporting.  When I started CNC Solutions I had a good understanding of why it is essential to have and use good processes, systems and reporting. 

Using the Empower Software App we “run rings around” many engineering firms we compete with which have no scheduling software and only manual processes and systems which provides limited, late and inaccurate job status and labour time and labour cost reporting.

I estimate that jobs take 20% minimum less time at 20% minimum less labour cost using technology of tablets on workshop floor and Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software App.

Laine Etwell, Director

(16/2/2021)

EDS Engineering (Brisbane, QLD, Australia)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Empower Software has reduced our labour times and labour costs on jobs by an average of 30%, which is massive.

Our return on investment (ROI) with Empower is very high.

We looked nationwide and internationally before deciding on Empower Software and are convinced that it is the best possible labour management and job scheduling tool available by a long shot, even the big software brands did not have what Empower has.

Support from Empower office is comprehensive and amazing”

Gareth Webster, Co-Owner, +61 4 3860 0367 mb, +61 7 3881 0223 wk

(23/04/2018)

Keelow Jetboats & Avon Engineering (Gore, Southland, New Zealand)

30%+ Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I am confident that if we turned off Empower Software today we would go back to jobs taking 30% longer at 30% higher labour cost… In summary, Empower is a great tool that we would not be without”

Paul Cross, Managing Director, +64 27 408 4057, +64 3 208 9995 wk

(03/03/2020)

Carac Engineering (Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand)

20%+ Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Our reduction in labour times on jobs and labour cost on jobs is 20% currently.  We are confident that we can get drive our labour times and labour cost on jobs significantly down further"

Mike Doyle, General Manager, +64 27 241 4580

(08/09/2016)

1 Kitchens

Harrington Kitchens (Hamilton, New Zealand)

I am confident that if we turned off Empower we would go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture our kitchens.

“Montage Kitchens have been involved in the development of Empower over the last 22 years. The software has been developed largely by kitchen makers for kitchen makers that’s why it works so well for our industry.

The big screen TVs in our office and machine shop with Empower Screens on displaying our Jobs, Staff and Times in real time.  Real time and accurate time information makes all our management and all our workshop staff highly transparent and highly accountable"

Jared Monk, Director
Montage Kitchens
Hamilton, New Zealand

(09 10 2024)

Harrington Kitchens (Narellan, NSW, Australia)

We did not track staff time on jobs previously. Empower is a big step up!

“Previous to Empower when we had quality issue for example “door handles” left off a kitchen 2 weeks ago I had to walk the factory floor and ask 8 staff “who did the door handles on Mr Smith’s job, to get 5 staff advise me it was not them and 3 staff advise they could not remember. This was time consuming, frustrating, and made difficult for me to hold staff to our systems and our quality control. Now with Empower Software I pull up the Job Number and I see exactly which staff member did the handles, I go straight to that staff member remind them they were assigned the job to do the handles on the Smith job and the discussion I have with the staff member a lot easier and the outcomes a lot better.

Empower is good for scheduling kitchens, more accurate time lines are provided to sales management, clients and our contractors.” 

Jasn Barz
Production Manager

(25 7 2024)

Independent Kitchens and Joinery (ACT, Australia)

Accurate times on Jobs is helpful to ensure we are quoting labour with accuracy to ensure we have enough in each job.

“Empower is good for scheduling jobs and assigning tasks to staff.

We did purchase Empower to individual workshop staff job times and productivity reporting.” 

James Philpott, Director
Independent Kitchens and Joinery
ACT Australia

(23 7 2024)

JFK Interiors (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

I estimate using Empower Software our jobs are completed in 15 to 20 % less time.

“We are one of the largest joinery operations in Australia…

All our workshop staff and our office staff involved in pre production are tracked on Empower…

We have 3 touch screens on our workshop floor for our staff to access their job list and start and finish their jobs…” 

Paul DiBlasi
Director

Tel: (03) 9358 3721

(15 5 2024)

Sunshine Joinery (Napier, New Zealand)

It is early days but I estimate that our labour times on Jobs are 20% less using Empower so our labour cost on Jobs has reduced by 20%, which is substantial

“When we implemented Empower for a month we ran manual time sheets in parallel with Empower to be genuinely shocked as to how vastly inaccurate manual time sheets were. Manual time sheets is information “too little, too late, too inaccurate and too expensive to produce”. Further manual time sheets did not make any of our staff time aware, time transparent or time focused

Empower saves us 5 hours per week in administration time rekeying in manual time sheets to Job Cost which at $80 per hour labour overhead cost was costing us $400 per week $20,000 per year."

Rick Martin (Director) and Cameron Auld (Factory and Installation Team Leader)
06 844 6105 / 021 532 269
rick@sunshinejoinery.co.nz

(29/2/2024)

NeoDesign Cabinetmakers (Auckland, New Zealand)

Using Empower we estimate we achieve 20% Less time on Jobs at 20% Less labour cost

We have been using Empower for 14 years to date, since 2009

Empower Software ensures Companywide Continuous transparency of Jobs, Times and Staff, which brings maximum accountability and maximum workshop productivity

Using the technology of touchscreens on the workshop floor and the Empower Software App has been very good for NeoDesign, we would not be without it

Derek Saward, Director NeoDesign

(20/2/2023)

TLD Kitchens (Queensland, Australia)

I estimate our Jobs would go back to taking 20% longer, and at 20% more labour cost, if we turned off Empower Software

“By using Empower Software technology we get away from the “dinosaur” old manual systems and the resultant companywide “chaos” that existed on our workshop floor and in our office. Our previous manual systems where very labour intensive and very costly and a real “pain in the butt” daily.

If we turned off Empower Software tomorrow the transparency and accountability would drop to “ZERO” and I estimate our Jobs would go back to taking 20% longer, and at 20% more labour cost.”

Jenny Muyoma, Administration Manager

(23/9/2022)

T Built (Queensland, Australia)

Too early to estimate

“We are moving away from the typical model of paying our staff solely on hours worked.  We are moving to paying our staff based on output performance, reported in Empower which incentivises our staff to work. There is a big difference in the two approaches…

Everyone in our “Value Chain” will be tracked on Empower including:
Pre Production – our draughters, materials orderers’ etc
Workshop floor – machine operators and assemblers, including contract painters
Install Teams - All our installers”. 

(28 4 2022)

Prime Joinery Ltd (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Not tracking properly at present but intend to do so over the next 3 months

“Empower Software is a “very good” production management tool.

