NOVUS Special Tools is a young and ambitious company specialising in industrial tools, with a focus on high-pressure hydraulics. Based in Alblasserdam, the company supplies, rents and inspects hydraulic tools for a wide range of applications in the manufacturing and maintenance industries. The team’s mission is to help customers quickly and flexibly with reliable hydraulic solutions, without compromising on quality or service.
To further professionalise its inspection processes and provide even better customer support, NOVUS chose Centix. With this software, inspections and calibrations are managed centrally, certificates are recorded in a uniform manner, and customers are automatically notified about re-inspections. We spoke with Sander Magnin about their experience with Centix.
“We’ve only been using it for a few months, but we can already tell that the process is much more professional now.”
From separate files to a scalable solution
Before working with Centix, NOVUS used various systems to manage certificates, ranging from Excel sheets to manufacturer software. “It was a bit of a hodgepodge,” says Sander. “Certificates were stored in different places and difficult to manage, customers had no online access, and sending reminders was quite a challenge for us.”
The goal was clear: to implement a single, centralised system for inspections, calibrations and certificates, enabling NOVUS to respond more effectively to customer requests while also professionalising its internal processes.
During the orientation phase, NOVUS explored several options. “A few colleagues handled the initial pre-selection,” explains Sander. The deciding factors were Centix’s scalability and cost structure. “With some packages, you had to pay per customer who logged into the portal. We have many customers who have one or two items inspected, so the costs would quickly add up. In Centix’s licensing model, that does not matter. In our view, it is more like a flat rate. We can connect as many customers as we want, which makes it scalable and easy to manage.”
Clarity and greater overview
Although the organisation has only been working with Centix for a short time, the benefits are already evident. Since its implementation, the entire rental fleet has been incorporated into Centix and all new inspections are processed digitally straight away. “We’ve only been using it for a few months, but we can already tell that the process is much more professional now,” says Sander. The switch to Centix has provided greater clarity and uniformity in the inspection and calibration process. “Previously, we issued certificates in different formats depending on the type of tool,” he explains. “Now everything is consistent: whether you are inspecting a pressure gauge, a hose or a torque wrench, the certificate has the same recognisable NOVUS look.”
The registration and follow-up of inspections and calibrations are now also more efficient. “We can see when certificates are about to expire much sooner and can inform customers in good time,” says Sander. “Some customers used to come back on their own, but certificates sometimes slipped through the net. Now we have much better control over that.”
“Without Centix, we would still be working in the old, fragmented way.”
Calibration as an important part of the service
Een groot deel van de werkzaamheden bij NOVUS draait om het kalibreren van hydraulisch gereedschap. “Kalibratie is eigenlijk een keuring waarbij je kijkt: doet een gereedschap nog hetzelfde als wat de fabrikant heeft beloofd toen het de fabriek verliet,” legt Sander uit. “We werken met hoge drukken tot wel 1.500 bar. Als daar olie uitspuit, dan gaat dat er als een kogel uit. Veiligheid staat dus voorop.”
At NOVUS, every calibration is carried out with the utmost care. “We always start with a visual inspection. The tool is then placed in a sealed test bench, allowing us to safely measure whether it still delivers the correct force. During this process, our team records their findings directly on the iPad in Centix. Once everything has been approved, the certificate is generated automatically.”
Conclusion
The switch to Centix has helped NOVUS Special Tools to professionalise its inspection and calibration processes. “We now have a single, centralised system where everything comes together,” says Sander. “It’s clear, secure and ready for the future. Without Centix, we would still be working in the old, fragmented way. Now we can continue to grow efficiently and professionally.”
Would you like to know more about NOVUS Special Tools? Visit www.novus-bv.com.
Discover what Centix can do for your organisation
After reading about the experiences of NOVUS Special Tools, are you curious to discover what Centix could do for your organisation? During a product demonstration, we would be delighted to show you how our solution works. In approximately one to one and a half hours, we’ll guide you through our software, giving you a clear and comprehensive overview of everything Centix has to offer.
