Members Present: Anthony Dalby. Simon Chiou. Nayeem Shaik . Vikas Parekh. Isaac Moody. Seline Natour. Eyob Mulat. 

 

10TH Meeting​

 

Minute:

 

Task 1: Finalising business plan discussion with Anthony.

Action to task: At the start of the meeting, we discussed coming to the final stages of the business plan and any questions we had before the submission. One of the critical pieces of advice we were given from Anthony was about the 3D printing machines. Isaac summarised his research about the history of 3D printing and the rate at which it has grown and how print times will set to increase, and we will be able to print faster at the start of the business, and the cost of the printers will be considerably cheaper. The question that arises from this that Anthony asked was how/what percentage our machines will be working at, what’s our target for this? We were advised that with such an investment in the 3D printers and the capabilities of it, we should not only focus on using the machines for our main projects but more jobs. We should aim for our tools to be working 80% of the time to make sure we make more profit and use the machines to the best of its capability. By doing various other tasks and jobs with the machines such as; outsourcing the device to manufactures that we can 3D print supplies parts, mechanical/engine equipment, etc. This will make sure we will use the machines all year long, and this could be another cushion for our main business that can ensure steady income throughout the year.

 

Task 2: Key questions about the business plan from the project brief.

Action to task: From the brief Eyob Mulat picked out questions to answer as a group in preparation for the exhibition. The questions and answers are as follows;

 

1. What is the evidence of your directors’ suitability for their chosen roles within the firm?

 We discussed that as we have two leading directors in the business Isaac and Seline, we would need to read and study their profile description to understand their suitability.

 

2. What is your firm’s product? What is the ‘market’ for this product? What is your unique selling point (USP)?

Bespoke 3D printing design of architectural features/elements, including manufacturing and design. Refurbishment of old pre-existing structural grids of unused buildings to new structures with 3D printed secondary and tertiary structure.

Manufacturing and assembling of 3D printed parts and supplies from various companies and types.

Our unique selling points are;

• Fast and 100% accurate

• Cost-effective

• High-standard

• Personalised

• Environmentally friendly

 

3. Who are your ‘clientele’?

 In the first year, we would target middle-class/above middle-class clients for our main design and manufacturing projects. This is mainly due to the cost of bespoke pieces we will 3D print, our clients need to be able to afford this and also to make as much profit/gain in the first year, in preparation for the second year. As we move into the second and third year, we expect our clientele to stay the same but also change to big property/council owners, people who can and have done large scale projects, as we are looking to do extensive refurbishments of old grids. Throughout the three years, our side products/manufacturing open to people who want to 3D print and also manufactures we supply to; the clientele is open to anyone with interest in using our machines and design services.

 

4. How does your business fit into the (Nottingham?) community? Who is competing with you locally and nationally for potential clients?

Our business fits in very well as we are not destroying the Nottingham community, history and culture. In the first year, we work closely with our clients to make sure they get the best quality of design and manufacturing with the latest high-tech technology and services. In return, if the clients choose to let us publicly post their projects, it can bring new attention to the city. As a business our main aim is to re-use, re-furbish and renovate the old pre-existing grids of old buildings, we are not limited by location but as a Nottingham based firm, we bring a lot of good things to the community. This is because we keep the existing grids that preserve the history and culture going as we are not getting rid of it but breathing new life and letting it grow with time and technology.

Vikas mentioned that there is no firm in Nottingham doing what we offer, there is only one firm that does 3D printing but not what we are proposing, so we have no competition locally. However nationally we may have some firms that we will be competing, intending to be better by having the most up to date technology and resources.

 

5. What will be the capital and running costs of the practice? What profits do you anticipate, and when?

No profits in the year

We estimate in the second year 10% profit.

We estimate in the third year 15-20% profit.

 

6. Will it be a private or publicly owned organisation, a partnership or a cooperative?

 Private organisation. Partnership (company x2 directors).

