Manufacturing Today Europe Issue 126 March 2016

BEST PRACTICES FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

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today

EUROPE

126 March

MANUFACTURING Road to the

future If automotive manufacturers are going to continue to thrive, they need to embrace new and exciting technology

Also in this issue:

Industry news Maintenance Logistics

IT Focus on pharmaceuticals MACH 2016

Editor’s Comment

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond Art Editor/Design David Howard

World

stage

Studio Assistant Barnaby Schofield Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark Production Manager Fleur Daniels Production studio@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Advertising Administrator Tracy Chynoweth studio@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

A

ccording to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey, although UK manufacturers have seen a small stabilisation in the market, they are still facing a globally challenging environment. And while another study from EEF and Infor showed that

64 per cent of manufacturers saw productivity growth over the past two years, it also revealed concerns about UK manufacturing lagging behind global peers. This indicates that there is more manufacturers can do to drive

Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Laura Thompson Jeff Goldenberg Mark Cowles Tarj D’Silva

their productivity performance up a gear, particularly as they are increasingly competing on a world stage.

In a global economy productivity needs to be world-class and this means becoming even better at adopting and investing in major new advances in technology and best practices – with Industry 4.0 highlighted as a game changer.

What are your feelings on this? I’d love to hear from you.

Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove - Sales Director Tim Eakins Dave King Darren Jolliffe Mark Cawston Andy Ellis Jonas Junca

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Road to the

future

Schofield Publishing

Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: 044 (0)1603 274130 Fax: 044 (0)1603 274131

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EUROPE

MANUFACTURING

126 March

Subscriptions ikidd@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

If automotive manufacturers are going to continue to thrive, they need to embrace new and exciting technology

Also in this issue:

Industry news Maintenance Logistics

IT Focus on pharmaceuticals MACH 2016

www.manufacturing-today-europe.com ©2016 Schofield Publishing Ltd Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and adver tisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effor t is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the proper ty of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Features

10 A changing world

4 News

Updates and announcements from the manufacturing arena

13 Road to the future

6 A clear and present focus

10 A changing world

To succeed in emerging markets, pharmaceutical companies need to become more agile and change the business models that have made them into what they are today

13 Road to the future

6 A clear and present focus A clear inspection and maintenance strategy should be designed to avoid downtime and ensure the smooth operation of a plant

Vehicle manufacturers have to understand new disruptive technology trends and ensure they can respond if they’re going to remain competitive

8 Dealing with returns

16 From here to efficiency

The automotive manufacturing market, where consistent supply chains need to also meet ever-stricter environmental regulations, is outsourcing logistics to specialist partners

8 Dealing with returns

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While visibility brings a number of benefits on its own, it can also serve as the catalyst for supply chain execution convergence

16 From here to efficiency

18 Return of the MACH

MACH 2016 promises to be bigger and better than its predecessor while bringing all of the best innovations and latest developments from the manufacturing sectors under one roof

CONTENTS

Profiles 23 Amcanu 26 Applied Component

Technology (ACT) 30 Lambert Engineering 35 Ruwel International

23 Amcanu

40 Lawrence David 43 ABT Products 46 Alsico NV 49 What More UK Ltd 52 Grundfos Manufacturing 55 BAE Systems

58 Cheesman Products

(Automotive) Ltd 61 Capital Coated Steel

55 BAE Systems

65 Swift Group 69 VCST Industrial Products 72 Mornos 75 Iggesund Paperboard 78 Fanuc Uk 80 IPG Photonics UK 82 Todd & Duncan 84 United Cast Bar Limited 86 Jacob Pipework Systems

65 Swift Group

61 Capital Coated Steel

78 Fanuc UK

80 IPG Photonics UK www.manufacturing-today-europe.com 3

News in brief Britain should put out a welcome mat

The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has backed the Campaign for Science and Engineering’s (CaSE) call for an immigration policy rethink.

IChemE’s director of communications believes that if Britain is to maintain its status as a world leader in science and engineering, it should welcome foreign talent. Government must plan for the long term and avoid policy decisions that will compromise Britain’s prosperity in the decades to come.

IT helping drive manufacturing renaissance Project lifecycle management (PLM) software and other software tools such as Big Data, advanced analytics and augmented reality, are helping companies reach markets faster and cut costs, according to Lux Research analysts who have studied the impact of emerging IT on manufacturing.

The business case to invest in new tech comes down to incremental improvements that can reduce mistakes and speed time to market, and major changes to the design and ideation process itself, which can drive more innovative products and processes.

Stronger presence in France

The COPA-DATA Group has renamed the south of France based COPALP company (in which it has a majority stake) to COPA-DATA France, resulting in the eleventh COPA-DATA subsidiary being established worldwide.

For several years COPALP has been developing a hardware-independent software solution, straton, which offers an integrated development environment where PLCs can be tailored to specific customer needs. straton will continue to be developed in France as well as sold from there.

A handbag?!

According to analysis of the latest official PRODCOM Report from the ONS by Santander Corporate & Commercial, the production of handbags and luggage has helped drive £9.2 billion growth in UK manufacturing. The manufacture of luggage, handbags and saddlery was the fastest growing UK manufacturing sector, up 54 per cent year-on-year and worth £205 million.

£1.5m flexible manufacturing system installed

The world’s leading total casting solutions provider, Grainger & Worrall (G&W), has installed a £1.5m turnkey Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS). Housing three Mazak VARIAXIS i-600 5-axis machining centres, the system provides a lean and flexible solution for vehicle builds. This enhanced manufacturing capability enables shorter turnaround times and lower inventories, which are required by low volume vehicle manufacturers.

From drilling and milling through deburring, washing, assembly and on to packing, OEMs using this flexible facility can benefit from a multitasking machining capability for structural castings.

Specifically designed for high-end automotive components, such as body in white structures and powertrain products, the system enables G&W to provide a bespoke offering for small-series OEM projects worldwide.

Edward Grainger, director at Grainger & Worrall, comments: “Investing in the latest technologies allows us to continually expand our service to give a complete solution for short-run, small series automotive projects. The 20 pallet system allows fixtures to remain set, so that feeding the three i-600 5-axis machining centres is both extremely efficient and repeatable. This solution offers good flexibility to cater for changing demands whilst giving total process control, good levels of reliability and high part accuracy. The FMS minimises labour requirements which with planned shift rotation and smooth handovers increases the overall efficiency of the facility.”

Exclusive to UK

The new highly anticipated Borri Ingenio Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) range has been launched exclusively to the UK market by Power Control Ltd (PCL).

The transformer free, online double conversion Ingenio series will be available as a standard 30 – 50kVA UPS solution and as a 60 – 160kVA Plus. Drawing on the same philosophy, expertise and engineering pedigree that Borri is renowned for, the Ingenio series demonstrates new innovative design and manufacturing methodologies to deliver the most advanced, efficient and lowest operating cost Borri product range to date.

This exclusive new product launch further cements PCL’s long standing relationship with the Italian manufacturer. Borri’s CCO, Bessam Moutragi commented: “PCL is our exclusive UK partner for commercial UPS and as such we have every confidence that they will successfully position the Ingenio at the forefront of the industry.”

With nothing else like it on the market the Ingenio Plus has an impressive internal battery capability that no other manufacturer can offer. The power density of the UPS is very impressive and the units up to 80kW also include space for internal batteries for a 10-minute autonomy at full load.

Should the application require an isolation transformer, it can also be installed as an option in place of the internal batteries.

The Borri Ingenio Plus incorporates all the same innovative multifunctional characteristics of the standard Ingenio but also delivers unity power factor and features Borri’s patented, highly coveted Green Conversion technology, which provides improved battery life expectancy and overall operating efficiency of up to 99 per cent.

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MANUFACTURING NEWS

Are you aware of new rules?

From 1st April, businesses with a turnover of more than £36m will be required to report annually on the steps they have taken to ensure modern slavery is not taking place in their business or supply chains. With around two months to go, however, the supply chain managers responsible appear underwhelmed and unprepared for compliance with the Act’s requirements, according to research by supply chain qualification body CIPS. Almost one in five UK supply chain managers who fall under the new rules are unaware of the requirements, with 38 per cent unable to say when their first modern slavery report will be due. Indeed, 40 per cent have not even read the government guidance. As a result, more than a quarter admit that they do not fully understand what their business is required to do. Even if they did find modern slavery in their supply chain, more than half of UK supply managers admit they would not know what to do.

The new rules are part of the Modern Slavery Act passed in March 2015. The Act aims to prevent the use of forced labour in the UK economy by encouraging businesses to take a greater interest in the practices of their suppliers at home and abroad.

However, the impact of the Act appears to be limited so far with only a very small percentage of British businesses proactively taking steps to tackle the issue.

Just a third of supply chain managers claim to have mapped their suppliers to understand the potential risks and exposure to modern slavery, while only 41 per cent have ensured all workers in the UK in their supply chain receive the minimum wage and apply robust immigration checks. Less than 28 per cent of businesses in this group claim to have provided training to employees and local suppliers on modern slavery, despite a quarter of the procurement professionals surveyed citing lack of skills as the main obstacle in dealing with the issue.

Failure to comply with the Act, currently holds no automatic sanction. Sixty eight per cent of supply chain managers surveyed said they agreed that companies who fail to comply with the new rules should face legal or financial penalties.

Thinking out of the box

The multiaward winning, Intelligent Random BoxSizer offers savings of up to 80 per cent on e-commerce packaging and fulfilment costs by re-sizing boxes to suit random, single, multiple, loose or grouped products automatically for dispatch to stop wasting time, space and money with void fill.

BoxSizer actually reduces the outer box down to the size of the goods being shipped, reducing the empty void and in most cases, the need for any additional packaging filler at all. This in-turn allows more packages to fit on shipping transport, which is great for the environment and saves massively on costs.

The BoxSizer has already won packaging industry recognition and awards and has several successful installations and ongoing installations in Australia and the US, where they are already charged for dimensional weight (DIM weight) shipping.

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A clear and present

focus

Will Russell examines some of the key features of an effective inspection and maintenance strategy, and explains some of the advantages to be gained from renting specialist equipment

Maintenance is a vitally important component of risk reduction and is most effective when predictive maintenance is employed in conjunction with an effective test and monitoring regime

T

here can be nothing more frustrating than a vital piece of equipment failing to perform when it is needed most. Not only can this result in infuriating delays and unforeseen expenses, but it can also affect production performance, let down customers and damage a company’s reputation. Maintenance is a vitally important component of risk reduction and is most effective when predictive maintenance is employed in conjunction with an effective test and monitoring regime. However, in order for this monitoring to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to utilise high quality test equipment that is itself well maintained and calibrated. These instruments should be able to perform the latest tests, employing the latest technologies and running the latest software.

Choosing a maintenance strategy Regular inspection and maintenance does not necessarily guarantee successful avoidance of downtime. It is important that the correct inspection strategy is adopted and that the quality of the inspection work is sufficient to enable proactive maintenance. Monitoring regimes that are either reactive or preventative are more likely to fail. Where it is assumed that equipment will reach a ‘wear out’ date, preventative maintenance may seek to postpone this, often as part of a conservative maintenance schedule. This timebased approach can be expensive in comparison with a functional and condition-based strategy. Reactive maintenance is very much a ‘fail and fix it’ approach, that is inherently expensive, due to high repair costs and the resulting costs of downtime.

Best practice when maintaining equipment requires a predictive and proactive strategy, which not only monitors actual equipment condition, but also investigates any drop in performance and corrects

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Maintenance

this at source. This may mean that organisational procedures may need to be changed. For example, if a specific component is found to perform poorly, re-design or the identification of an alternative source may be necessary. Swiftly and expertly responding to equipment condition ensures flawless operation, prolongs equipment functionality and improves economic performance.

Instrument strategy An efficacious and dynamic maintenance strategy is clearly a major contributor to the reduction of risk and therefore to a company’s success, but there are a number of questions to be considered: l Is the inspection regime designed to identify flaws before they are able to affect performance? l Is an appropriate level of technical expertise available to set up and run the latest inspection instrumentation?

l Is

the inspection equipment well maintained, calibrated and ready for deployment? l How often is the inspection equipment required?

If the test and inspection equipment is not in frequent use, it often makes sense to rent specific instruments as and when they are required. Rented instruments are also employed when specific technology is required or when an urgent replacement to an in-house instrument is necessary. However, there are numerous other advantages to be gained from instrument hire.

