MADE IN THE UK
Brooks offers endless possibilities Brooks Forgings states that it is now one of the most versatile manufacturing operations in the UK, with an unrivalled range of processes and products.
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stablished in 1960, Brooks Forgings Ltd produces forged, fabricated and machined components. Having recently acquired the capabilities of W.H. Tildesley Ltd, one of the oldest drop forging companies in the UK, Brooks has further expanded its competences – especially in exotic materials. “We had been inter-trading with Tildesley for 35 years and the opportunity to add the company’s experience and knowledge in unusual materials, and its production of large sizes, made it a perfect fit,” explains Stephen Brooks, managing director at Brooks Forgings. Brooks Forgings’ manufacturing capabilities include upset forging – up to 100mm diameter, drop forging – up to 100kg net weight, horizontal counterblow forging, open die forging, hand forging, die sinking, bending, machining, fabrication and assembly, flash butt welding, robot welding, ring rolling, swaging and pointing, hot pressing, cold pressing, thread rolling, thread cutting and sawing. “The number of manufacturing processes we have on-site is what makes us unique compared to our competitors,” states Richard Lee, marketing manager at Brooks Forgings. “It eliminates the reliance on sub-contractors, ensuring full traceability and quality of components with improved lead times.”
Strong knowledge base
Brooks Forgings has a vast amount of experience within the industry, which is crucial when working with specialised bespoke components and exotic materials. “We have developed our understanding of exotic materials over the years and it is vital that you are always developing your knowledge,” says Stephen. “You need to know how different materials will react in certain situations, as well as the importance of the quality regime the products have to go through regarding the heat treatment and quenching processes, etc. A lot of companies can’t cope with the complexity of these materials, but we are confident in our skills and quality. Over the last five years there has been a big change in demand for exotic materials and we have experienced an increase in demand due to the unusual shapes we can produce.”
Quality accreditation
The company is committed to meeting the strict quality requirements demanded by the industry. “We have strived to achieve the necessary quality accreditations required by the vast range of industries we supply,” explains Richard. “For example, with the introduction of the Construction Products Regulation 305/2011, we had to look at CE approval. I’m proud to say that we were the first company to achieve ISO 9001, EN1090 and EN15048 – for forging, machining and fabrication – with Lloyd’s register.” “We are happy to accommodate whatever inspection and testing regime the customer requires,” adds Stephen. “We have a range of testing equipment in-house and access to UKAS accredited partner test laboratories for any specific requirements outside our capability.”
Product development
Another aspect where Brooks Forgings’ experience plays an important role is working with customers on new bespoke components. “We are constantly investing in our capabilities and empoyees, taking on projects other companies wouldn’t be able to produce,” points out Stephen. “Thanks to the ‘can do’ attitude of our team, we can work together with customers and use the experience of our engineers to provide unique solutions. By working closely with customers you can understand their requirements, which is vital when working on bespoke products that are going into critical applications.” The company also works with universities on forging new materials that have never been forged before. “We are cutting edge and we want to lead the way in new techniques. By doing this we can then work even closer with our customers on producing new fasteners using these new materials.”
Meeting demand
Over the last twelve months Brooks Forgings has also seen a significant change in customers reshoring from Asia, due to the rising costs of shipping products and also the Chinese government cracking down on steel and treatment plants – due to environmental requirements. “There has been a significant increase in customers
62 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 111 MAY 2018