These key screens and reports, and many more, enable us to manage our growth and maintain margins on every job. Empower allows us to keep our business “on track”

Empower Software certainly makes our factory staff and management a lot more aware and a lot more accountable to their times taken on jobs.”

Roger Syme, Managing Director, 021 344 606 or 03 982 1700

(27/9/2021)

JR Hewitson Carpentry and Joinery (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“From using Empower Software at JR Hewitson the staff culture has improved enormously to be job and time focused and consequently our production, productivity and profitability has improved enormously.

We have reduced our labour time on jobs by 30%, that is we have reduced our labour cost on jobs by 30%, which has had huge improvement to profit

As a manager I like the fact the business has progressed from no and poor systems to using technology to manage and maximise our core business, which is our labour”.

Wayne Brazier, Joinery Management +61 4 0779 8044

(15 3 2021)

B & M Joinery (Cromwell, New Zealand)

25% Less Time on Jobs. 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Previously we used manual time sheets that workshop staff filled in by hand at day end to record the jobs they worked on and the time they started, finished and spent on each job.  Manual time sheets are more accurately known as “Lie” sheets and “Cheat” sheets.  Manual time sheet information was “too little too late and too inaccurate”

Now that we have PCs on our workshop floor and Empower Software the culture of all our staff has changed entirely to consistently be job, productivity, time and profit focused.

We would recommend the Empower Software App to all manufacturers and engineers, as it is an essential tool to manage all your labour

Overall we estimate jobs take 25% less labour time at 25% labour cost.” 

Kate Munro, Director

(17/2/2021)

Matakana Kitchens and Joinery, (Matakana, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I estimate times on jobs are now 20% less using tablets on the workshop floor and Empower Software

I view Empower on 50 inch TV screens throughout the day in real time to see:
• which staff are working and which staff are not
• current job status (this saves me leaving my desk for approximate 10 minute walk to the workshop to sight each time)

I run Empower reports to back cost jobs accurately to 1) improve our quoting accuracy and 2) address with production management job times that significantly exceed budget”

Jeff Smith, Managing Director, +64 9 422 7804 wk

(24/11/2020)

Total Kitchen Solutions, (Mt Gambier, SA, Australia)

28% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower we get an estimated 28% more kitchens per month from our factory staff. As a result we save $80,000 per year in wage costs"

Richard Hein, Managing Director, +61 8 8725 8755 wk

(29/04/2014)

Hodgman Kitchens, (Launceston, TAS, Australia)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have achieved a 20% increase in our factory productivity"

Dale Hodgman, Director, +61 4 1814 5900

(16/09/2016)

Debrich Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

15% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Ingredients of high quality information from Empower Software 1) real time reporting 2) accurate to the minute times 3) Job times down to task level and 4) reporting individual staff involved in each task on the Job and their actual times involved – with all this information in most cases we can fairly and accurately pin point issues and discuss the issues openly and positively

I estimate our jobs are completed in 15% less labour time overall therefore 15% less labour cost on our jobs

Richard, Managing Director

(10/10/2020)

Jag Kitchens and Bench Tops (Auckland, New Zealand)

65% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower Software we get 65% more kitchens out the door each week, with the same factory staff number and same hours worked.

We have started up a new business, Jag Benchtops, that we use Empower in. Empower works equally well for us in kitchen bench tops as it does in kitchens"

Nick McLagan, Managing Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(28/03/2019)

Wedgerwood Joinery (Alexandra, New Zealand)

33% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on our factory floor and Empower Job and Staff Tracking Software we have achieved a 33% increase in production from our same factory staff.

The lifting of our factory productivity by 33% has made a huge improvement to our cost competitiveness and resultant ability to win more jobs, which has made a huge improvement to our annual bottom line profit"

Blair Harris, Managing Director, +64 3 214 6030 

(08/07/2014)

Montage Kitchens (Hamilton, New Zealand)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"In the 1st year of using Empower we maintained output and achieved wage cost savings of $150,000 per year.

I am confident that if we turned off Empower we would go back to taking 20% longer to manufacture our kitchens"

Ken Monk, Managing Director & Craig Mackie, Production Manager +64 7 847 9174

(04/03/2014)

Kitchens R Us (Tauranga, New Zealand)

40% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have significantly increased our annual production and turn over whilst at the same time reduced 2.5 to 3 staff. Overall our factory productivity has increased by an estimated 40%. Empower Software has saved us $120,000 per year in wage costs.  

In 7 years we have not missed one install date. 

I could NOT operate and grow my business as I do without Empower software."

Russell Reardon, Managing Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(08/07/2014)

Misco Joinery (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We have been using Touchscreens on our workshop floor and Empower Software for 9 years. Over the last 9 years we have increased our production and revenue approximately 250%.

We have achieved and maintained a 20% increase in our factory productivity using Empower Software. We highly recommend Empower as it has certainly helped Misco Joinery with our growth over the past 9 years". 

Glen Colenso, Managing Director, +64 3 383 4384 wk

(27/11/2023)

Barretts Joinery (Timaru, New Zealand)

24% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We achieved a 19% gain in factory productivity within the first 2 years.

Within 4 years we had achieved a 24% gain in factory productivity. Our wage cost savings from our gains is approximately $190,000 per year"

Glenn Sherborne, +64 21 515 801, Director Production Management

(11/07/2014)

Elite Kitchens (New Plymouth, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We needed Empower Software largely because our main competitor in town was putting in Empower and we could not afford to be without it, as our kitchens would take substantially more time to manufacture.

Empower allows us to complete kitchens in the quickest possible time, therefore be cost competitive in our market place and therefore maintain our profit margin.

I am confident that if we did not have Empower Software I would get an estimated 30% less production out the door each day and each week"

Graeme Walton, Production Manager

(08/07/2014)

Whangamata Woodwork (Whangamata, New Zealand)

15% to 20% Less Time on Jobs.  15% to 20% Less labour Cost on Jobs

“Empower has conservatively reduced our labour times and labour cost on jobs by 15% to 20%. Empower also allows to budget our labour and quote considerably more accurately.  Both reducing labour cost on jobs and quoting our labour more accurately makes a substantial improvement to our profit”

Clive Roberts, Director. +64 27 241 9780    

(08/07/2014)

Counties Kitchens, (Auckland, NZ)

20% to 25% Less Time on Jobs.  20% to 25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We have secured 20% to 25% less labour time on jobs therefore 20% to 25% less labour cost on jobs …. Empower is a great tool I certainly recommend it"

 John Crawford, Director, +64 27 222 7782

(13/07/2020)

13 Sheet Metal

Infab HVAC Sheet Metal (Takanini, New Zealand)

We estimate Empower has saved us around 15-20% by increasing the accuracy on time recorded for jobs, decreasing incorrect job coding, unallocated downtime and streamlining payroll processing.