The benefits of renting specialist equipment The financial advantages of renting are well known; equipment purchase can involve a significant capital cost, particularly for the most advanced inspection instruments, so renting provides an

opportunity to only incur operational costs when the technology is required. However, a major advantage of renting is that it provides continual access to the latest equipment.

In contrast instrument purchase locks the technology at that moment in time and precludes access to subsequent developments. Ashtead Technology therefore works closely with leading manufacturers to ensure that its fleet of rental instruments offers the latest, most advanced technology. Often this new equipment is easier to use, faster, with improved reporting and a higher probability of flaw detection. Similarly, the breadth of Ashtead’s rental fleet means that customers can select the instrument that is best for their specific job. Rented instruments are delivered at exactly the time and location at which they are required, tested, calibrated and ready for work, so there are no issues with instrument maintenance and storage.

Clearly there are myriad advantages to renting over purchasing specialist equipment, but perhaps the most important is the transferral of responsibility for the product’s condition. Renting equipment from a specialist supplier means that not only are instruments cared for by a team of qualified, skilled engineers that have been trained on these specific instruments, but also that expert technical support, advice and guidance are provided. Instruments are constantly evolving, so their maintenance is often best provided by those with specialist training and experience.

Typical test and inspection equipment includes non-destructive testing instruments, visual inspection kit including videoprobes, borescopes and robotic crawler cameras and environmental monitoring equipment such as dust, vapour, and toxic gas detectors, and water quality monitors.

In summary, a clear inspection and maintenance strategy should be designed to avoid downtime and ensure the smooth operation of a plant whilst minimising costs and utilising the latest technology to ensure that problems are identified before they are able to affect production. Ashtead Technology’s business is founded in the belief that instrument rental provides an opportunity to achieve this. v

Will Russell Will Russell is Senior Technician at Ashtead Technology, which provides fully integrated equipment solutions including rental equipment, equipment sales, calibration, repair and maintenance, offshore personnel, custom engineered solutions, cable moulding and asset management.

Serving the subsea and onshore environmental monitoring and inspection sectors, Ashtead Technology provides global reach and local service from its facilities in Aberdeen, London, Houston and Singapore and via agents in Norway, Australia and the UAE. www.ashtead-technology.com

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Return to

sender

Why reverse logistics is vital to industrial supply chains David Williams

Darren Cater

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W

hile the challenge of product recalls is a major headache for many automotive retail brands, reverse logistics is becoming increasingly common further up the manufacturing supply chain.

Most consumers will know only too well the frustration of having to organise the return of unwanted products to the retailer. This challenge is magnified tenfold within the industrial arena, where complex, established supply chains designed to flow from A to B suddenly need to go in the opposite direction.

Once businesses are faced with more complex logistics challenges, they often outsource this vital element of their operation to a third party, which has proven ability in delivering supply chain solutions.

A typical example of this model can be seen in the automotive manufacturing market, where consistent supply chains need to also meet ever-stricter environmental regulations. One of the key players in the field of automotive supply chain solutions is Rhenus Logistics UK. Based in the centre of the UK, in Cannock, the business’s Automotive Competence Centre (ACC) acts as a distribution hub for many top automotive brands, with manufacturing plants both in the UK and across continental Europe.

David Williams, managing director of Rhenus Logistics UK, explains the scale of the challenge facing vehicle makers: “Major automotive manufacturers – typically with between 20 and 30 plants located across several countries – are faced with a major logistical challenge when it comes to the collection and delivery of line-side parts and the management of the significant amount of packaging used to protect high value items in transit.

“Global OE manufacturers have many competing key performance indicators to meet. The three main ones are the consistent delivery of parts to its network of assembly plants, evidence of supply chain innovation and strong cost control at every level of the logistics operation. Underpinning all of

Logistics

this is the adherence to stringent packaging waste regulations, which are central to all global car manufacturers’ environmental and CSR agendas.”

A good example of an OEM that has outsourced its parts collection and line-side delivery operation is the Daimler group, which saw the collection of waste packaging as key.

Known primarily for its Mercedes and Smart brands, Daimler appointed Rhenus Logistics UK on a five-year contract renewal basis to fulfil this element of its operation. The partnership services 67 collection points across the UK and Ireland, delivering automotive parts to 40 production destinations across Germany.

Daimler has worked with Rhenus UK since October 2010, which sees the freight forwarder providing a total logistics solution including full reverse delivery for OE manufacturers across the UK and Ireland. Taking a partnership approach to logistics is important in this niche market, so an understanding of the unique challenges of

the automotive sector is maintained. Rhenus therefore tailors its service accordingly by creating a short supply chain and using its secure network of facilities and trusted personnel to deliver results.

Rhenus manages the logistics service for Daimler from its ACC. Head of the ACC, Darren Cater said: “This allows us to use our team of experienced automotive logistics specialists to ensure all elements of the supply chain run efficiently. We use three facilities in Bradford, Basildon and Dublin to service the North, South and Ireland. All goods are then trunked to Cannock and transported via a complete roundtrip service using our dedicated fleet of 20 truck trailers to Germany. Plus, all packaging is then redelivered to suppliers for re-use, saving both time and money.” v

Most consumers will know only too well the frustration of having to organise the return of unwanted products to the retailer. This challenge is magnified tenfold within the industrial arena, where complex, established supply chains designed to flow from A to B suddenly need to go in the opposite direction

Rhenus Logistics UK is based in Manchester, with an additional 12 facilities in the UK and Ireland. www.uk.rhenus.com

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A changing

world

Jonathan Wilkins discusses the latest trends and challenges in the pharmaceutical sector, particularly in the context of emerging Asian markets

Drug research and development is moving faster than ever before and pharmaceutical manufacturing is incorporating increasing levels of industrial automation

O

n the morning of September 28, 1928, serendipity struck when Sir Alexander Fleming discovered he had accidentally left the lid off a petri dish that contained Staphylococcus.

The good doctor concluded the bluish mould growing inside the dish was inhibiting the bacteria’s growth and so, penicillin was discovered. Or so the story goes. Today’s pharmaceutical landscape is very different from Fleming’s world and although accidental discoveries still take place, the approach to new drug development is much more complex.

Global industry trends have brought on significant changes in the way pharmaceutical companies operate. Business models have to be adapted continuously to respond to shifting healthcare patterns and increasing regulatory compliance requirements. Drug research and development is moving faster than ever before and pharmaceutical manufacturing is incorporating increasing levels of industrial automation.

The big picture The pharmaceutical industry is at a critical junction. The global population is increasing rapidly; average life expectancy is growing every decade and the middle class is becoming a more prominent population sector in emerging markets. The demand for healthcare services is amplifying every day. In this sea of opportunities, it’s only the most agile pharmaceutical companies that will survive and grow.

One thing pharma knows better than any other industry is that behind every opportunity lies a hidden threat. Increasingly strict regulatory compliance along with product security and complex supply chains are the main concerns of companies when it comes to cost management. According to the latest UPS study of the pharmaceutical supply chain, companies are trying different approaches to reduce their manufacturing and delivery costs. The results show that 66 per cent of respondents said they have been increasing technology investments with the aim of making research and development (R&D), manufacturing and testing more cost-efficient and flexible in the long run.

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Focus on Pharmaceuticals pharmerging markets have more potential than others and classifications differ. According to the IMS Health report, the only tier one market is China, expected to account for nearly half of pharmerging market growth. The tier two countries, as you might expect, are Brazil, India and Russia, while tier three unites countries with a wide array of income levels and healthcare sophistication, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

A different classification featured in PWC’s Pharma emerging markets 2.0 report uses a different system to describe this dynamic, yet highly diverse group of countries. Tier one comprises of the BRICMT group, meaning Brazil, Russia, India, China, Mexico and Turkey – countries that are now comparable in size to mature Western counterparts. Second tier markets include economies from Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, like Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. Finally, the third group is made up of African markets, which are highly populous, but still have relatively small market sizes.

Regardless of which classification you prefer, several common traits can be identified between most of these markets. For one thing, the balance between the young and old population is shifting.

If in 2010, only ten per cent of the global population was aged 60 or over, by 2050, the number is expected to grow to 21 per cent.

Fifty-eight per cent of people aged 60 or over have at least one chronic condition, which means they require some form of healthcare or medication.

Rising income levels in these countries are also likely to result in a shift towards lifestyle diseases, with different cardiovascular and respiratory diseases potentially on the rise. According to Frost and Sullivan, the estimated number of diabetics in India will grow to 70 million, with China not far behind, with a total of 50 million.

Finally, growing public and private investments in healthcare and pharmaceutical are likely to drive the market even further. Similar to the US and Western Europe, the integration of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, patient monitoring and healthcare IT is likely to result in minimal risk, low cost and safer healthcare.

Although the road is long and difficult, changing business models have already started to take shape. Two of the most obvious trends in pharmerging markets, particularly the Asian ones, are increased investment in research and development, as well as improved manufacturing standards. The aim is to reduce the time dedicated to clinical trials and ultimately move towards justin-time (JIT) manufacturing and flexible production facilities, like the ones used by the automotive industry.

If in 2010, only ten per cent of the global population was aged 60 or over, by 2050, the number is expected to grow to 21 per cent.

Three thirds of people aged 60 or over have at least one chronic condition, which means they require some form of healthcare or medication

Pharmerging markets In the last few decades, emerging markets have been regarded as the promised land of the pharmaceutical industry, with their total value expected to amount to a third of the global pharmaceutical market by the end of this decade.

In 2013, IMS Health identified 21 geographic regions it considered essential for the growth of pharmaceuticals. These countries were given the slightly awkward name ‘pharmerging markets’.

The classification was based on per capita GDP, combined with market data forecasts from IMS Market Prognosis. The conclusion was that between 2012 and 2017, pharmerging markets would have growth rates far higher than mature markets. In fact, they were predicted to grow from a fourth of the global pharma market in 2012 to a third by 2017. The main drivers of industry growth for this period of time were government and private healthcare investment, as well as the increasing burden of chronic diseases in pharmerging markets.

As is always the case in industry, some

Automation and control Industrial automation and control systems integrate IT technology with mechanical systems. One of the biggest advantages of industrial automation is that it helps standardise products, while reducing waste, saving energy and continuously monitoring production efficiency and product quality. For these reasons and others, industrial automation solutions are crucial for the pharmaceutical industry, particularly when it comes to the manufacturing and packaging stages.

North America is currently leading the industrial automation revolution in pharma, but Asia is expected to see high growth rates in the next five years. In fact, China and India are predicted to become the fastest automation and control system markets in the pharma and biotech industry, despite challenges like an insufficiently skilled workforce and increasingly uncompromising industry standards.

Chinese champion Although it’s hardly an emerging market any longer, China is definitely worth mentioning when discussing opportunities and challenges for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Just as a visit to any Chinese city will leave you astonished at the scale and development of modern China, its remote rural areas will impress by how well it has conserved a way of life that is irrevocably lost to the modern world. Similar, if less poetic, contradictions can be identified in China’s pharmaceutical industry.

To deal with the largest elderly population in the world, China’s out-of-pocket and private insurance healthcare payments have been rising steadily in the last decade. Government healthcare payments are also on the rise. After the United States, China ranks second for the number of FDA-registered drug establishments and sixth among the largest providers of drugs and antibiotics to the US. Large international players are already present in China and have seen increasing competition from local companies. To address the growing pressure, many Western pharma companies have upgraded

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Focus on Pharmaceuticals south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. India currently imports 70 per cent of its medical devices, but with government initiatives like Make in India, chances are domestic industry will start accounting for more of the market, in both the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Indonesian investment

their production sites. Pfizer, for example, recently announced that a $90m facility would be built at its Suzhou site, to address a growing demand for dietary supplements and multivitamins in the first stage, with the option of expanding to other production ranges in the future. The new facility is also expected to feature a state-of-the-art R&D lab.

This is by no means a solitary example. The biggest industry names including Roche, Bayer, Merck KGaA, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi all have projects underway to try and reach the growing - and aging - middle-class population of China.

But it’s not all milk and honey when it comes to the Chinese pharmaceutical market. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a huge problem in any emerging market and China is no exception. In fact, counterfeit pharmaceuticals originating in China are often so expertly copied that only a lab analysis could distinguish between real and fake. Because of its copycat culture, China often faces questions even when it comes to the quality of genuine pharmaceutical products. This is still an opportunity for Western companies who are either exporting to China or have a joint-venture set up with domestic manufacturers.