 

7. What is your group ‘image’ or style? What is your practice’s design, ethos?

Promote diversity. Like our design and manufacturing of 3D printing processes, we are a diverse practice that promotes individuality and personalisation. Variety through culture and design focused on growing technology. Culturally respective. Technologically advanced.

 

8. What drives your firm’s ‘ethos’? What is your attitude to environmental impact, to aesthetic distinctiveness, or the deployment of technology?

Our attitude towards the environment is one of the core ideas and drivers to the company. From our main projects to side projects, we focus on getting the most sustainable, local materials available for our 3D printed machines. We aim to use materials from rubble sites that would be usually be wasted that is crushed then used to print in our machines. Our main projects focus on re-purpose and re-use of old pre-existing grids; we reduce the cost to transport and re-make new structural grids.

As a brand, we focus on having an identity that is a firm that promotes diversity and personalisation od design and manufacturing: a cost-effective, reliable, accurate and environmentally friendly concerned firm.

The advancement of technology is another core idea to the firm’s ethos. We aim to utilise the most cutting edge technology and to grow and change, develop and progress with the ever-growing and advancing technology. From our high-quality and dull spec 3D printers to the process of using AR and drones in our big projects, technology plays a key factor and role on our firm and ethos. We aim to have the most up to date, accurate, fast and best on the market printers of the time to ensure full quality and satisfaction to our clients.

 

9. How might economic recession affect your business? How would you diversify or change course if needed? How might you expand the scope of your business activities?

As a firm, if the economic recession hits, we will be reasonably safe. This is due to the low-cost but high quality and accurate service we offer. There are three unique opportunities as a cushion to our main projects that will ensure money throughout the year and help us survive any big hits from the economic recession. As we grow in the second and third years, we aim to increase clientele by partnering with other companies and firms that have an interest in what we do and offer and also housing companies and councils that are looking to improve living and city buildings.

 

10. How will you market/promote your company?

First-year – Adapt Architecture set the standards for architectural elements and modular adaptations of pre-existing structures such as staircases. We work with you from design to installation to create the perfect solution for you providing quality bespoke solutions for any room in your home, forming a space that is truly yours. We can adapt any designs to any of your rooms, and our designers will work with you to provide individual solutions that are uniquely yours because everything will be made exclusively to fit your home. We will precisely check your room dimensions to ensure it meets giving you total peace of mind. Once you are happy with the design, our inhouse CAD experts will produce technical drawings in detail for our production team to start the work as we will then provide modern technology to get things done to the best standard and best price.

 

Task 3: Exhibition material layout plan and discussion with Simon.

Action to task: In the lecture before the meeting, we were told about prepping for the exhibition, and we started by planning what content would go on the six A2 panels (demonstrated below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We asked Simon about this layout plan of the A2 panels, and he advised us to focus on what we need to show to our target and what the general public would want to see. As a firm, due to the various things we offer, it might be confusing to the clients, and so a visual representation of the design, design, and manufacturing and manufacturing that we offer may help the clients to understand better. Simon suggested a 10 to 15 image storyboard that explains each of the critical services we provide to show the process from the first client meeting to the end.

Also, Simon suggested to us that we focus not too much on the manufacturing side of the firm, as we discussed in previous meetings but to still have some idea about it. We may not need to go into a profound understanding of it, but because it is quite crucial to the firm, as it provides a cushion to the company, some knowledge of it will be useful to know.

 

Task 4: Exhibition material plan change and storyboard layout.

Action to task: After the discussion with Simon, we changed the layout of the A2 panels and did an initial plan of the storyboard (as shown below).

 

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Tasks to be completed for the final project submission

The blog to be updated by Eyob

Eyob to look into policies and research how it would affect our business and also to compile the draft of the business plan for the website.

Isaac to finalise the technological research for the business ready to go onto the website and panels.

Vikas to finalise target market research for the second year of the business and compile leaflet information for the exhibition.

Seline to finalise website layout and start designing the business cards and leaflets.

Nayeem to get final figures for the costs of running the firm and cashflow main numbers and profits.