"We chose Empower after seeing the benefits it provided to other companies in our industry.  Empower has become the industry standard and is now an essential tool in our workplace."

Hayden Walker, Director Infab

(7/10/2024)

BIC Industries (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

Empower is the very best of Digital Manufacturing and Manufacturing Technology

“I love the workshop floor touch screens, the big TV screens and Empower Software technology, for myself and two daughters not aware of engineering and new to owning BIC Industries this technology enables us to manage our core business, our labour. We can ensure the substantial majority of our jobs come in on budgeted time and we can ensure that we refine our labour cost in our quotations to maintain profit on the majority of our jobs” 

Wendy Northey, Managing Director +61 4 1980 8588

(24 6 2024)

HotChilly Sheet Metal (Wellington, New Zealand)

Based on knowledge of other engineers in our industry and the gains they have achieved and the fact I am production manager of our workshop floor I conservatively plan to and estimate we will achieve a 25% less time on our jobs

"Based on knowledge of other engineers in our industry and the gains they have achieved and the fact I am production manager of our workshop floor I conservatively plan to and estimate we will achieve a 25% less time on our jobs…

Key Points we like about 24 inch Touch Screens on our workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1 workshop staff engagement on their 24 inch touchscreens, they will see their job list, budgeted time at job start and actual time at job end, so staff can manage their own performance

2 all jobs and times are viewable on all the 75 inch TVs in real time for all workshop staff and all management to see
"

Craig Gadsby, Director 021 425 08

(5/4/2024)

Heat Tech Ltd (Auckland, New Zealand)

20% to 25% Increase in Factory Productivity

“'Lie sheets' my factory staff used to fill in at the end of every day. On our previous manual system we used to pay factory staff for poor performance. With Computers on the factory floor and Empower we pay factory staff accurately and fairly, which is a win win for my factory staff and the business.

In our business we employ staff of all backgrounds Indians, Japanese, Germans, Philippines and Kiwis, tradesman & non tradesmen, 20 to 60 years of age and of many religions. As production manager and owner it is necessary for me to be clear in all communications, accurate in production numbers presented and fair and equitable to all factory staff, which Empower allows me to do

We have secured a 20% to 25% increase in my factory productivity using Empower Software” Wolfgang Schoense, Owner and Production Manager, +64 9 418 1102

(19/01/2017)

Express Sheet Metals (Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand)

25%+ Less Time on Jobs.  25% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"We were a small 10 man business manufacturing ducting struggling from job to job at $1 mill revenue per year.  4 years later we were doing $6 to $7 million per year, and now 9 years later we are employing as many as 200 staff and doing as a guide $15+ mill revenue per year.  We could not have managed and controlled our growth without Empower.

Empower Software has transformed our entire business operation. Our factory staff culture has become very positive and committed to meeting and beating the times on all our jobs.

Our jobs are taking on average 25% less time to complete [ie. a 33% increase in factory productivity].

With 25% less labour time and less labour cost we are highly cost competitive in the market place which has lead directly to our increasing sales and increasing production.  We love the Empower system and certainly would not be without it."

Mike Arcari, Director, +64 9 276 8238, +64 21 973 273 mb

(11/07/2019)

Donovan Engineering (Whangarei, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

“We have witnessed the following 10 Productivity Increases using Empower Software:

1. Having Empower in for only 4 months we had dropped our nightshift and maintained same level of production...

3. All forms of time that factory staff stole in working hours during the day has been practically eliminated...

8. Having Empower in for only 4 months our lead time on jobs being completed for clients had dropped from 15 days average to 7 days average. This was a massive improvement in our customer service...

10. Overall I estimate our total factory productivity increase using Empower to date is 30%.”

Kyle Donovan, Director, +64 9 438 1562, +64 21 456 158

(24/05/2016)

AlRound Sheet Metal (Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand)

30% to 35% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Our production and our revenue has increased 10 times in our 7 years to date.

6 years ago we invested in touchscreens on our workshop floor, 55 inch TV screens for our office and Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software.  Our production and our revenue increased 4 times in the first 3 years. 

The use of Touchscreens on our workshop floor, 55 inch TV screens for our office and the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software came highly recommended to us by colleague from local engineering firm who were using the Empower Software who had increased their production, revenue and profit substantially.

If you are using workshop staff completed manual time sheets as I was, or not recording time on jobs at all you are manufacturing “blind” of your labour time on jobs and “blind” of your labour cost on jobs, which is poor management of your labour force.  Conversely using Empower you are manufacturing with 20 20 vision with real time information from your workshop floor, and all individual workshop staff are fully aware, transparent, accountable and highly productive".

Alex Sullivan, Director, +64 21 444 403, +64 9 622 2139

(05/12/2023)

2 Commercial Joinery

Wyer + Craw (Queensland, Australia)

“Touch screens and 50 inch TVs in workshop and offices and Empower Software App technology will definitely deliver substantial reductions in our labour times and our labour cost on jobs and also substantial reductions in all forms of our Downtime”

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1  Ability to have live view of; all jobs, all staff, all job times is valuable

2  Ability to “dive” down through extensive reporting options to see all levels of Jobs and individual staff times is valuable

3  Empower Scheduling is gold

4  50 inch TVs in office and workshop delivering total transparency always is gold

5  Empower is simple for management and staff to use, which is important

Michael McKim Partner, Operations Manager +61 4 1676 1315

(15/11/2022)

The Woodsmiths (Maungatoroto)

I estimate that without Empower Software Jobs would slowly slip back to taking 20% longer time.

I estimate that without Empower Software Overhead Jobs and all other forms of Unproductive time would slowly slip back to taking 50% longer time.