Despite intense cost pressures, branded generics marketed in China by Western producers are still in high demand because they’re typically associated with uniform specifications, rigorous testing and stable formulas. However, this demand is starting to fade. Pharma innovation in China has traditionally been slowed down by lack of expertise, a

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shortage of manufacturing facilities and even a slow review process by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

Perhaps China’s great potential lies somewhere between innovation and duplication. One thing is certain: with the number of R&D and production facilities on the rise, China is more than just a vast market opportunity; it’s an agile and fierce competitor.

Indian innovation The situation is similar in the Indian subcontinent, with the pharmaceutical industry witnessing healthy foreign direct investment and joint ventures.

Branded generics dominate, representing up to 80 per cent of the pharma retail market. What is currently missing in the Indian pharmaceutical landscape is an increase in R&D budgets. According to a recent statement from the Health and Family Welfare minister, Indian pharma manufacturers are spending less than two per cent of the total turnover on R&D. New opportunities, like patented products, consumer healthcare, biologics and vaccines also appear to be emerging in India. Rising affordability and public health budget increases will be the primary drivers for these opportunities. For the time being, multinational companies are the ones making meaningful investments in the pharmaceutical sector.

However, this year, the Indian medical sector has seen a new drive, with the announcement of India’s first medical device industrial park in Gujarat and discussions underway for a second park in the

In January 2014, the Indonesian government launched an ambitious new scheme aimed at establishing a compulsory national health insurance system that would make healthcare available to all by 2019. Criticised by many as an overly ambitious plan, the JKN scheme has proven popular with the wider population and independent surveys have shown a relatively high level of customer satisfaction.

The introduction of this scheme is symptomatic of an expanding market that has seen recent investments in the pharmaceutical sector. A report compiled by CPhI South East Asia found that Indonesian pharmaceutical manufacturers are operating at capacity and don’t yet have the ability to expand quickly. This represents an opportunity to get a foothold in the market for Western companies.

To succeed in emerging markets, pharmaceutical companies need to become more agile and change the business models that have made them into what they are today. Whether it’s adapting to local demands, understanding the culture or adapting the production process to make it more flexible and efficient, a paradigm shift is clearly under way in the pharmaceutical sector. After all, the industry needs to evolve and look to the future. There is no way of going back to the good old days of Doctor Fleming’s accidental discoveries. v

Jonathan Wilkins Jonathan Wilkins is marketing director of industrial automation parts supplier European Automation.

European Automation stocks and sells new, used, refurbished and obsolete industrial automation spares. Its global network of preferred partner warehouses, and wholly owned distribution centres, enables it to offer a unique service within the automation industry, spanning the entire globe. It provides worldwide express delivery on all products meaning it can supply any part, to any destination, at very short notice. www.euautomation.com

Automobile Manufacturing

Road to the

future

Bart Simpson takes a look at how automotive manufacturing challenges can be changed into opportunities

T

he Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recently announced that car manufacturing in the UK is at its highest level for a decade. What’s more, a new report forecasted that the UK’s automotive sector is heading towards record vehicle production in 2020, which will surpass the previous 1970s levels. The latest figures from the Automotive Council also show similar levels of growth for the UK automotive parts sector, with the volume of parts sourced from UK suppliers increasing by 32 per cent from 2011 to 2015. At the same time, global car buying figures are at their highest ever level, with China continuing its position as the largest light vehicle market in the world. However, with these fantastic growth figures there remain a number of areas car manufacturers and designers need to keep an eye on.

That is because consumers’ expectations of cars, and how they’re used, are changing rapidly. The car is less of a status symbol than it once was; with many younger people simply see them as a way to get them from A to B. At the same time, there is a growing overlap between automobiles and consumer technologies. Cars are becoming smarter, more connected and easier to use. People are also expecting them to be much more environmentally friendly. They also want these new features now, and aren’t willing

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to wait for manufacturers to catch up. All of these factors are transforming what is expected by consumers of the cars they buy.

The challenge manufacturers and designers are facing at the moment is whether they have the expertise and tools in place to respond to these changes. However, as with any problem, this presents the automotive industry with substantial opportunities to take advantage of some of the latest trends.

Time-to-market One of the key drivers for design and manufacturing in the automotive sector is time to market. Consumers can be fickle, and new trends can spring up very quickly. The difficulty that automotive manufacturers can face is responding to these trends quickly enough so that consumers still want a new vehicle when it is released. Given the complexity of the automotive supply chain, it means that the initial designs have to be created as quickly as possible. This, in turn, means having

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the right digital tools available at the design stage to allow designers to create new ideas and turn them into high quality renders. From here, it is then possible to get feedback from both customers that might want to buy the car and from suppliers that need to make the parts before anything has been physically created. This is where there is a lot of opportunity for manufacturers to speed up the whole development processes by taking advantage of the latest design, prototyping and manufacturing software.

Design as a differentiator The next area where there is a challenge facing the automotive sector is ensuring the vehicles they’re producing are able to stand out and provide unique appeal to their audience.

Producing something distinctive is vital in a very competitive marketplace, especially with many models sharing common components and subsystems. This is where the physical aspect of the design process comes into its own, with the

most successful design teams demonstrating how clay models are still important in understanding how a vehicle would look in the real world.

However, the challenge is incorporating the physical clay models back into the digital design workflow once the designers have made tweaks to the model. 3D scanning tools can play a really important role here, by creating a truly joined up design process. However, the opportunity now exists for automotive manufacturers take this one step further and create a true feedback loop, so that multiple clay model iterations can be fed back into the design process to create a truly unique vehicle.

Future vehicles While the majority of cars on our roads are fundamentally similar to those of 50 years ago, by the 2020s we may see a complete transformation in what we think of as a ‘car’. Google’s prototype driverless car is a long way from anything modern drivers are used to. There’s no steering wheel

Automobile Manufacturing

for a start, and no control pedals. While Google’s car is obviously radically different to what we know at the moment, even electric vehicles are transforming the fundamentals of what we expect.

For example, true electric vehicles have no need for a traditional drive train, meaning no need for the transmission tunnel. This frees up a lot of space within the car. Equally, with the vehicle’s dashboard controls becoming increasingly controlled by software, all you need is one touch screen panel, rather than multiple buttons across the dashboard.

For automobile manufacturers, this is an opportunity to think beyond the traditional layout.

However, this can only be achieved with a design and manufacturing process that can simulate the combination of software and mechanical components cars will incorporate in the future.

New materials One of the biggest trends vehicle manufacturers now need to consider is that of fuel efficiency and limiting the impact of automobiles on the

environment. While fuel prices may be at the lowest they’ve been for a number of years, consumers still want to get the most out of their cars. A key part of this is making designs that are more efficient, using both lighter materials and more efficient designs. This is where the design and manufacturing processes have to work hand in hand. New cars have to be created with new materials in mind. Alongside this, the designs need to reflect the manufacturing tooling available.

If you want to use aluminium, or lightweight composites in your new car, this must be reflected throughout the design and manufacturing workflow. There has to be real integration in the software behind the design and manufacturing workflow. Of course, when this is done effectively then manufacturers can benefit from faster time to market with vehicles that meet customer needs.

It’s clear that we’re seeing an exciting time in the automotive industry. As with many other sectors at the moment, established ways of doing

things are falling by the wayside. The automotive industry is going to be no different. Vehicle manufacturers will have to understand these trends and ensure they can respond if they’re going to remain competitive. The only way to achieve this is by not blindly sticking with existing processes, workflows and technology. As the industry is being disrupted by new technology, so too do automotive manufacturers need to embrace this disruption if they’re to continue to thrive.

Bart Simpson Bart Simpson is Business Development Lead at Delcam, part of Autodesk. Delcam holds a central role in UK manufacturing, one that it has developed since the 60s. Headquartered in Birmingham, Delcam’s range of design, manufacturing and inspection software provides automated CADCAM solutions for a variety of industries, ranging from aerospace and automotive to toys and sports equipment. www.delcam.co.uk

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From here to

efficiency Supply chain companies need to open their eyes to visibility says Sian Hopwood

There is a growing perception that information about a product’s location, its status and its date of delivery should all be readily available and at the customer’s fingertips

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n the digital age customers have come to expect an extremely high level of service from supply chain executors. There is a growing perception that information about a product’s location, its status and its date of delivery should all be readily available and at the customer’s fingertips. As a result, companies that are unable to provide near-real-time updates on request, are at risk of falling behind competitors and losing customer confidence.

In an effort to address this, achieving better visibility into the supply chain has been a priority for many companies in recent years, as they look to improve customer experience, cut costs and streamline processes. Despite this, there is still a lot of work to be done if industry is to take full advantage of this strategy.

A recent survey of 537 companies worldwide found that 72 per cent do not have full visibility of their supply chain. The survey, part of the Business Continuity Institute’s annual Supply Chain Resilience Report, covered businesses in 14 industries across 67 countries. It also found that 74 per cent of the companies experienced at least one supply chain disruption over the previous 12 months – and that 24 per cent of respondents estimated that disruptions cost their business €250,000 or more.

Strangely, 35 per cent of those surveyed said they don’t even bother to report disruptions or other incidents affecting their supply chains. “Supply chain visibility remains one of the biggest challenges to resilience,” the report states. “The data shows the complex nature of supply chains, with many organisations relying on a growing number of key suppliers. Disruptions continue to occur at lower levels, which may induce severe knock-on effects to organisations at the end of the supply chains. It is therefore important for organisations to focus on reporting disruption firm-wide and increase supplier visibility.”

The findings are somewhat surprising. People involved in supply chain planning and execution have long recognised the many benefits of visibility: better insight into how your supply chain is performing

IT

As partner-to-partner sharing increases, with transparent processes ensuring that all parties have access to the information they need, businesses will be able to drive efficiency and results across the whole supply chain

to overcoming silo thinking about supply chains within an organisation.”

While visibility brings a number of benefits on its own, it can also serve as the catalyst for supply chain execution convergence. Supply chain execution convergence is a two-stage process in which a business eliminates that ‘silo thinking’ to get its various supply chain operations – procurement, shipping, warehousing, transportation – fully synchronised and in tune with one another. Once that’s achieved, the business then extends that deep interconnectedness even further to outside suppliers, vendors and other entities in the supply chain ecosystem.

As partner-to-partner sharing increases, with transparent processes ensuring that all parties have access to the information they need, businesses will be able to drive efficiency and results across the whole supply chain. Only when enterprises begin to pick up on this will we see surveys of this sort generating more positive results. v

from end to end, the vision needed to anticipate and prevent problems, and the ability to quickly respond to any issues that do arise.

Seeing clearly with technology The key to realising those benefits is technology.

Put simply, relying on manual processes in your supply chain – spreadsheets, telephones, calculators, fax machines – just doesn’t cut it anymore. Not only are they time-consuming and inefficient, these methods bring with them a much higher chance of communication breakdown – lost letters, missed calls and poor filing can all lead to a costly loss of productivity.

Technology brings not only efficiency and the ability to capture, report and act on important benchmarking data, but also connectivity. With cloud-based solutions, businesses have real-time access to information throughout the logistics ecosystem – which they can also share across the organisation, with outside partners or even with customers.

Obstacles in our way Despite all this, we’re not seeing as widespread a take-up as the benefits might suggest. One possible reason for this is cost – or at least the perception of cost. For a long time, powerful supply chain solutions were pricey and only available to the largest enterprises. But cloud computing has changed that, eliminating the high upfront costs that used to come with on-premise logistics solutions. The cloud delivers affordable, subscription-based solutions, plug-and-play deployment and a fast ROI – all while giving organisations anytime, anyplace, anywhere access to data. In short, the cloud has made it possible for business of all sizes to tap into technology that can streamline their supply chains and boost visibility.

