Partnership with Sirris gets MES programme back on track
What if a task taking over a year to develop were suddenly completed in three weeks? That’s exactly what happened at Jonckheere Subcontracting. During a support programme with Sirris, the team opted for a fresh approach: the in-house developer began working with Claude Code, an AI-powered coding tool. The result was a remarkable acceleration: the entire MES front end was rewritten in just three weeks.
Leading manufacturer runs into problems with paper-based processes
Jonckheere Subcontracting is a Roeselare-based metalworking company specialising in complex welded structures made from stainless or non-stainless steel and aluminium. With around 130 employees in Roeselare, 50 in Poperinge and 60 in Slovakia, Jonckheere manufactures components for loading systems, aerial work platforms, textile machinery and more. Quality and short lead times have been the company’s strengths for many years. But the production environment was still largely paper-based. Work orders, quality records and machine settings were circulated by means of printed documents or verbal communication.
To digitalise these processes, the company had been working on its own MES (manufacturing execution system) for five years. The system was supposed to control and monitor production digitally, but the roll-out at the Belgian branches was going nowhere. The system was based on outdated technology, built in PHP 5.2 and lacked a modern user interface. What’s more, just one in-house developer was working on the programme, and he was based in Slovakia.
New insights get the programme back on track
During the three-day process with Sirris, things started to look up. Staff from Jonckheere first visited the House of Manufacturing demonstration lab in Kortrijk, which focuses on a fully paperless shop floor. There, they saw what digital production environments look like in practice today. The inspiration was palpable right away.
In a second session, Sirris experts worked with the team to analyse the situation on the shop floor in Roeselare. They clearly identified the main problem areas and priorities. The conclusion was clear: the MES roll-out needed to be up and running at the Belgian branches as soon as possible.
AI accelerates the development of the MES
To make this acceleration possible, Sirris proposed a different development approach. The focus was on low-code and AI-powered tools to speed up development. The in-house developer got to work with Claude Code, an AI tool that understands, generates and modifies code based on natural language. He was immediately convinced of the tool’s potential. The entire front end of the MES was then rewritten in just three weeks. By way of comparison, the original version took over a year to develop.
Result: the digital workplace becomes a reality
Thanks to its modern and user-friendly interface, Jonckheere began rolling out the MES across its Belgian sites. This has brought tangible improvements on the shop floor straight away. Work orders, quality records and machine settings are gradually becoming available in digital form. The reliance on paper is disappearing. Information is flowing more quickly between co-workers and departments.
In addition, the programme with Sirris has led to the development of a broader digitalisation roadmap covering subjects such as cyber security, digital work instructions, daily kick-off meetings and internal logistics. The first and most urgent step has now been taken: the system is up and running and is being used.
The results of this collaboration with Sirris
The collaboration with Sirris got things moving again in a programme that had been stuck for years. Among other things, the support process provided Jonckheere with:
- Clear priorities for the MES roll-out
- New insights into paperless production
- A faster development approach using AI
- A modern and user-friendly interface
- A roadmap for further digitalisation
- Tangible progress on the shop floor
Today, Jonckheere is building on a foundation that has grown stronger in three weeks than it previously had in more than a year.
Is your digitalisation programme stuck?
Sirris helps manufacturing companies like Jonckheere to get their digitalisation programmes back on track. From analysis and inspiration to practical solutions in the workplace. Find out how to achieve results faster with the right approach and technology.
Jonckheere Subcontracting
Jonckheere Subcontracting has been a well-known name in complex metal structures since 1881. From its sites in Roeselare, Poperinge and Košice in Slovakia, the company manufactures high-quality welded and machined structures for sectors such as mechanical engineering, transport, energy and defence. With its effective combination of craftsmanship, advanced automation and engineering expertise, Jonckheere has become an international leader in mass-production metalworking. Sustainability also plays an important role, with investments in areas such as solar panels, energy storage and efficient production processes.