“15 years ago we used paper based manual time sheets for workshop staff to record their time on their jobs, which provided us with information that was “too little, too inaccurate, too late and too expensive to produce”. Then we progressed to electronic punch cards.  Then we progressed to Empower Software.  It would be a big step “backwards” for us to go back to electronic punch cards and it would be an even bigger step “backwards” to manual time sheets”

Tony Boakes, Operations Manager, 021 228 3921

(23/9/2022)

Elmhall Millworks Inc (New York, USA)

There will be labour savings on jobs, I will provide accurate data in a few months

“Empower shows us our issues and mistakes clearly and concisely on our 50 inch TV screens in the office and our workshop in real time so we can fix them in real time

All management and staff can see at a glance on our 50 inch TVs in our office and our workshop, viewing our three teams including: Workshop Staff, On Site Staff and Preproduction Staff, and everyone can see what Task each and all staff are working on, and how they are tracking actual to budgeted time” 

Keith Murphy, Owner, +1 914 965 1520, info@elmhallmillworks.com

(20/9/2022)

One 68 Shop Fitters (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

20% Less Labour Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I estimate that if we turned off Empower Software tomorrow jobs would go back to taking 20% longer at 20% additional labour cost. Workshop staff are so much more time focused and accountable when tracked in real time on each and all Tasks and all Jobs, using workshop floor tablets and Empower Software”

Scott Minter, Production Management, One 68 Shop Fitters
+61 4 6748 4289 / +61 3 9518 5168

(15/6/2021)

Riverland Cabinet Makers (Riverland, SA, Australia)

40% Less Time on Jobs.  40% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Using Empower Factory Productivity Software we have maintained our weekly production with 40% less factory staff. This is a 66% increase in our factory productivity."

Ricky Wagner, Director, +61 8 8584 5892

(05/03/2015)

Finecut Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Empower and the factory PCs force factory staff to be aware of their budgeted and actual times on each job and take responsibility for jobs they work on.  Our factory staff are aware of how long they are taking on a job realise the importance of finishing on time.

Empower has helped management and the sales team ensure that our prices are accurate as far as our labour component is concerned.

We have achieved a 25% increase in our staff and factory productivity"

Mitchell Black, Production Manager, +61 4 3128 7866

(24/05/2015)

Tasker Joinery (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

20% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower we are getting 20% more joinery out the door each month. 

Our business consultant confirmed that a 20% increase in our factory productivity would increase our annual profit by an estimated 60%"

Greg Tasker, Managing Director, +61 2 9540 4100

(24/05/2015)

Gartshore Group (Tauranga, New Zealand)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Our factory productivity has increased by an estimated 25%.

Empower is a great production manager's tool, I would not be without it.

 Richard Grey, Factory Manager, +64 7 571 7354

(12/06/2015)

RH Page now Retail Dimension (Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet To Be Confirmed

"We regard Empower HQ as a strategic partner to our business.

We regard Empower Software as an essential tool and we could not contemplate running our business without Empower in the future."

 Andy Page, Chief Executive Officer, +64 21 660 611

(24/6/2014)

MWF Joinery (Christchurch, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within 2 years of rolling out Empower we had a 30% increase in factory productivity. In summary Empower has been very good for us and we would not consider manufacturing without it. We recommend it to every manufacturer we talk to about factory productivity and profitability"

Gary Alternburg, Managing Director, +64 21 900 607

(07/08/2015)

Ferndale Furniture (Wellington, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet To Be Confirmed

“Accurate time keeping and reporting with Empower Software enabled Ferndale Furniture to bank significant bottom line gains as soon as we started using it.

8 Years down the track Empower is still adding value to the performance of our business with incremental improvements every year.”

Grant MacDonald, Managing Director, +64 4 568 7879

(3/09/2020)

14 Stainless & Alloy Fabrication

Panther Protect & Widescreen External Blinds (Queensland, Australia)

A 40% reduction in labour time on our Jobs therefore a 40% labour cost reduction on our Jobs

“Based on Empower data to date I am very confident we will achieve:

1. a 40% reduction in labour time on our Jobs therefore a 40% labour cost reduction on our Jobs

2. All Overtime being eliminated and

3. Downtime reduction of 50% to 75%, saving 4 to 6 hours per workshop staff member per week times 7 workshop staff is a total reduction of 28 hours to 42 hours per week, which is $2,520 to $3,780 additional revenue weekly associated with the reduction in Downtime

NO Australian business should be manufacturing or engineering any product or projects without touchscreens on the workshop floor, 50 inch TVs in the workshop and office walls and the latest software technology like Empower Software. Empower is a phenomenal tool that will make widespread, massive and long term benefits to our manufacturing”

Tony Hopkins, Widescreen Product and Systems Designer, +1 914 965 1520

(20/9/2022)

Manta Marine Stainless (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Minimum Less Time on Jobs.  30% Minimum Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have witnessed a minimum 30% reduction in labour times on jobs therefore 30% labour cost on jobs.  If we turned off Empower today our labour time on jobs and labour cost on jobs would increase 30% which would have a massive negative impact on our Job profitability and ultimately our sales and production levels.  We definitely would not operate our business without Empower.”

Steve and Louise Pribicevich, Directors +64 9 620 71027

(12/3/2021)

Chapman Fabrications (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“I ceased using manual time sheets and instead I now use tablets on my workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App, which costs $76 per week so for my 5 workshop staff I immediately saved approximately $300 per week and $14,700 annually.

I found the Empower Software App easy and relatively quick to put in and start using.

I would guess that is we turned off Empower Software then we would have no individual staff, job and task reporting of job times, therefore no workshop staff and no management transparency, awareness and accountability the would result would be jobs would take approximately 20% more time and 20% more labour cost.”

Simon Chapman, Managing Director, +61 4 0880 6086

(14/1/2021)

Longveld Engineering (Hamilton, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to be Confirmed

“Whilst it is not easy to quantify exact % factory productivity increase using Empower Software I believe we have achieved significant factory productivity increases in the following areas:


Factory Staff seeing on the factory PC:

  1. daily job list and workload
  2. budgeted time for each job on job start
  3. time through the job as job progresses to keep on track
  4. completed time against budgeted time to monitor their own performance
  5. any other staff currently logged onto their job

Management seeing on the PCs in the office:

  1. daily job list and workload – to ensure enough work is loaded
  2. time through the job as job progresses to keep on track
  3. completed time against budgeted time on each job
  4. any other staff currently logged onto their job
  5. ability of production manager to speak to staff live on the factory floor about time on current job”

Mark Callen, General Manager Finance, +64 7 846 6901

(29/02/2016)

Easy Access Company (Maungatoroto, Northland, New Zealand)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower we have achieved an estimated 25% increase in our factory productivity

Key Points we have found with Empower Software:

  1. Factory staff know the costed time and are more likely to achieve it
  2. Good for measuring productivity MTD between teams to foster friendly competition
  3. Easy for management and team leaders to assign tasks quickly and monitor production times
  4. Product back costing is very easy
  5. Simple way of recording down and unaccounted time, more staff accountability
  6. Producing WIP and forward work documentation is easy."