“Through our work with customers in this area, we have found that increasing visibility along supply chains and resilience are major sources of competitive advantage,” said Nick Wildgoose, global supply chain product leader at Zurich Insurance. “Top management leadership is the key

Sian Hopwood Sian Hopwood is senior vice president B2B operations at Kewill. Kewill is a global leader in multimodal transportation management and supply chain execution solutions. Its software platform enables companies to lower costs, gain control over logistics network volatility and achieve greater visibility and agility. www.kewill.com

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Return of the

MACH

Two years since its last exhibition, MACH 2016 promises to be bigger and better than its predecessor while bringing all of the best innovations and latest developments from the manufacturing sectors under one roof

Taking place 11-15 April at the NEC in Birmingham, MACH 2016 is expected to be more successful than the previous exhibition, MACH 2014, which had more than 600 companies exhibiting and over 6500 tonnes of live working machinery on display

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reated by the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), a UK based trade association dealing specifically with engineered based manufacturing, MACH is a biennial showcase for advances in the manufacturing industry that brings together the best innovations and latest developments under one roof. Taking place 11-15 April at the NEC in Birmingham, MACH 2016 is expected to be more successful than the previous exhibition, MACH 2014, which had more than 600 companies exhibiting and over 6500 tonnes of live working machinery on display. The major event attracted 23,352 visitors across a diverse range of sectors within the UK manufacturing sector and has more than ÂŁ173 million attributed to it.

With new zones, more innovative technologies and a vibrant seminar programme, MACH 2016 is certain to exceed expectations thanks to the MTA, which aims to deliver a high quality, relevant and insightful showcase for the industry, by the industry. Many organisers are involved in the construction and supply of manufacturing technology such as cutting tools, metrology equipment and CAD/CAM software, while other members deploy the technologies and others provide services to the industry.

The key activities of the association are to represent the engineering based manufacturing sector and support the advanced engineering sector through networking, media contact and advocacy; it also encourage talent through funding and support for workplace training and education initiatives in schools, colleges and universities.

As the provider of the UK’s only major exhibition to be focused on manufacturing technologies, MTA employs key staff members who strive to deliver an exceptional exhibition; to support this team, MTA also has an exhibition committee to oversee all major decisions and ensure MACH’s ongoing success and strong reputation in the market. Comprised of representatives from MTA member companies, the committee meets on a regular basis to ensure MACH meets the expectations of

MACH 2016

visitors and exhibitors alike, and, as exhibitors themselves, all members of the exhibition committee care passionately about the integrity of MACH. Viewed as the place to get business done, the UK’s premier manufacturing technologies event had sold out stands in hall five and had limited spaces left in hall four by December 2015.

Within these halls are specific product areas for guests, such as the UK manufacturing zone in hall five, which will be full of blue chip companies representing the best from the automotive, aerospace, nuclear, power, medical and tier one supply chain sector. Viewed as the ideal platform for UK based supply chain manufacturers to showcase their products and capabilities, the UK manufacturing zone offers a chance to network with potential customers and generate new sales leads. Other areas include measurement and inspection, a 3D printing and additive manufacturing zone; an engineering and laser zone, grinding and abrasives, surface finishing and

component cleaning and a software and design solutions zone.

On top of this, with more than 600 exhibitors expected, 130 of which are completely new to MACH, the exhibition has also extended its packed seminar programme to two theatres.

Seminar theatre one’s diary of events starts with the opening in hall five from 12:30 to 13:30, followed by a talk from Sven Renschler, CEO of Rentschler Reven GmbH about industrial air cleaning from 14:00 to 15:00 on April 11th. The following day includes insightful events such as a training academy from Jeff Hart, Training Manager of Mills CNC from 10:00 to 11:00 and a discussion on prototyping techniques by Damian Hennessey, Commercial Director of Protolabs, from 13:00 until 14:00.

Day three at seminar theatre one is focused on 3D printing and additive manufacturing in the morning, while the afternoon is dominated by what is certain to be a fascinating talk from Michael Mychajiuk, Supply Chain Manager at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR); speaking from 14:30 until 15:30, Michael is likely to discuss how JLR has transformed both its business and both brands over the last through years through a £10 billion investment, £500 million of which went on a cutting edge engine manufacturing centre in the UK, and how the company harnessed its supply chain to support growth.

This busy and informative day will lead onto talks from three different speakers from Dortmund University: Mike Wilson, General Industry Sales Manager at ABB Robotics, Alan Norbury, Central Technology Officer at Siemens PLC, and Boris Otto, Director of the Department of Information Management & Engineering at Fraunhofer IML Taking place from 10:00 until 12:00, these speakers will discuss Industry 4.0; otherwise known as the fourth industrial revolution and the internet of things, Industry 4.0 is a process of connecting machinery, controllers and other systems and subsystems that were previously standalone units. Because implementing Industry 4.0 requires vast volumes of data, SFB 876, a unit of the IT department of TU Dortmund, has used its expertise to study big data and cyber-physical systems to develop a tool called Streams for the configuration, parallel arrangement and distributed execution of online processes.

Because the benefits of these new automation options of Industry 4.0 are becoming increasingly clear to the manufacturing industry, this event is certain to draw a crowd!

In fact, Industry 4.0 is something of a key topic at MACH 2016, with Paul Hingley, CMR Business Manager at Siemens PLC also discussing big data and how to turn 4.0 into a reality. Taking place on 12th April from 11:00 until 12:00, Paul is likely to use this seminar to discuss how Siemens has dealt with the fusion of the online world and the world of industrial production through its investment in a smart factory that uses simatic programmable logic control (PLC) automated equipment to make its products. With basic automation a part of Siemen’s Amberg plant since 1989, the manufacturing giant was naturally attracted to the benefits of Industry 4.0, making Paul’s talk a key event for those interested in learning more about this major development in the manufacturing world.

Other notable events taking place at seminar theatre two include Nick Foster, Research & Technologies Manager at Messier-BugattiDowty, discussing research and technology developments for landing gear for the aircraft of today and tomorrow. Also talking in seminar two at MACH 2016 is the company’s Manufacturing & Engineering Manager, Germain Forfeoux, who will discuss the challenges for MBD aircraft land rear materials, technologies and aerospace growth; this seminar will take place from 11:00 until 12:00 on 13th April.

For companies seeking ways to increase productivity, boost efficiency or enhance innovation, MACH 2016 offers an ideal platform to meet potential customers face-to-face and seek out state-of-the-art products and equipment; there are also opportunities to network with likeminded organisations and gain valuable information in a open environment that has its fingers on the pulse when it comes to manufacturing trends and developments. v

MACH 2016

www.machexhibition.com www.manufacturing-today-europe.com 19

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Focus on: l Amcanu l Applied Component Technology (ACT) l Lambert Engineering l Ruwel International l Lawrence David l ABT Products l Alsico NV l What More UK Ltd l Grundfos Manufacturing l BAE Systems l Cheesman Products (Automotive) Ltd l Capital Coated Steel l Swift Group l VCST Industrial Products l Mornos l Iggesund Paperboard l Fanuc Uk l IPG Photonics UK l Todd & Duncan l United Cast Bar Limited l Jacob Pipework Systems

y EUROPE

BEST PRACTICES FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

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Amcanu

Sound

opportunities People sit at the heart of Amcanu, a company committed to delivering high quality solutions to global customers in a flexible and diversified manner

Mulmuf Exhausts

Mulmuf Exhausts is one of the leading exhaust manufacturers in the UK and Ireland. It specialises in industrial and off road equipment. It can design to the specific requirements of its customers and always works to the highest quality standards. It manufactures exhaust systems for generators, diggers, tractors, forklifts and screening / earthmoving equipment.

Tawi UK Ltd

As a leading manufacturer of innovative and bespoke lifting solutions for industrial applications, Tawi is a key supplier to Amcanu. With regards to materials handling a 180kg Tawi VacuEasylift, mounted on a gantry crane and suspended from the building is already in operation and two additional 500kg and 2000kg hoists are currently being installed to provide enhanced product handling capabilities.

Commenting on the working relationship between the two companies, MD of Amcanu Owain Davies said: “Tawi has been excellent at helping us design a solution to our lifting requirements and we feel that what they provide us with is a very cost effective and worthwhile service that helps us greatly with our processes and business needs.”

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ounded in 1975 and now into its second generation of family ownership, South Wales based Amcanu has amassed years of expertise in sheet metal manufacture and today is a leading specialist in high performance industrial enclosures.

Supplying to a host of international OEMs, the core of the company’s offering revolves around helping engine-powered systems, such as pumps, compressors and engines, meet the various noise regulations imposed upon construction, mining and quarrying sites around the world. However, a highly flexible and proactive approach to the market has resulted in a company that is able to react well to changing market conditions and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

“We consider ourselves to be a glass-half-full organisation, even through challenging times,” begins current MD Owain Davies. “We were hit very badly in 2008 and 2009 by the recession because at the time we were supplying to a lot of hire equipment suppliers, a segment that lost its funding overnight. We had to cut the workforce in half and lost a lot of money. However, it forced us to do a lot of restructuring and, despite the pain, it has made us stronger.” Finally recovering around 2011, progress since the downturn has been exceptional to the point of exceeding pre-recession performance.

Keen to adhere to its philosophy of sticking to what it knows, Amcanu today splits its core focus into three key areas: industrial enclosures for sound insulation, enclosures for digital technology, such as for Renishaw’s

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industrial 3D printers, and small subcontracted projects for local customers. “Years ago a water pump would sit in the middle of a quarry or a construction site and it was noisy and dirty but nobody bothered about it. Now however, because of new regulations and legislation around the health and safety of on-site workers and their environment, we have seen a strong market open up,” Owain explains.

As part of the global Xylem group, dewatering and liquid transfer pump manufacturer Godwin is one of Amcanu’s major customers, with products operating in over 150 countries. Working closely with the customer, Owain and his team have developed a complete enclosure system which integrates all the necessary components whilst regulating noise emissions and increasing the airflow for optimum engine performance.

Successfully applied to a broad range of Godwin systems, the work has led to subsequent discussions with Xylem to develop a new globalised standard for its attenuation enclosures.

Similar collaboration has been necessary in the development of what Owain refers to as a “supersilent” enclosure system for Hydrainer, a leading manufacturer of hydraulic submersible pumps. With the remit to reach a benchmark for sound attenuation of 70dB(A) at one metre, encompassed by an easy-to-maintain modular system, the equipment is currently operating in the centre of London on the prestigious Crossrail programme, amongst many other sound-sensitive applications.

It is clear that Amcanu learnt from the challenges it faced during the recession and the growth that followed its recovery has exemplified this not only in its ability to diversify and focus its core offering, but also in its understanding of the market conditions. “The markets in India and China are learning about what we do and it could be a challenge to stay ahead of this potential competition,” Owain expresses.

“There are also opportunities developing in some of the emerging economies in Africa and South America. However keeping control of our costs is paramount as we approach this because we consider ourselves to be sheet metal tailors catering for the premium market where customers are willing to pay that bit more for quality and service.”

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Amcanu

Long-term relationships with customers play a major part in occupying this premium position and it is the company’s people that make this possible. In fact, people are absolutely central to Amcanu’s business as Owain goes on to discuss: “Our core values centre around being part of this community, employing local people and supporting apprentice training. I came in as an apprentice working around all the business areas so I understand the challenges that everyone faces on a daily basis and this is true for our entire management team. We support this with continued training opportunities and investment into our staff and as such have a very high retention of people.”

Having celebrated its 40th birthday in 2015, Amcanu is now gearing up to reach the next level of success with renewed vigour. “As a business that survived and successfully recovered from the economic challenges we are now confident to put some investment back into our operations.

Therefore 2016 will be all about investing in our continued growth with new equipment, such as a £300,000 powder coating plant, as well as new people and skills in order to secure new and existing opportunities and improve our quality offerings,” concludes Owain. “This amounts to a five year plan in which we hope to double the size of the business and create even more opportunities for both our global customers and our local communities.”

Amcanu Ltd Products:

World-class specialists in manufacturing sound attenuation enclosures

www.amcanu.co.uk www.manufacturing-today-europe.com 25

Applied Component Technology (ACT)

Applied

expertise

Collaboration and innovation combine with Applied Component Technology’s expert production capabilities, resulting in it occupying a leading position in the UK’s automotive, and now aerospace, supply chain

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espite being a relatively young company, formed in 2012 from the assets of a previous company fallen into administration, Applied Component Technology (ACT) has quickly proven itself to be a key partner to the UK’s growing automotive industry. “Essentially we are an automotive Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier of interior components and systems,” begins Managing Director, Dermot Sterne. “Our focus in this industry is on lightweight materials, and we have a UK-leading capability in structural composites for interiors, which is a real advantage.

