AWISA
AWISA "20 Years of Excellence" Issue 55
With Major clients including some of Australia’s largest retailers, Sabrina Shopfitting has stayed ahead of the competition by adhering to the same principles for two decades: go above and beyond in client service, develop new processes, adopt the latest technology and deliver the highest standards of manufacturing.
The company, founded by Managing Director Harry Kokkinos who has more than 35 years of industry experience, offers project management, design, manufacture, installation, signage, de-fits/demolition and store maintenance. Its clients include Kmart, Woolworths, BWS, Myer, Bunnings and Officeworks.
“We’ve built our business by committing to be the one- stop-shop for all of our clients’ shopfitting requirements,” Mr Kokkinos says. “We focus on building their success through very high quality and our own strong company values.”
Sabrina Shopfitting is also noted for some highly creative projects, including the gift shop at The Lume, Australia’s first permanent digital gallery which has featured digital installations of work by Vincent Van Gogh and Monet and Friends. It provided the shopfitting for DeMaria’s Grocer in Melbourne, a project which is a finalist in the Dulux Colour Awards for 2023.
While the company services its clients Australia-wide and in New Zealand through long-term contractors, all manufacturing is carried out at its Melbourne head office. The factory floor is home to high-end equipment including CAD software, Tekel
CNC router, Woodtron CNC router and Holz-Her Accura Edgebander.
“We constantly develop new processes and keep up with the latest technology,” Mr Kokkinos says. “Our relationships with our suppliers are very strong, they keep us up to date with innovations, and we upgrade our machinery to the latest technology every year.
“In-house manufacturing gives us a good edge in ensuring our production and end products are maintained at a very high level. We can also control packaging and despatch to the client.”
Recent additions to the factory include a Woodtron CNC router with self-loading/unloading and self-labelling, and the state-of-the-art Holz-Her Accura Edgebander.
The Woodtron CNC router has delivered greater production speeds, along with the environmental benefit of a high-tech shroud around the router head to reduce dust.
Designed to meet the most stringent requirements for quality and flexibility, the Accura series was developed by Holz-Her for high-quality artisans and industrial parts producers who need a high degree of automation and perfect optics of all edges.
Computer technology is also reviewed and upgraded regularly, with the most recent addition of the project management system Nexvia. This Australian software package has been designed specifically for the building and shopfitting sectors, and has resulted in significant benefits in forecasting and budget tracking.
Sound recruitment and in-house staff training are also key elements of the company’s success, with some tradespeople undertaking training to advance to more specialised roles.
For example, the design/concept team includes four highly experienced CAD operators (two qualified drafts people and two qualified tradespeople who have trained in-house) who can take client concepts and drawings, then turn them into working drawings that add value as well as the manufacturing steps.
Women have been encouraged to move beyond administration roles into project management positions. The national team of experienced project managers each has a very strong relationship with clients, often stemming from many years of working together.
“We are focused and geared up for bigger retail works, we understand the demands of major retailers and we’re able to give fast turnaround on projects,” Mr Kokkinos says.
Sustainability has become an important consideration over recent years, reflected in the solar array on the facility roof, water tanks, LED lighting throughout, and separate skips for metal, aluminium, timber, sawdust and general waste.
De-fits and old shop fittings are managed through re-use where possible, and correct disposal of other elements.
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