Neil Hodges, Production Management.  Jeff Wearmouth Director

(27/5/2016)

3 Furniture Panel & Board

Peppertree Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

100% Increase in Factory Productivity

"At 10 weeks of using Empower Software we got 46% increase in factory productivity, at 6 months we had got to a 86% increase and at 3 years we had got a 100% increase in factory productivity. 

On factory productivity increases alone generated by Empower Software our annual profit has increased by approximately $200,000”

Mark Tozer, Managing Director, +61 4 0000 8172 mb

(04/03/2014)

Premier Furniture (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

20% to 25% Less Time on Jobs

"Empower Software has made a substantial improvement to factory productivity and bottom line and we would not be without it. 

I estimate that if we turned Empower off, in doing so go back to having no visibility and no accountability on the factory floor we would immediately require 20% to 25% more time to complete jobs"

Peter Langford, General Manager +61 4 0740 1612 mb

(08/07/2014)

Interia Systems (Perth, WA, Australia)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have increased our factory productivity by 30% using Empower Software"

Jon Craddock, Owner, 1300 784 814

(27/02/2020)

16 Car Trailers

Compass Trailers (Dargaville, Northland, New Zealand)

30%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We have achieved an estimated 30% increase in our workshop productivity...

Our advice is threefold, if you are a manufacturer or engineer make sure you chose only workshop labour management software where:

· 100% of client users of the software are manufacturers and engineers

· the software has been around for 10 or more years and

· the software has written case study proof of the significant workshop gains that many clients have achieved using the software"

Hamish Campion, Managing Director, +64 21 228 3735

(07/07/2020)

4 Furniture Solid Timber

Southern Creations (Christchurch, New Zealand)

We have been using the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software App for 10 years, its been good for us and I recommend it.

Empower is a good tool, we mainly use it for:
- Scheduling our Jobs and Tasks
- Assigning Jobs and Tasks to our Workshop Staff
- Ensure all Jobs get put into our system
- Ensure all Jobs are invoiced and correctly
- Hours Worked for Payroll

Fraser Bickley, Managing Director, +64 3 384 7096, fraser@southerncreations.co.nz

(11/10/2023)

Pfitzner Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Minimum 25% increase in factory productivity in the first year.  Resulted in no overtime required at any time including Christmas.

Empower provides us with efficient, accurate and live time recording on jobs and reporting of work in progress"

Andrew Pfitzner, Director, +61 8 8391 0492

(16/06/2014)

Silverlynx Furniture (Melbourne, VIC, Australia)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity, Yet to be Confirmed

"Our factory staff really enjoy using Empower and look forward to the challenge of improving their individual productivity pie chart results each week.

Empower Software is an essential production and productivity tool to our business"

Simon Bowler, General Manager

(27/02/2020)

Taylormade Caskets (Masterton, New Zealand)

35% Increase in Factory Productivity

“Prior to using Empower Software we used to use cheat sheets (ie timesheets) where workshop staff at day end manually recorded their job times which were ‘a complete work of fiction’.  Job times recorded were typically 20% to 40%+ inaccurate and regularly job times were 100% inaccurate as jobs that staff worked on the staff wrongly did not record any time on those jobs at all…

Since last year we have increased production and revenue by 35% without increasing workshop staff or hours worked.  This has made an enormous improvement to our profit…

Empower is the tool we use to manage our core business firstly, ensuring we budget labour correctly in the first place and secondly ensuring we deliver the substantial majority of our jobs on budgeted time.  We should have put Empower Software into our business 10 years earlier”

Dean Taylor, Director, +64 21 486 233

(14/07/2020)

17 Truck Bodies & Trailers

Duralloy Truck Bodies (Queensland, Australia)

I estimate using touchscreens on the workshop floor and Empower Software our labour times on jobs is 20% less

"Previously we used the archaic system of manual time sheets. We invested in technology of touchscreens on workshop floor for our workshop staff use and the Empower Software App back in 2017 and never looked back"

Deana Thornton
Administration Management

0061 7 3293 2923

(20/5/2024)

Transport Engineers Southland (Invercargill, New Zealand)

Real time reporting of Jobs and Staff is huge benefit of this new technology

“Empower was easy to set up and implement. We started with the basics and added to it over time

In conjunction with Lean Manufacturing we have achieved 20% less time on Jobs using Empower Software

In summary, Empower has been very good for us, we should have done it years ago.”

Meegan, Management Team

(15/12/2022)

MARs Transport Equipment (Riverland, SA, Australia)

50%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Within six months of using the software we had turned our factory productivity on its ear, increasing it by an absolute minimum 30%. 

At eight years on using Empower Software we have increased our factory productivity by an estimated 50%.

We are now a much more competitive and stable business looking at growing sales, factory staff and annual profit. 

In hindsight, attempting to manage this business and attempting to manage factory staff for all those years without PCs on the factory floor and Empower time tracking software I was "pissing in the wind”.

Putting in Empower Software is the best thing I have done in my business since owning the business in 1987."

Peter Morelli, Managing Director, +61 4 1883 9156 mb

(05/07/2015)

Delta Stock Crates (Fielding, New Zealand)

10% Increase in Factory Productivity

"We get accurate manufacturing data being captured in real time. We can instantly see who is working on what and report on, and analyse, up to the minute data - from individual staff times through to accumulated time on current jobs, or just a specific part or component being manufactured. This is invaluable for at driving factory productivity which in turn helps keep manufacturing costs down.  

Currently we use only a part of Empower Software.  We don’t use Scheduling at all and we don’t use some of the productivity reporting that I have seen other Empower clients use.  Regardless, I estimate we have achieved a 10% increase in our factory productivity by using Empower Software.

Our factory staff have endorsed Empower and there is now a greater awareness and interest in meeting their times on jobs and knowing "time is money". The culture change has been quite refreshing.

Darryl Coleman, Director, +64 27 435 5386

(19/04/2016)

Combo Industries (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

15% to 20% Less Time on Jobs.  15% to 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

"Previously we used manual times sheets. Our workshop staff tried to remember then recorded their jobs and times on jobs at day end, many times were “fudged” by staff. They used to take each staff member approximately 10 minutes each to complete daily, which across 15 staff totals 2.5 hours per day, 12.5 hours per week of lost production and lost chargeable time totalling $1,000 per week (ie 12.5 hours times $80 per hour). Our administration staff used to take an additional 1.5 hours per day, 7.5 hours per week, collating and inputting times into our job cost spreadsheet, so wage cost, some $30 an hour, was an additional $225 per week. To produce my single job cost report from manual time sheets used to cost me $1,225 per week.