The core products include loadfloors, safety nets, roller luggage covers and a variety of plastic trim components, both for interior and exterior applications.”

However, with 60 highly skilled employees working from a single 2700 square metre site, complete with in-house design and engineering competences, ACT has established itself as an agile, quality focused and highly innovative manufacturer.

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As such it has begun to set its sights beyond the automotive industry and into new markets. “We have very recently moved into the aerospace interiors market as manufacturers of a novel

sustainable, lightweight, high security aircraft galley trolley called SmartCart,” Dermot continues.

“Manufacturing exclusively for Flightweight Ltd, we are the first to market in this industry with a

Left: SmartCart assembly cell

Dermot Sterne (left) and Mark Pople with a composite loadfloor

new product that uses an electronic seal (from Security Seal Technology Ltd), novel natural fibre and bioresin composite panels and is modular for easy repair.”

By working closely with Flightweight, ACT has illustrated its ability to add value right through both the design and development stages in anticipation of manufacturing and launching a product. “This was a short project in terms of its timeframe so we have embraced help from a variety of sources,” highlights Dermot. “Firstly, we are grateful to the Welsh Government who provided support with capital investment for the high quality, error-proofed production line – with full traceability of raw material, back to the harvest from where the natural fibres came. This support will also help to create around 20 new jobs once SmartCart is in full production.

“We have a highly skilled team of engineers and product development people here at ACT. However, at key points in the project we supplemented that team with staff from Jigsaw Business Group, who provided specialist skills in a very flexible arrangement. Furthermore, as we

enter production we are working very closely with Percival Aviation Ltd to handle the aerospace production approvals necessary to launch the product into the global market. Other suppliers such as EcoTechnilin, the supplier of the innovative raw material, also readily joined our team to add their expertise when required.”

What resulted was a highly collaborative development process allowing ACT to become a fully integrated member of a supply chain in a new and opportunity-rich market. Combined with the

Jigsaw Business Group

Jigsaw Business Group is a business consultancy that helps organisation improved their people, processes, and profitability. A great example of this is the recent joint project with Applied Components Technology (ACT).

Manufacturers are amongst the most prolific and successful innovators in the UK. ACT had been through some tough times when we were asked to support them on this innovative project. With our established network of professional practitioners, we were able to put together an experienced, cross functional, new product development team to help ACT design, develop, source, produce, test and launch this revolutionary new smart galley cart.

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Applied Component Technology (ACT) Tente Castors

Tente Castors is one of the leading manufacturers of castors and wheels worldwide, with products that are suitable for any industry. It can provide a solution to your problems. Its range of innovative products includes its e-drive unit to make moving heavy loads much easier to its aviation castors that save on fuel costs. Its CAD files are straightforward to incorporate into your designs, and its teams are available to answer any queries.

SmartCart

ATM Automation Ltd

ATM Automation Ltd was commissioned by ACT to produce an intelligent manufacturing assembly line.

The key requirement was to ensure the build was to the correct specification and each subcomponent would have full traceability.

ACT selected ATM’s unique, market-leading Build Assist software and assembly system, for this stringent requirement. ATM supplied a full line to enable ACT to produce a variety of carts from a single component to a complete cart with the full history of each subcomponent; hence making each assembly a unique cart with its own ‘VIN’ number, much like manufacturing an automobile.

expertise and commitment already held within the firm, the final product has been awarded ‘Smart Product of the Year 2016’ by EEF – a recognition which, as Dermot points out: “Is a real pat on the back for the team here. The collaborative nature of the project is reinforced by the EEF accolade being a joint award with Jigsaw.”

The SmartCart project undoubtedly brought with it a wealth of potential for the future success and continued growth of ACT and Dermot is keen to point out the advantages that can now be applied to its automotive offering. “This new expertise in sustainable composites and the associated capital investment mean that we can also offer such materials to vehicle manufacturers and suppliers who value sustainable components as part of the vehicle’s overall ‘life cycle analysis’ approach to energy use,” he says.

In terms of quality, the new production line for SmartCart implements a new benchmark for assembly processes, revolving predominantly around the ‘no-fault-forward’ principle. With the aim to replicate its approach in future projects, it adds significant value to a range of capabilities that already includes compression and injection moulding, die cutting, high frequency welding,

automated gluing and sewing, as well as general assembly.

With such significant development on-going ACT looks set to experience a strong future within two industries that are showing positive signs of growth. Despite some uncertainty around the UK’s position in the EU, Dermot is generally confident, saying: “With the UK hopefully set to reach the milestone of manufacturing over two million cars in the next few years, the future for us in that sector is very promising. The trend for the large vehicle manufacturers to use very large global suppliers who can support them across different continents is here to stay. So, whilst ACT continues to supply to OEMs directly with some products, we predict that in future years our client base will become dominated by the large Tier 1 suppliers, who require manufacturing and/or design support local to their UK customers.

“In terms of aerospace, we supply exclusively to just one customer, who sells the SmartCart to airlines and catering companies around the world.

However, it is a well known fact that the aircraft industry is also growing fast, driven by emerging market activity, so the future for Flightweight and ACT looks very promising here too.”

In this respect then the next 12 months, and indeed beyond, will be focused very much on building upon recent successes and general market positivity. “Our attention will be on the launch of the SmartCart and growing our automotive business,” concludes Dermot, speaking about the short-term goals. “We are really well placed to supply the UK automotive sector and are already working on some exciting new projects both in the car segment and also in the bus and coach segment, where we have recently won a large piece of interiors business.” In the longer term combining this strategy with a fresh approach to lightweight and sustainable ‘green’ materials will be key as it looks to expand its footprint.

Ultimately, ACT is a glowing example of a UK manufacturer able to combine leading expertise and production capability with an open, innovative and, critically, collaborative approach to both new and existing channels. It is with this in mind that the future for the company, no matter what the market may try to throw at it, looks set to be very fruitful indeed.

Applied Component Technology (ACT) Products: Leading manufacturer of interior components www.applied-components.com

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Lambert Engineering

Precise

planning

A solid combination of values and world-class engineering skills set Lambert Engineering apart as a multi-award winning innovation partner

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t 2015’s The Manufacturer MX Awards one company stood out amongst the rest, winning four awards including the main prize of Manufacturer of the Year. Also winning the Customer Focus, Innovation and Design, and Leadership and Strategy awards, Lambert’s success at the awards topped off another year

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of significant growth that saw it reach sales in excess of £20 million. Founded back in 1973 by Chris Lambert and Peter Wainman as a small engineering shop, four decades of experience define the company’s current offering to the market that make it a leading innovation partner in the development of bespoke automation systems.

“At present we have 190 people split across three individual business units,” begins Sales Director, Matthew Cox. “The first is automation systems (AS), which accounts for around 50 per cent of our sales, and is essentially the design and build of specialist automation machinery.

The second is our equipment engineering (EE) division, which allows customers to operate on a build-to-print basis, whereby they design the system and utilise our manufacturing expertise to realise it. This accounts for an additional 40 per cent of our business. The remaining business then comes from our precision components (PC) segment, which focuses on parts.”

“They have to be developed at the same time to make a good use of time and money – it is pointless developing a product that can’t be manufactured effectively. In the past we would reverse engineer some of the products to make them automatable, but now we make sure to get involved right at the start, in some cases actually developing some of our customer’s products in their entirety. This is why working partnerships are crucial.

“The other driver was to fully develop our service offering to the client. It is to become closer to the customer, to promote the whole idea of partnership and to allow us to differentiate our customers so we are giving them something really special and unique.

Something that would never go to their competition.”

In approaching its working relationships, Lambert very much considers itself a key partner to globally leading clients, mostly coming from the healthcare and FMCG markets. In cementing these partnerships, and in order to capacitate future growth aspirations, in 2014 Lambert opened its state-of-the-art innovation centre.

Named the Peter Wainman Innovation Centre,

after the company’s co-founder, the facility reinforces Lambert’s pro-active approach to research and development – the cornerstone of its market offering.

“The first rationale behind the centre’s development was the need to help our customer base to develop products as well as the processes that go along with them,” explains Matthew.

Halcyon Drives

Halcyon Drives is an electrical engineering firm based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. It has been working with Lambert Engineering for over 30 years, providing quality control systems with a flexible customer focused service. Its offering also includes specialist distribution for a small number of partnerships with world-leading manufacturers including ABB, Rockwell Automation, Riello UPS and PULS. It also provides exceptional service levels for the commission, repair and maintenance of ABB Variable Speed Drives.

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Lambert Engineering Stäubli Robotics

Life Science Automation Solutions.

Bringing you high speed and reliability for higher productivity and quality.

Stäubli Robotics, the market leader with a global presence, is your innovative partner for automation in sterile or standard environments, high end or routine tasks. Stäubli robots deliver clean, consistent performance ensuring the highest levels of product hygiene, safety, flexibility and productivity. Focusing on lean manufacturing its advanced solutions have the power to increase your productivity, improve your processes, save time and reduce costs.

DE-STA-CO

For more than 50 years, CAMCO products have been the industry standard for the highest quality cam-actuated motion control products available. DE-STA-CO manufactures a wide range of CAMCO motion control products including indexing drives, linear and rotary parts handlers, precision link conveyors, servo-mechanical drives, and custom cams.

Its customer base covers a wide range of industries requiring a global customer service network offering consistent solutions and program support. CAMCO brings a philosophy of quality unsurpassed by its counterparts.

It serves designers, builders and users of specialty automation equipment worldwide with manufacturing facilities in both North America and Europe.

In 2007, Lambert was subject to a management buyout, which has seen its sales increase from £8.5 million to the £20 millionplus that it now experiences. Looking forward the company sets its aspirations on 90 per cent growth over the next five years. Commenting on the company’s ability to achieve such levels of growth Matthew puts its strength down to its clear vision, breadth of offering and the skills of its people. “I see that our focused strategy and sense of knowing precisely where we are going

and how we are going to get there makes us stand out as a business,” he says. “Then, without our people and their skills we wouldn’t be able to exist. They are part of our mission statement of empowerment – we empower them and make them the best they can be and this is vital to the continued success of the business.

“In addition to this we have a great set of ethics and values, and we tend to align ourselves with customers who share these. This is all about establishing strong partnerships both with our customers and suppliers, creating an environment that allows everyone to add as much value as possible. The final thing that sets us apart is our technical excellence. Operationally, we try to be as enlightened as possible, as lean as possible and as cutting edge as possible with regards to the tools and expertise we can bring.”

Placing this robust proposition within the context of current market conditions suggests that the future for Lambert looks positive.

Matthew notes his confidence in the strong market, particularly pointing out the continued drive towards innovation and product development that exists within many industries around the globe. “Every big international market leader is in that position because they come up with clever and innovative products on a consistent basis,” he says. “This is how they stay ahead of the competition. We don’t really see this changing much, as even throughout the last recession the company performed extremely well because it was focused on those areas of new development and innovation.” By operating in its core healthcare and FMCG segments on a global scale Lambert is also able to avoid exposure to difficult sectors that are subject to political and economic influences, such as the oil and gas market.

Considering this is the case, it is no surprise that Lambert’s target over the next five years is to grow to sales worth £35 million. The next 12 months will be key to supporting this as the company focuses on growing its talent with young engineers and graduates, expanding its service offering to the market, both before and after the point of sale, and adding to its customer base. By continuing to serve the unique needs of global leaders as a critical innovation partner, Lambert looks set to experience a long and prosperous future.

Lambert Engineering Services: Produce bespoke turnkey automation solutions for specialist assembly needs

www.lamberteng.com www.manufacturing-today-europe.com 33

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RUWEL International

A structured

future

Leading European producer of printed circuit boards (PCBs) RUWEL International GmbH has strengthened its operations thanks to an organisational restructure and 20 million euros of investment over recent years

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ince it was founded by Mr. Fritz Stahl in 1945, RUWEL has been headquartered in Geldern, Germany.

RUWEL International GmbH today is renowned as the oldest operating PCB producer in Europe and a leading producer of circuit boards for high reliability applications. “Following the death of Mr. Stahl in 1991, the company was acquired by a local investor in 1993, who went on to acquire further PCB manufacturers,” begins Gerard van Dierendonck, Managing Director at RUWEL International GmbH. “However, the PCB market was impacted by production in China, with approximately 100 bigger PCB manufacturers now left in Europe in comparison to the 1500 that were in operation in the 90s.

