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Synchro32’s Simon Adlington, Global Implementation Manager, and Shane Allen, Head of North American Operations, had the distinct honor and pleasure of representing the entire Synchro32 team by attending the 115th Metalcasting Congress held in the windy city of Schaumburg Illinois (suburb of Chicago). Chicago lived up to its reputation of being the windy city as it was very windy, damp, and chilly for a Texan such as Shane. Shane left the relatively warm 85 degrees of Texas for the 40ish temperatures of Chicago. Burr.
The AFS, American Foundry Society, events are always exciting to attend. The reason for the excitement is multi-fold. Introducing metalcasters the world over to the all encompassing Synchro32 software only for metalcasters is a unique experience, especially when they learn how affordable the software is for their facility! Synchro32 is not some high-priced solution for metalcasters, but is equably priced for any sized metalcaster with no upfront costs, no additional modules to purchase, and no yearly maintenance fees. With Synchro32, the pricing is based on per user concurrent licensing. What’s more, metalcasters see from first glance that the Synchro32 is ONLY for metalcasters, is user friendly, intuitive, and extremely easy to use – all while being a very powerful software solution.
One important thing about the Synchro32 solution is that it resides on your server and your computers – which negates the need of worrying about whether the “cloud computing” will be partly cloudy or storm clouds with lightning and high winds. Interestingly, just today the Amazon Web Services “cloud computing” outage is causing ripples across the cyber world. Synchro32 still maintains that “cloud computing” is in its infancy and we would not want metalcasters brick-and-mortar operations suspended due to a network outage. Imagine if you couldn’t ship your castings or process orders the day before the long Easter weekend?
Meeting up with the Synchro32 customers that attend these shows is also a very important benefit. This allows the Synchro32 team to interface personally with the customers, learn how their business is performing, and learn how Synchro32 is truly benefiting them. Also, as both Simon and Shane have extensive “years under their belt” in the metalcasting industry, it is an opportunity to renew contacts and friendships with metalcasters the world over.
This year’s Metalcasting Congress was no different, however, it was not as well attended as the last
Congress held Las Vegas, the city of Lost Wages, in 2009. This is attributed to multiple factors such as 2011 is the year of GIFA, metalcasters are emerging from the “great recession” and are still very cautious about expenses, may metalcasters are very busy with new and expanded business and have not replenished their employment base, and finally – let’s face it – air travel has gotten prohibitively expensive with all the fees, surcharges, security, etc.
All in all, it was a great show. Simon and Shane made many new contacts, renewed old contacts, met with customers, and introduced many global metalcasters to the benefits of the Synchro32 Software. Synchro32, literally a metalcaster in a software box. |