Empower cost me only $130 per week for the first 3 years and now I’m paying $49 per week. Moving from manual time sheets to Empower is saving me $1,176 per week and $61,152 per year. Plus I have gained all the additional benefits Empower Software provides: accurate times, real time reporting, reporting times of jobs and down to task level, reporting times of individual workshop staff, reporting real time jobs, staff and times on 55 inch TVs on office walls and workshop walls, job scheduling and a 15% to 20% reduction in job times and 15% to 20% reduction in labour cost on jobs "

Darryl Barber, Director, +61 8 8349 4366, +61 4 1884 2670

(31/07/2020)

Otago Transport Engineers (OTE) (Dunedin, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have achieved an estimated 20% reduction in time on jobs overall.

I am a big believer of work shop staff and job times transparency.  Empower reports time in real time and accurate to the minute which is very powerful. 
 
In summary Empower is an amazing tool that makes my life easier and allows me to do a better job as production manager"
Richard Swale, Production Manager, +64 3 489 2553

(28/08/2020)

5 Furniture Other

Comseat Furniture (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"I estimate that using Empower our factory productivity has increased by 25%. Using Empower we now have two less staff whilst at the same time increased our weekly output"

Brian Zanker, Director, +61 8 8349 8800

(09/05/2016)

18 Agricultural Equipment

Landquip Engineering (Hastings, New Zealand)

Our previous manual time sheet system was very expensive in lost production hours per workshop staff member per day by our 15 staff and our administration time per day approximately $90 per workshop staff member per week so our 15 workshop staff was costing us $1,350 per week and costing us $67,500 per year.

Empower Software for our 15 workshop staff is now costing only us $157 per week and only costing us $8,164 per year.

We are confident that using touchscreens on the workshop floor, TV in the workshop and Empower Software we will secure the following:
- 20% or more reduction in manufacturing times
- 50% or more reduction in all forms of our downtime

Calie de Nysschen, Production Manager calie@landquip.co.nz

(13/05/2024)

NuFab Industries (Wonthella, WA, Australia)

We have probably reduced our labour time on jobs by 20% to 30%, therefore reduced our labour cost on jobs by 20% to 30%

Sarah Allen-Hauser, Administration

(25/06/2024)

Rata Industries (Timaru, New Zealand)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity within the First 3 months

 "We witnessed a 40% increase in our factory productivity within the first 3 months.

A colleague running another manufacturing business heard we had Empower and phoned me to seek my advice.  I respectfully advised him at the end of our conversation "you would be mad not to put Empower in as it certainly does work".  The colleague followed my advice and put in Empower and I know he too has secured substantial increases in his factory productivity and is very happy with it"

Bert Walton, Production Director, +64 3 688 2478

(20/04/2016)

6 Laminate & Stone Tops

Beauty Craft Surfaces (Maungatoroto, New Zealand)

Unable to Quantify

“We would not want to work without empower or an alternative to it.

Without doubt Empower significantly assists us in our business to remain productive and it was definitely a sound investment.”

John Cochrane, Owner/Director

(27/9/2021)

Jag Kitchens & Benchtops (Auckland, New Zealand)

65%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on the factory floor and Empower Software we get 65% more kitchens out the door each week, with the same factory staff number and same hours worked.

Our production management consultancy firm, Lean Manufacturing, who consult to and benchmark the performance of many kitchen manufacturers throughout Australia and New Zealand, advises us that other progressive kitchen manufacturers require three times the factory staff to manufacture the same number of cabinets per month that Jag Kitchens do

We have started up a new business, Jag Benchtops, that we use Empower in. Empower works equally well for us in kitchen bench tops as it does in kitchens"

Nick McLagan, Director, +64 21 725 137 mb

(28/03/2019)

7 Timber Windows & Doors

McNaughton Timber Windows & Doors (Auckland, New Zealand)

If we did not have Empower Software we would have less clarity and less accountability and jobs would take estimated 20% longer

"Currently we have been using Empower for 10 years…

In my role as production manager at intervals during the day I get a good “snapshot” of the workshop from my PC, I can see the workshop staff are on the right jobs and I can see jobs are progressing. I see jobs, staff and times in real time and times are accurate"

Malena Cheung, Account Administrator

Chris Henasy, Production Advisor

(15/05/2024)

Barretts Joinery (Timaru, New Zealand)

24%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"We achieved a 19% gain in factory productivity within the first 2 years. Within 4 years we had achieved a 24% gain in factory productivity. Our wage cost savings from our gains is approximately $190,000 per year"

Glenn Sherborne, +64 21 515 801, Director Production Management

(11/07/2014)

Wedgerwood Joinery (Alexandra, New Zealand)

33% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using PCs on our factory floor and Empower Job and Staff Tracking Software we have achieved a 33% increase in production from our same factory staff.

The lifting of our factory productivity by 33% has made a huge improvement to our cost competitiveness and resultant ability to win more jobs, which has made a huge improvement to our annual bottom line profit"

Blair Harris, Managing Director, +64 3 214 6030 

(08/07/2014)

19 Industrial Equipment

Global Pumps (NSW and WA Australia)

Conservatively we have reduced our labour time on jobs by 10%

Empower is our workshop productivity and scheduling software and MYOB Exo is our accounting software, which interface seamlessly with each other. All New Jobs when entered into MYOB Exo and when saved go straight to Empower and at intervals throughout the day job times…

Workshop staff have long list on Tasks and Jobs ahead of them on Empower on their workshop devices. This keeps workshop staff fully: aware, engaged, time and job focused and therefore highly productive…

Empower enables management, production management and workshop foreman to all be involved in scheduling and assigning Tasks and Jobs. This makes for far more accurate and effective scheduling of forward work… Empower Software saves us practically a full time scheduling management role and associated cost, in scheduling area alone…

Pru Seeley, Project Co-Ordinator, Global Pumps
Pru.Seeley@globalpumps.com.au

(12/10/2023)

Equiptec (Napier, New Zealand)

10% Less Labour Time on Jobs. 10% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using tablets on the workshop floor and Empower Software workshop staff focus on meeting and beating the times they are given, as budgeted times. Before Empower there was no target time and therefore no time urgency by workshop staff, and Jobs simply took the time they took.

Empower is a very good reporting tool, with wide range of standard reports and screens, on all aspects of production, productivity, work in progress and scheduling.”