In 2009 we were acquired by Unimicron Group, one of the global leaders in the PCB industry, which boasts a turnover of $2 billion annually, in line with its strategy to deliver a one-stopshop solution to European customers within the automotive industry. Since then there have been

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Heimerle + Meule – Precious metals unlimited Heimerle + Meule GmbH was founded in 1845 and is Germany’s oldest gold and silver refinery. The precious metals expert specialises in separating materials and substances that contain precious metals from production processes. As a leading manufacturer of precious metals products, the company also offers high quality materials and semi-finished products for the jewellery, wedding ring, electronics, electrical and dental industries. In the field of electroplating, surface refinements can be added to all of the metals and applied in a range of industries. Additional innovative product areas include investment products and the electroplating chemistry and equipment sector.

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further investments and developments. Today we focus on high tech, low volume products for customers in the automotive, renewable energy and industrial sectors.”

The acquisition of RUWEL and a strategic restructure in 2013 has put the company in a unique position, as it is now able to offer high reliability PCBs from both Europe and Asia thanks to its facility in Kunshan, China. From its German site, the company is able to offer benefits such as quick turnaround and short delivery times to European customers due to its highly flexible production lines and small to medium lot sizes where low minimum volume is required for highly

complex products. Cutting-edge technology used here includes HiCu profile, metal inlay, hybrid constructions and wirelaid. Meanwhile, the sister site, Unimicron Kunshan, focuses on high volume, cost-effective, yet high quality products that have few design changes over time. Although delivered from China, Gerard notes that the company has the same points of contact as the European plant.

“We are the only PCB company to be owned by a Taiwanese company, which means that if there is a problem in China we have some power to solve that problem for Europe; this offers reliability and instills confidence in our capabilities for our customers.”

RUWEL International

Alongside this restructure, RUWEL has also enhanced production services through a 20 million Euro investment from its parent company over the last two years to not only ensure a swift turnaround and optimum quality but also boost its reputation as a technological trendsetter. “Here in Geldern we have a fully digital plant, with a digital light source for our inner layers, outer layers and our solder mask,” says Gerard. “For the production process of the PCBs you must use a light source and with that light source you put a certain geometry on the resist. If you do this with conventional light you work with films and installing the films takes 15 to 20 minutes, however, with digital equipment you can do this behind a computer with an automated return; this reduces the time frame of this process. Next is the precision of conventional lights that you can make reliable; let’s say it is 100 micron line/space, but with LDI technology you can go down to 50/50, which is another advantage.”

Other capabilities are the 352 (263 contracts and 89 temporary contracts) employees, strong plant include production of PCBs from 2 to 16 layers, copper thickness from 18 μm to 210 μm and 400 μm, a volume range for serial production, from five square metres to 5000 square metres; mass production related prototyping and a wide range of technologies such as heat management, radio frequency, high current applications and

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RUWEL International

Atotech

Although Atotech’s history traces a long way back, the company was officially founded in 1993. Today, it’s a global leader in plating chemicals, equipment and services for printed circuit board (PCB), package substrate and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as decorative and functional surface finishing. Within the chemical sector, Atotech has developed distinct capabilities in two core businesses: electronics and general metal finishing. The company has its head-office in Berlin, Germany, with presence in 47 countries serving over 8,000 customers.

Along with a comprehensive range of solutions, Atotech is known in the industry for its extensive R&D, carried out at its TechCenters network. Equipped with latest technology, processes and highly skilled professionals, these TechCenters are also dedicated to ongoing trainings – both for their team and customers. The TechCenters have also helped Atotech build an unrivalled portfolio of sustainable solutions.

Atotech works in close collaboration with the customers each step of the development stage: from process development, sampling to qualification runs in production-sized plating lines. Two such customers include Ruwel international and Unimicron Group with whom Atotech has had a long-standing partnership.

optimisation for assembly and integration.

With approximately 50 PCBs in each modern day car, this major investment has not only put RUWEL at the forefront of PCB production thanks to its ability to develop highly complex products in a short time frame, but has also ensured it maintains its long-term reputation as a company to be trusted. “Our name is steeped in history and people trust us,” confirms Gerard. “On top of this, seeing is believing; if we have people come visit our site they are always impressed at our technology and strong performance.”

Nevertheless, compared to other companies, RUWEL views HDI, Semiflex and similar demanding technologies as tried and tested, and is instead focusing on consistently aiming higher. By constantly upgrading equipment and its processes, the company is able to produce capabilities with high reliability, high complexity, high speed, high current and heat management and intends to enhance technological innovations further over the coming years. For example, with a current aspect ratio of 10:1 for standard samples and 12:1 for small samples and small series products, the company intends to reach 12:1 to 14:1 respectively by 2018.

“By 2030 it is likely there will be fully autonomous driving cars, which need a lot of PCBs that we produce both at our Geldern site and our sister site in Kunshan. Another thing we will be focusing on is lowering our energy consumption, with the goal of having approximately 50 per cent of our energy consumption made by solar by 2035,” concludes Gerard.

RUWEL International GmbH Products: Printed circuit boards www.ruwel.com/en www.manufacturing-today-europe.com 39

Lawrence David

Body

builders

Proud to create more than just trailers, leading UK manufacturer Lawrence David designs every component in-house and uses cutting edge technology to ensure complete customer satisfaction

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ince its foundation in 1973, Peterborough based Lawrence David has grown to become the UK’s leading manufacturer of trailers, curtainsiders, box vans, refrigerated and rigid bodywork and one of the most respected trailer manufacturers in the UK. Viewed as the strength behind the haulage industry, the company offers customers engineering expertise, optimum quality products and exceptional customer service while progressing with a culture of continuous innovation. Key to this ingrained culture is the company’s in-house design capabilities, its continuous investment in state-of-the-art technology and a team of highly experienced, competent and dedicated craftsmen who strive for the best possible solution to each customer’s requirement.

By having total in-house control over component designs, quality and performance, Lawrence David can deliver all of its trailers with a minimum five year warranty and guarantee absolute satisfaction and confidence for its customers. Moreover, the company’s attention to detail means the next unique innovation is never far away, while its constant investment in facilities and personnel ensures its leading reputation at the forefront of the trailer industry is maintained.

Within its portfolio are box vans, fuel savers,

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fridges, curtainsiders and double deck trailers; all of which are custom-built with the unique needs of each customer in mind.

With more than 40 years of experience, Lawrence David also lays claim to being one of the biggest body builders in the UK for the haulage industry and a pioneer when it comes to innovations and engineering firsts. Within its rigid portfolio the company offers an 18 tonne rigid curtainsider, an 18 tonne rigid fuel saver, 3.5 tonne bonded Luton box van, a 7.5 tonne rigid and a 7.5 tonne rigid curtainsider. On top of this, should spare parts be required, the company can ship genuine parts and replacement components to the customer.

Alongside these manufacturing capabilities, Lawrence David has also invested in dedicated facilities in Peterborough and Corby to repair and refurbish trailers and bodies. Services include full chassis and body shot blast, repaints, new curtains, new doors, overall height increases and accident repairs.

One example of the company’s market leading capabilities was announced in February 2015 when Elddis Transport celebrated clocking up one million kilometres in its first longer semi-trailer from Lawrence David. The bespoke trailer has averaged 981 kilometres per day since it was delivered in May 2012 and has resulted in Elddis

NWE Network Engineering FIX high performance cargo securing systems by NWE Network Engineering - captive - suspended- self-retracting – ground level operation.

If it’s just 50mm straps you want then FIX-Strap to EN 12195-2 LC2,500daN, self-adjusts to load height, pulls clear for loading/ unloading and is easily positioned over the target cargo.

For more complex loads, FIX-Road to EN 12195-2, is a very special high performance retracting load securing tarpaulin. Pulls clear for loading/unloading. Can give lashing capacities in excess of 30,000daN. FIX systems can assist DVSA compliance when correctly used.

NWE greatly appreciates Lawrence David’s support and confidence in FIX systems.

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Lawrence David

Transport ordering ten more trailers from the company.

Today operating across seven sites and more than 420,000 square feet of manufacturing space, Lawrence David made the strategic decision to expand in the first quarter of 2015 following increased demand for its services. In response to the market, it acquired a Peterborough property that is comprised of three interlinked

warehouses and office space and totals 161,151 square feet of space. Furthermore, the site extends to approximately eight acres, thus providing Lawrence David with excellent space for immediate use as well as further development opportunities in the future.

Having already reached 60 to 70 per cent capacity, further expansions are looking increasingly likely as Lawrence David continues to take on major contracts such as the delivery of 40 trailers for Butterkist; as part of an order from world-leading logistics firm CEVA Logistics, Lawrence David will design and build its new trailers, with TUV EN12642XL certified bodies as standard. The trailers will include Armoursheet ‘plus’ load-bearing curtains with straps and webbing handles on both front and rear curtain poles for easy removal, while the design of 13.7 metre long trailers will be topped off with Butterkist livery. With front and rear Lawrence David ratchet tensioners, a Just Modal landing gear, Michelin alloy wheels, a pull-out ladder and rear buffers for scratch-free loading, these new trailers are certain to ensure the delivery of

Butterkist popcorn around the UK for many years to come.

Another notable contract for Lawrence David involved the promotion of safer trailers for the public and operators alongside its long-term customer DS Smith Logistics. For this project, the company retrofitted one of DS Smith’s pillarless curtainsiders with a portfolio of health and safety conscious devices; these includes a fully EN12642XL rated ArmourSheet, automatic rear step illumination lamp, a Lawrence David patented curved ground coupling, its latest strap safe load securing system; a fully integrated soft dock system with audible warning, porthole in the roof to act as skylights, side marker lamps incorporated in the indicator/repeater system, two high level rear indicator lamps and two high level rear stop lamps.

Currently being trialled by a number of longterm customers, the curved ground coupling is industry leading in terms of driver safety as it provides comfortable, ground level Suzie coupling of the trailer connections, with no working at height or getting behind the cab. Once all retrofitting was complete, DS Smith employed the services of the German independent test agency TUV to perform both static and dynamic tests on the trailers, with Lawrence David passing on all counts.

With a number of successful years behind it, the company aims to continue this positive trend of growth by investing in new machinery and equipment at its new facility. Furthermore, Lawrence David will seek out new contract opportunities at exhibitions and events such as the CV Show in Birmingham, which it attended in 2015. During this event, the company secured a prime position at the heart of hall five, stand 5D70 to exhibit three products: the EN12642XL pallet network double-deck trailer, the 18 tonne EN12642XL curtainsider vehicle and its latest home delivery vehicle.

Through showcasing its superior products and manufacturing capabilities at notable events, while also maintaining a culture of continued improvement and advancement in all areas of the business, Lawrence David is certain to remain in demand and retain its crown as the leader in trailer and commercial vehicle body manufacturing.

Lawrence David Products: Trailers, curtainsiders, box vans, refrigerated and rigid bodywork

http://lawrencedavid.co.uk 42 www.manufacturing-today-europe.com

ABT Products

A comprehensive

service

With 45 years of experience in the design, testing and production of cabs, chassis, rollbars and equipment ABT Products Ltd has become the first choice partner for global OEM manufacturers

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ormed in 1964 by Anthony BeachThomas, ABT Products Ltd was incorporated in 1971. Throughout the 1970s and early 80s the company developed and manufactured its own range of agricultural equipment such as cultivators, bale wrappers and bale handlers that were used by customers across the globe.

With an expanded factory and a neighbouring factory purchased in 1986, the company progressed into the manufacture of cabs for forklift trucks in 1988; this further diversification of its operations meant ABT Products Ltd required a larger factory, which resulted in the purchase of a 3.2 acre Ashburton site and the construction of a new purpose built 2787 square metre factory in 1989. By 1993 the company had become a significant supplier of cabs to the forklift industry and a well-known supplier of chassis for sports cars as well as ABT’s own brand of agricultural machinery.