Bruce Senior, Managing Director and Tom Senior, Operations Manager,
+64 6 842 0222

(15/6/2021)

Dix Engineering, (Remark, SA, Australia)

20% Less Time on Jobs. 20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“If we turned off Empower today then tomorrow onwards jobs would go back to taking 20% or more longer at 20% higher labour cost. The technology of Empower Software and the workshop floor tablets certainly makes workshop staff aware and engaged and it enables workshop staff to continually meet and manage their times on all jobs”

Andrew Parkinson, Managing Director, PH: 08 8586 1500, MB: 0418 210 124, Email: awelton@canam.co.nz

(9/12/2020)

8 Timber Stairs

Continental Stairs (Auckland, New Zealand)

20%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"It’s a great tool for factory staff to manage their own times and bring their jobs in on budgeted time.

Empower was easy to put in and we were using Empower well within 2 weeks.

In the first 12 months 20% factory productivity increase. We have made incremental increases in our factory productivity using Empower over the years as management have used it more comprehensively"

Anthony Van Erp, Director, +64 21 281 4188

(27/04/2014)

20 Mechanical Components

Tricon Drilling Solutions (Perth, WA, Australia)

We have witnessed a conservative 20% reduction on times on jobs and labour cost on jobs

Key Points we have found using the Empower Workshop Productivity and Scheduling Software App:

1 easy, quick and enjoyable for workshop staff and management to use
2 transparency of times on jobs and job status in real time is highly valuable
3 real time reporting of times on jobs and job status is highly valuable
4 good for scheduling
5 good for improving our budgeted labour time and labour cost in our quotations
6 good for staff performance reviews

Anyone is welcome to contact me regarding Empower

Diovian Luwandri, Technical Services Manager, +61 8 9477 2666, Perth@Triconds.com.au

(18/5/2023)

Accurate Australia (Brisbane, Qld, Australia)

30% to 50% Less Time on Jobs.  30% to 50% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

Using Empower we have 30% to 50% less time on jobs therefore 30% to 50% less labour cost on jobs

The number of jobs we deliver to clients on due date has increased substantially using Empower.  Our DIFOT % (Delivered In Full On Time) is almost 100% monthly

My discussions with workshop staff are now backed up fully with accurate real time reporting, so I can be fair, equitable and professional

Our 50 inch TV screens on office walls and workshop walls, Empower always reporting all jobs, all staff and all job times in real time continuously throughout the day certainly increases workshop staff awareness, engagement and focus

Kate Honeyman, Production and Sales Administrator, +61 7 3881 3056

(2/11/2020)

Carac Engineering Group (Taranaki, New Zealand)

20% Less Time on Jobs.  20% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“Using Empower Software, we now have a companywide, all workshop staff, all management and all administration staff awareness of and focus on job times.  All management and all staff in the same boat rowing in the same direction

Our reduction in labour times on jobs and labour cost on jobs is 20% currently.  We are confident that we can get drive our labour times and labour cost on jobs significantly down further”

Mike Doyle, General Manager, +64 27 241 4580

(27/02/2020)

9 Internal Doors

Independent Doors

Independent Doors (Christchurch, New Zealand)

20% reduction in Labour time on Jobs therefore a 20% reduction in labour cost

"The future of Manufacturing is using touch screens on the workshop floor and the likes of the Empower Software App and presenting Job, Task and Individual Workshop Staff times in real time on 50 inch TV screens in the workshop and office 

I estimate that our Job times and therefore our labour Cost on jobs has reduced by 20%.  This is on top of a substantial reduction in time in all forms of our daily and weekly Downtime.

Empower is a great investment, we unreservedly recommend it and would not be without it"

Chris McQuire
+64 22 625 4582 or +64 3 384 1113

(26 11 2021)

Cowdroy Doors (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs.  30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs (planned)

“We went live with using Empower Software on our workshop floor this morning.  Within 1 day we have moved from “manufacturing blind” to “manufacturing with 20 / 20 vision”.  Tablets on the workshop floor and the Empower Software app have dragged us out of the “Dark Ages” and into the “21st century…

It has taken me 5 days to watch Empower’s training videos, read the Empower Help system, use the Empower Easy Start system, and play with the software to then set up and start using Empower on our Workshop floor.  The phone and Zoom support several times a day over the 5 days from the Empower office has been great…

We confidently expect to achieve a 30% reduction in labour times on jobs therefore a 30% reduction in labour costs on jobs.”

Andrew Budgen, Production Manager, +64 204 184 2905

(18/3/2021)

Doors n More (Maungatoroto, Northland, New Zealand)

25% to 30% Increase in Factory Productivity

"When I did due diligence on Empower Software it was clear that it is proven over many years and many manufacturing sites to be highly effective.  Also it was important to us that Empower provided a turn key solution of support that got us set up and using the software quickly and successfully

Using Empower I estimated we have achieved a 25% to 30% factory productivity increase"

Patrick Simkin, General Manager, +64 9 439 4910

(30/06/2020)

21 Aluminium Windows & Doors

Versalite Windows and Doors (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

"Using Empower our staff and factory productivity has increased by 40%, saves us around $96,000 per year in wage cost and has brought about a significant and real positive culture change to our factory floor."

Michael Myers, Managing Director, +61 2 6765 3222, +61 4 2960 9568 mb

(08/07/2014)

Packers Windows and Doors (Adelaide, SA, Australia)

40%+ Increase in Factory Productivity

“Empower definitely makes our factory staff fully conscious of the times we have sold the jobs for (ie the budgeted times that they see on Empower on the factory PC screens). So factory staff are aware of what is expected of them and they appreciate having the target times and direction.

We have achieved a 40% increase in our factory productivity"

Seb Packer, Managing Director

(06/07/2014)

Sandbrooks Marine Windows (Wiri, Auckland, New Zealand)

10% Increase in Factory Productivity in 4 Weeks.  20% Increase in Factory Productivity Target within 3 months

"In the very first four weeks we achieved a 10% increase in output. This is the equivalent to a saving in wages of two factory staff totalling $60,000 saving per year.

We are confident we will get our increase in output to at least 20% within the next two months. This will be the equivalent to a saving in wages of four factory staff totalling $120,000 saving per year."