Following further expansions of the factory in

1997 and 2007, the factory reached 6000 square metres - making it the largest industrial vehicle safety structure manufacturer in Britain - and enabled the company to invest in an autophoretic paint plant in 1999 that could provide customers with optimum corrosion protection. Involving the high quality surface cleaning of ferrous metal and an anti corrosion treatment, the autophoretic treatment increases product life as it provides in excess of 1000 hours of salt spray protection. In 2006 and 2008 ABT invested once again in new technology with the introduction of an in-house purpose built rig and the commissioning of a new HD CNC three metre bed plasma machines respectively. The former enables the firm to carry out ROPS/TOPS tests, while the latter investment enabled the firm to produce profiles up to 32 millimetre thickness.

“The autophoretic plant is one of our key facilities, as it is the only process that will give this level of internal corrosion protection on ferrous metal,” begins Mark Hignett, Director and

Co-Owner of ABT Products Ltd. “On top of this, it is one of the largest sub contracting plants in Europe, which means we can put products with dimensions of up to 3.2 metres by two metres by two metres through the corrosion protection process in comparison to other plants that can only put through small items as their tanks are smaller. Because of the size of our tanks we can put a whole cab through or a whole chassis.”

A major development for the highly successful firm took place in 2011, when it was not only acquired by Mark Hignett and Tim Morris, but also merged with Loadmac. Today ABT Products is the UK’s leading cab, rollbar and chassis manufacturer for niche OEM’s, while Loadmac truck mounted forklifts are designed and built at ABT with sales in the UK and also further afield, to Australia, the US and Canada.

“Since becoming involved in ABT, we have concentrated on not just being sub contract manufacturers, but on manufacturing partnerships; this development means we now make complete

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complex machines for customers to the point they are shipped directly to our customers’ distributors.

The business has gone through a real evolution over the last 42 years, expanding from three employees to the 100 we have now working in our 3.2 acre factory. We can now also do everything physically under one roof; from design and procurement, we can take on the whole supply chain, which is highly attractive to customers who would otherwise have to deal with 50 or 60 suppliers for their product. Instead, we do all of that for them so we become their one supplier,” explains Mark.

Quantum Mouldings

John Goff, Purchasing Manager at ABT Products commented: “Quantum Mouldings have been a key supplier of GRP (fibreglass) mouldings to ABT for over 20 years. Low volume parts are made by hand, higher volume parts are manufactured by injection (RTM) moulding. Parts are produced in a stunning and durable gelcoat finish negating the requirement and cost of painting. Liaison between Quantum and ABT at the design stage has enabled products that are both high quality and low cost. Quantum’s professionalism and consistent performance has placed them as one of ABT’s top suppliers.”

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“Another benefit for our customers is that we design and manufacture our own tooling in-house,” adds Tim Morris, Managing Director and Co-Owner of ABT Products Ltd. “Very few customers can go to a manufacturer and say ‘we want this machine’ or ‘we want you to design this’; it really is as little or as much involvement as the customer wants. Furthermore, if a customer comes to us and doesn’t have a clue what they want, we have the latest 3D CAD and FEA software and highly experienced design engineers, which means we can create concepts and ‘virtual’ test them to ensure they are structurally sound. We also offer prototyping and pre-production, so even if they come up with the most basic idea we can take them through the design process, right through to full production.”

Highly flexible and comprehensive in its service delivery, ABT Products Ltd is focused on providing customers with quality appropriate to their industries standards at the best possible price.

This dedication has recently been celebrated, with ABT Loadmac currently flying the flag for Herefordshire manufacturing after being chosen as one of the 1000 companies to inspire Britain, as Mark highlights: “We were noticed for a number

of reasons but the main ones were a growth in export due to our market leadership in Australia with the Loadmac truck mounted forklift; this product was 100 per cent designed, developed and tested by ABT. Other reasons include the fact we engaged heavily in a knowledge transfer programme with a local university, our cash generation and re-investment; we were also recognised for our financial performance and the consistency of this.”

Like many companies with strong growth, the success of ABT Products Ltd stems from

ABT Products

our working patterns and begun a two-shift system that has resulted in extra capacity and opportunities to take on new projects. We are actively looking for two or three new projects that will have annual production runs of 200 to 2000 units per year.”

ABT Products Ltd Products: Cabs, chassis and rollbars

www.abtproducts.com innovation and investment in both facilities and staff rather than strict cost control. Not only investing in new equipment such as a massive six kilowatt laser with a 4m x 2m cutting bed and new paint facilities, the ISO 9001 certified company has also been developing its new apprenticeship scheme, as Tim notes: “An integral part of our new apprenticeship programme involved going directly to schools and cherry picking the best students from the selection process for the apprenticeship course. We got to pick the right people and now have a strong group of apprentices; we are looking

to roll this out this year and then keep taking on two or three apprentices each year. We also take on students from university when they take a sandwich year in the hope that when they finish university they come and work for us.”

With cutting edge facilities and a new method of getting the cream of the crop when it comes to apprentices, the future looks positive for ABT Products as it seeks out new projects and opportunities in the market, as Mark concludes: “We were originally a single shift company, however, we have recently modernised

Wye Cylinder Engineering (WCE) Ltd Wye Cylinder Engineering (WCE) Ltd designs and manufactures hydraulic cylinders. The company’s objective is to supply a quality product at a competitive price complete with a high level of product knowledge, service and back up support.

WCE manufactures a standard range of cylinders that can be supplied from stock. It also supplies a wide range of hydraulic cylinders for a large number of different applications some of which are supplied to some very well known OEMs within a variety of industry sectors.

Its dedicated management team has in excess of 45 years experience and knowledge in the design and manufacture of hydraulic cylinders.

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Alsico NV

The smart option Since the business was incorporated in 1934, the Belgian workwear provider Alsico has established itself as a leading name in the development, manufacture and marketing of quality workwear

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aking its name from an acronym of the company’s founders, ‘Aelvoet Siau Confection’, Alsico has over eight decades of experience in the development, manufacture and marketing of workwear that is worn across several industry sectors. The business was founded and managed

by Mr. and Mrs. Aelvoet, until 1947 when Mr. and Mrs G. Siau took over operation of the company. The third generation, with M. B. Siau, was responsible for international expansion, which now results in the global presence of the group, with production facilities all over the world. Today Alsico continues to operate as a fourth generation, privately owned business that represents one of the largest producers of workwear in Europe.

Alsico is a ‘Faminational’ with the right values of a family company and the positive values of a multinational (focused on results and innovation).

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As a company of the future, Alsico cares for its employees and encourages their empowerment.

Sustainability forms an integral element of Alsico’s strategy. Sustainable operations support all business targets and form a core part of daily operations, management and decisionmaking. Carrying responsibility for finances, the environment, personnel and purchasing makes Alsico a reliable, stable partner for customers.

Continuous dialogue with customers and development of operations ensure that both products and services meet customer needs and that they are produced sustainably.

Alsico serves the full circle: from the design to the creation of the patterns and the first samples to the production in its own production facilities and the follow-up by its dedicated customer service team.

Presently the Alsico Group employs a workforce of over 7000 employees, including

4000 multi-skilled machinists in manufacturing plants across 12 countries. Furthermore, the company maintains sales offices in 30 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and America and within the European Union, Alsico is represented in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Its global manufacturing presence allows Alsico to supply over 16 million garments annually to its customers, generating a consolidated turnover of €205 million.

Alsico NV is based within Ronse, Belgium and plays with 126 employees an extremely important part in furthering the development of new innovations across the company. A key focus for the business at present is the continued development and marketing of its patented A-move system, which was developed by Alsico to deliver workwear that is designed with freedom of movement in mind, enhanced for

comfort and ergonomic to the workers’ daily routine. Through a combination of new materials and a refined system of assembly, the A-move system allows the wearer to continuously experience a refreshing sense of freedom. Lifting movements and actions that are common within the care and hospitality sectors, can be easily performed with A-move to help ensure pleasant and safe working conditions, while maintaining a sense of job satisfaction. Since the introduction of A-move the system has enjoyed highly positive feedback and is presently being worn by Aldi in Belgium, Colruyt in Belgium, as well as in hospitals throughout Europe.

The A-move system is used extensively within the company’s CARE collection, which was designed by Alsico to specifically meet the needs of personnel working within the medical, care and wellness sectors. Its 80 years of operation within the workwear sector has given Alsico extensive experience in delivering complete workwear solutions, paying particular attention to quality, comfort, design and innovation.

The company’s ‘Shake Your Style’ initiative represents a second area of focus for the business that has enjoyed great success and will continue to develop during 2016 and beyond. Shake Your Style is a manufacturing process innovation, which allows clients to customise workwear in many ways including the machining of fabrics in a very rapid process from design to delivery. Shake Your Style allows clients to choose the garment’s desired model, fabric, colour and pockets, as well as to add their company logo as required.

Customers may choose from various colours and fabrics to design a unique creation in workwear including knitted tunics, knitted tunics with woven

ORAFOL Europe GmbH

ORAFOL Europe GmbH, with its headquarters in Berlin, has been providing the market with superior reflective materials for decades. These precision engineered products are the result of research, ingenuity and dedication. The company places a strong emphasis on team spirit. This co-operation exists between employees, suppliers and of course, valued customers, like Alsico. ORAFOL is proud to supply Alsico with the ORALITE range of industrial washable glass bead tapes. These tapes conform to the highest possible industry standards. Sourcing the best possible reflective tapes for your workwear ensures visibility and recognition, helping to bring workers home safe every day.

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Alsico NV

side panels and woven tunics. For knitted tunics Alsico uses a high-quality material, with a specific weaving technique, with a polyester knit on the outside and cotton on the inside, with a fabric composition of 55 per cent cotton and 45 per cent polyester. The use of a special fibre in the manufacturing of Shake Your Style allows the range several key advantages, including a modern look, comfortable feeling on the skin, long durability, greatly reduced shrinkage, freedom from creases, good moisture absorption and rapid moisture transport, but also and simple maintenance and industrial laundry resistance.

Since its launch on 21 December 2012, the Shake Your Style range has proven highly successful and popular with clients and is today worn by staff operating within the restaurant, hospitality and care industries. The success of the brand was further demonstrated during 2014, when Alsico and the Shake Your Style range were awarded the Roularta Industry Award in its ‘Best Practice in Manufacturing’ category. Victory in this category proves the dynamics and dedication of Alsico employees and highlights the company’s ability to deliver high-quality workwear both rapidly and at a competitive price.

Overall, Alsico collections are divided into three segments: CARE – INDUSTRY – IMAGE+.

The CARE collection, especially designed for the care sector consists of several fashionable clothing lines, each available in several colour combinations. Every clothing line offers a total package and has been designed to dress every function of the care facility and guarantee a

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uniform image to the outside world. Freedom of movement and wearer comfort are obtained thanks to the A-move concept.

The INDUSTRY collection contains a large range of PPE (CE certified), but also basic and functional workwear. Besides a large standard collection, designed for men and women, which is in stock, Alsico specialises in projects. This personalised clothing is entirely designed to the customer’s corporate design and meets the customer’s specific needs in terms of image, colours and functionality.

The IMAGE+ collection focuses mainly on professionals in the hotel, catering and service sector. This new collection is characterised by the diversity of colours and ease of maintenance.

Across all of its product lines, safety is extremely important to Alsico and the company is committed to delivering reliable clothing that meets all statutory European and international standards. These options coupled with its A-move and Shake Your Style lines, allow Alsico to deliver a comprehensive product portfolio that will ensure that the company’s workwear will remain a common sight through Europe’s workforce.

Alsico NV Products: Development, manufacture and marketing of workwear www.alsico.com

What More UK Ltd

Big plans in

store

With more than 800 high quality products being exported to 64 countries, What More UK is the UK’s largest manufacturer and brand leader of plastic housewares, gardening and storage products

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stablished only 17 years ago in 1999, What More UK Limited has grown rapidly through acquisition, expansion and investment in its state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution plant to become a leader in the field of plastic housewares, garden products and houseware, and a brand and market leader in the UK. “We now turnover £50 million and the boss has purchased a further seven acres on the site for our future development; a move that secures the future growth that What More UK will create,” says Tony Grimshaw, Director at What More UK Limited. “We have 1800 independent customers in the UK and all major UK retailers stock our products in the country. Furthermore, in 2008 we only had one export country, Ireland, and today we export to 64 countries; this incredible growth was recognised in 2014 when we were very proud to be awarded the Queen’s Award in International Trade. More recently we have become finalists in three categories at the Red Rose Awards 2016.”