Glen Sandbrook, Director, +64 276 872 874     
glen@sandbrooks.co.nz

(18/06/2007)

22 Steel Windows & Doors

Crittall Arnold Windows (Auckland, New Zealand)

22% Increase in Factory Productivity

"Across our 18 factory staff we have achieved an estimated 130.5 additional production hours per week, which is enormous. This is an estimated 22% increase in our factory productivity"

Darren Arnold, Managing Director, +64 9 296 5520

(28/02/2017)

10 Timber & Panel Processing

Halswell Timber (Christchurch, New Zealand) 

25% Increase in Factory Productivity

"I estimate that our factory productivity has increased by 25%. That is, we get 25% more production out the door each day using Empower which is 25% more daily revenue"

Allan Burt, Production Manager, +64 3 338 9199

(11/07/2014)

23 Aluminium Boats

Makaira Boats (Auckland, New Zealand) – July 2024

My goal is to reduce non value added labour through continuous improvement of process and line set up and empower is a critical tool to evaluate our improvement. Since we invested in Empower we have improved some procedures by 50% in man hours.

In 2017 we invested in Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software to manage our staffs time keeping and production tracking, we installed 55 inch TV Screens in workshop presenting our Jobs, Staff and all Times in real time this investment in technology 6 years ago has helped Makaira Boats to: 

  • increase from 6 to 26 workshop staff 
  • more than sixfold our production 
  • purpose design and build a new production lines for typically 8 to 10 metre boats to flow through our production cells 
  • achieve and maintain substantial boat orders worldwide… 

I believe we have world class software in the Empower Software tool

Allan Shaw, Director Makaira Boats

(7/8/2024)

DNA Boats (Nelson, New Zealand) – June 2024

We then advanced to Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling Software, complete labour productivity software to give us specifically what we needed as a jobbing engineer.

Initially we were paper based manual time sheets that workshop staff filled in their jobs and times daily, this was very expensive in lost production time daily and management time rekeying into our job cost system, to produce a single report total time on each boat, times that were woefully inaccurate and reporting that was 2 days after production had occurred.

We then advanced to electronic time tracking of jobs, which was far better than manual time sheets but very limited in reporting.

I estimate our Jobs are completed in 20% less labour time at 20% less labour cost on each boat

Jason Elvines, Director DNA Boats

(20/6/2024)

Arcalloy (Invercargill, New Zealand) – February 2022

Ballpark we have reduced our job times by at least 20% to date.

“1 Empower provides us with the latest technology in digital manufacturing. Workshop staff get their job lists on their tablets on the workshop floor. Management and workshop staff get real time reporting on all Tasks, Jobs, Downtimes, Individual Staff and all times

2 I like the real time reporting of all production 50 inch TV screen, which is presenting real time job times down to individual staff and their Jobs continuously 8 hours a day".

Doug Jukes, Production Manager

(1/2/2022)

Stabicraft Marine (Invercargill, New Zealand)

Significant but confidential

“10 years ago I worked at Stabicraft Marine in a Manufacturing role and I witnessed first-hand how well PCs on the workshop floor and the Empower Workshop Productivity & Scheduling App worked at making our manufacturing staff a lot more engaged and a lot more productive.  I also witnessed back then how our Production Manager used the tool to very good effect, Empower’s real time accurate times compared to budgeted times to Jobs, Tasks and Individual staff.

I will now be fully responsible for the Empower Software tool at Stabicraft and fully responsible for planning and driving and maximising workshop productivity.  Empower has certainly developed enormously over the last 10 years I look forward to using it.”

Damian McNaught, Manufacturing Manager, +64 21 223 6717  

(5/10/2021)

Stabibuild (Auckland, New Zealand)

30% Less Time on Jobs. 30% Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“The age-old saying, “you cannot manage what you cannot measure,” could not be more true for Stabibuild.

Our core business is labour management and Empower enables us to monitor our labour accurately and in real time.

Our labour time on jobs have reduced 30% conservatively, using Empower Software.

Empower Software is great technology and is an integral and vital part of our business – I would not be without it.”

Blair Neal, Manufacturing Manager, +64 27 410 5012, blair@stabibuild.co.nz

(21/7/2021)

Makaira Boats (Keri Keri, New Zealand)

30%+ Less Time on Jobs.  30%+ Less Labour Cost on Jobs

“We have only been using Empower for 9 months and I estimate we have made approximately a 30% reduction in our labour times and labour cost already.

"My goal is to reduce our labour times and labour cost by 50%.”

Allan Shaw, Director, +64 21 121 8889mb, +64 9 401 6641 wk

(13/01/2019)

Keelow Jet Boats & Avon Engineering (Gore, New Zealand)

30% Increase in Factory Productivity

“I am confident that if we turned off Empower Software today we would go back to jobs taking 30% longer at 30% higher labour cost…

In summary, Empower is a great tool that we would not be without”

Paul Cross, Managing Director, +64 27 408 4057 mb, +64 3 208 9995 wk

(03/03/2020)

24 Campervans, Caravans

TrailLite Motor Homes & Caravans (Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand)

Significant Increase in Factory Productivity

“We employ 70 staff…We are building 90 motor homes a year and the price range of each motor home is $250,000 to $350,000

I like the technology of tablets on workshop floor and Empower Software App which provides us accurate to the minute job times, task times and individual staff times on tasks and real time reporting

The reduction in job times and labour cost using the Empower Software App have been and are significant.

We are very happy with the Empower Software App, it is an important reporting tool in our business that we would not be without”

Shaun Newman, General Manager, TrailLite Motor Homes, PH: +64 9 238 6869

(13/11/2020)

26 Building Products – Metal

Smart Shelters (Auckland, New Zealand)

We estimate that using touch screens on the workshop floor and Empower Software we complete our jobs in 20% less time.

“We estimate that using touch screens on the workshop floor and Empower Software we complete our jobs in 20% less time…

We previously used an electronic time on job capturing system, that gave us two reports namely: Hours Worked for Payroll and Labour Job Cost, total time on each job.  In comparison to our previous electronic time capturing system Empower Software does enormously more for us…

The Empower Software program itself is progressing and improving significantly all the time.”

Jim Cottle, SmartShelters

(18/10/2022)

DomeShelter Australia (Cunderdin, Western Australia)

Confidential

“Our staff are a lot more aware of job priorities and a lot more aware of their budgeted times and actual times on jobs

When individual staff challenge the budgeted times for tasks and jobs, I enjoy presenting them with accurate budgeted times based on accurate actual times averages, which confirms the budgeted times are realistic and accurate

As a production scheduler I would not be without Empower Software I am happy with it

We are now moving into new manufacturing premises to cope with our growth.”

Cristina Mico, Steel Production Scheduler, +61 8 9690 1100

(20/7/2021)