He continues: “This is a major change from when we were first established with only 15 products, nine of which were garden planters, and there is not a lot of call for garden planters in November! In the first year we managed to turnover £4.2 million, so the birth of the company was anything but easy, and we had to fight tooth and nail to get on the first rung of the survival ladder,” addsTony.

Although the early years were challenging, the company decided to merge its strengths, such as excellent production facilities and dedicated staff, with a sales force who knew the industry and a service-orientated distribution team to further enhance its capabilities in a competitive industry. Following a relocation

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Select Colours

from Blackpool to seven acres of land in Altham, Acrrington, the company developed the site and by 2005 the whole occupation was housed here.

However, following further growth, the company needed outside warehousing and now occupies a 500,000 square feet area for production and distribution.

Set up in 2008 Select Colours is a successful independent business, supplying tailor made coloured and additive masterbatch to the thermoplastics industry.

Select Colours focuses on providing a high quality rapid service for bespoke colours in the polymer of your choice. To ensure your unique colour and technical requirements are met we will agree on colour standards and a technical specification with you.

Concern for the environment led Select Colours to achieve ISO 14001 Environmental registration in 2012.

As part of this commitment one of the services we offer is to re-colour redundant stock turning it into useable stock.

Select Colours is focused on working closely with the What More team to meet their needs and gain new business for their continuous growth. This is achieved through rapid response to colour matching and delivery services.

It is in here in its cutting edge factory that the company manufactures a vast catalogue of plastic housewares and storage products under the brand name WHAM; items include buckets and bowls, recycling bins, plant pots and laundry hampers.

“From very small storage boxes to massive 160 litre storage boxes, anything you would find in the house, garden or garage that is made from plastic is made by What More,” highlights Tony.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, What More is continuously seeking out new products to add to its vast portfolio, through investment in new machinery or through acquisition, as Tony continues: “At the end of 2014 we purchased the presses and moulds of a famous Lancastrian Bakeware manufacturer, which included taking

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What More UK Ltd

products, new equipment and new facilities. In addition, the company will naturally continue its trend of seeking out strategic acquisitions to accelerate growth, while also finding ways to attract new customers to its high quality products.

“Our aim in the next seven years is to become a £100 million turnover company. Dependent on which search engine you use, there are 196 countries in the world, which is home to 7.2 billion people. Because we export to 64 countries with a total population of 4.3 billion, we can say our products are available to more than half the world’s population, so the trick is getting these people to buy our products. We are working very hard to solve this challenge,” concludes Tony.

on board some very experienced engineers and production people. Had we not done this, 100 years of bakeware expertise would have been lost forever. Following the acquisition, we spent most of 2015 rebuilding presses and sorting out the mould stock and are now ready to go.”

Following this development, the company went onto finalise the purchase of Hong Kong based PushPan, a company that manufactures a patented baking product range that is well-established across the globe. “This is the perfect fit to our more conventional bakeware products. Eventually we will bring the production of PushPan to the UK, reversing the trend of taking all manufacturing to China,” explains Tony.

Elaborating on why What More UK expanded into the bakeware market, Tony states: “First and foremost it was an obvious bolt-on to what we already do as the two generally have the same retailers. There were also social reasons; by allowing the Lancashire-based company to pass away, the north of Britain would be losing its only remaining bakeware manufacturer and the family name on the company, which had been around since 1887, would be gone. The skills lost would be irreplaceable and it would have opened the door to even more Chinese imports.”

Alongside acquisitions, the company has invested both in its staff and facilities to maintain its leading reputation. For example, over the last 18 months the company has spent millions on replacing its injection moulding machines with Krauss Maffei machines from Germany, an investment that will continue for two more years until all of its 55 machines are replaced. “Investment covers all areas of our business,” confirms Tony. “The most important area is our biggest asset: our colleagues.

As a team of 235, we spend money on training the team, keeping the team healthy and on paying wages that ensure our staff have a life outside of work. Meanwhile, when it comes to products, we

spend £2.5 million on product development to ensure we provide oxygen to sales and feed the demand buyers have for new products.”

As a company that is hungry for growth and ongoing success, What More UK is focused on doubling its turnover by 2025 by honing the foundations of its success: good people, new

What More UK Ltd Products: Plastic housewares and storage products

whatmoreuk.com

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Grundfos Manufacturing

Get pumped!

Celebrating its 40th year in operation in 2013, Sunderland based Grundfos Manufacturing Limited has developed a leading reputation in advanced pump solutions and is viewed as a pioneer in water technology

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ith an annual production in excess of 16 million pump units, and 19,000 employees globally, Denmark-based Grundfos Group is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers and the largest manufacturer

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of circulators, covering approximately 50 per cent of the global market. In addition to pumps, the group also produces standard and submersible motors as well as cutting-edge electronics for monitoring and controlling pumps.

These products are manufactured in the

BioBooster and Lifelink divisions, which form part of its new business activities, as Mark Lister, General Manager of Grundfos Manufacturing Limited, explains: “Grundfos is committed to delivering solutions that strengthen reliability and sustainability of water supply in the developing world. Grundfos Lifelink water solutions combine our innovative and reliable technology with professional service networks to support operations on the ground.

“We believe that partnerships across sectors and business model thinking are also needed to provide sustainable and scalable solutions. Grundfos addresses the missing link to sustainability in water supply through innovative Grundfos Lifelink solutions that take a holistic and long-term approach.”

On top of this, the group has also introduced Grundfos Blueflux, a new technology label that ensures equipment is of optimum quality.

Since its establishment in 1945, Grundfos Group has expanded to more than 55 countries and is represented by over 80 companies such as the UK based subsidiary Grundfos Manufacturing Limited. Based in Sunderland, the 190-strong

‘‘

The Grundfos brand is synonymous with quality. We are a premium brand that the customer trusts as they know Grundfos has the performance and history that will ensure success for their projects.

In England, our focus is developing customeroriented solutions; as more than just a pump company, we can provide full offsite manufactured solutions to meet our customers’ needs company works closely with other UK based subsidiaries Grundfos Pumps Limited, Bedforshire, Grundfos Service, Lancashire, and Grundfos Watermill, Kent.

It is in Sunderland that the company produces and distributes items, from small domestic circulators through to larger applications that go into buildings in the UK and Ireland; these include the Shard and Heron Towers in London. The company also manufactured a range of products to support the Olympics in 2012.

Discussing the company’s operations, Mark explains: “The Grundfos brand is synonymous with quality. We are a premium brand that the customer trusts as they know Grundfos has the performance and history that will ensure success for their projects. In England, our focus is developing customer-oriented solutions; as more than just a pump company, we can provide full offsite manufactured solutions to meet our customers’ needs.

Although globally there are pressures in some of our core markets, in the UK we see strong growth in this area across commercial building services, fire suppression and water utility markets.”

Despite a continued focus on domestic water pumps, Grundfos Manufacturing Limited made the strategic decision to diversify its services with bespoke solutions in 2014 after developing a range of engineered-to-order fire suppressant units. Targeting the engineer-to-order sector, the company has been creating specially made fire suppressant packaged pump houses (PPH) to meet its customers’ specific needs, a move that resulted in seven contract wins in 2014 for delivery to customers including an oil refinery, a Welsh hospital and a UK power station.

Suitable for schools, commercial buildings, retail outlets, general industry, MoD and hospitals, the PPH’s are constructed, pre-wired and tested to individual site requirements at the company’s Sunderland facility prior to dispatch. They can also be built fully compliant to any known fire standard and can cater for virtually any quantity of pumps required. Furthermore, they are fitted with a choice of components from trusted suppliers to guarantee a robust yet cost-effective solution. Having passed all quality checks and achieved duty parameters that prevent incorrectly sized equipment reaching the site, units will arrive at the customer’s facility ready to be connected externally, mechanically and electrically. Because the products start immediately, customers benefit from reducing labour and time on site costs.

In addition to this product development, Grundos Manufacturing Limited - as well as the group as a whole - is focusing on Innovation Intent, a programme targeting sustainability, a changing world and ground-breaking technology. One example of this is the company reducing its consumption of clean water by 15 per cent, corresponding to 300 cubic metres, in line with the group’s water strategy of halving its consumption of clean water by 2025 in comparison to numbers in 2008.

To make this reduction possible, the company is using rainwater to flush toilets in part of its factory as well as in its newly renovated offices through a rainwater system that it developed.

Taken from a downpipe that collects water from a roof covering some 2000

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Grundfos Manufacturing

metres, the water is then led to a three cubicmetre tank before it is pumped to where it is used via a small holding tank that is automatically supplied with mains during dry periods. All valves, sensors and pumps in the system are monitored and controlled via a dedicated Grundfos Rainwater System controller, which is now marketed externally. So far, the rainwater system has been sold to 200 customers in Belgium, while

the Sunderland based firm considers reducing its water consumption further through increasing

the capacity of its tank and connecting new pipes to more toilets.

Within the city of Sunderland, Grundfos Manufacturing Limited is seen as key player in the community. The company is one of the city’s largest employers and regularly raises money – internally and externally – for local charities, as well as being a long-term supporter of a special needs academy in the city. Grundfos also supports local children’s football teams.

Mark Lister is a key member of the Sunderland Business Group, an important body of city business leaders, as well as the regional North East Chamber of Commerce. The company is also a founding supporter of the city’s Work Discovery Week, which links the city’s schools with its largest employers.

The Sunderland site prides itself on its impeccable health and safety record. Last year the company celebrated three years without a serious accident – quite an achievement for a busy manufacturing plant. A few months previously, GML had been awarded the prestigious gold award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for its health and safety record and the innovative measures it had introduced in Sunderland.

Moving forward, Grundfos Manufacturing will remain focused on maintaining and enhancing its existing product range to meet the needs of clients in the future. It will also develop an engineered-to-order service for larger products and commercial applications that go offsite, which will enable it to design, build and distribute bespoke commercial engineered-to-order systems and solutions that will go into some of the most iconic buildings in the UK and Ireland.

Grundfos Manufacturing Limited

Products: Pumps http://uk.grundfos.com 54 www.manufacturing-today-europe.com

BAE Systems

Flying

high

Global defence, aerospace and security firm BAE Systems is teamed with Northrop Grumman and programme lead Lockheed Martin to deliver the F-35 Lightning II, the world’s largest defence programme

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esponsible for the design, manufacture and assembly of the aft fuselage and empennage for each fifth generation F-35 Lightning II, aka Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), BAE Systems will be setting new standards for assembly precision and pace throughout the programme.This is thanks to digital design and precision manufacturing techniques that have been pioneered by the innovative company.

Furthermore, BAE Systems is also responsible for the design and delivery of core areas of the vehicle and mission systems; these include the fuel system, crew escape, manufacture details and life support system as well as UK aircraft carrier integration and Prognostics Health Management (PHM) integration.

On top of this, BAE Systems is providing expertise to Autonomic Logistics and Global Sustainment (support), flight test support, structural testing and UK weapons integration to the programme.

Meanwhile, BAE Systems’ Military Air & Information business is supporting sustainment efforts on the programme.The company will be an integral part in developing the F-35 global

sustainment model and will be at the forefront of sustainment activities for the UK fleet on behalf of the F-35 team.

State-of-the-art in every respect, the F-35 Lightning II is a stealthy, versatile, all-weather attack aircraft that is capable of operating from both land and sea. Chosen for its accuracy and expertise, BAE Systems is involved in all three variants of the F-35 programme: the Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL or F-35A), the Carrier Variant (or F-35C) and the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL or F-35B). As the producer of approximately ten per cent of each F-35’s airframe, the company is using its superior manufacturing strengths to make the rear fuselage and tailplanes fit together with such precision that there are no gaps that will reflect back radio waves. By manufacturing the components to two or three 1000ths of an inch, the stealth jet will become all but invisible to radar.

Key to delivering this level of smoothness is the company’s cutting edge facility in Samlesbury, Lancashire, which has been transformed through £150 million investment that ensures it not only

delivers optimum quality parts, but also meets the challenge of quadrupling the rate of production while halving the cost in the next three years.

These enhancements are in line with the ‘Blueprint for Affordability’ that has been agreed between the US Department of Defence and contractors to halve costs by streamlining production, as Jon Evans, BAE Systems’ Head of F-35 Operations, notes: “There is no simple answer as to how we will meet this challenge, however, I like to refer to the four P’s: product, plant, process and people. Firstly, we need to install the necessary plant and capacity to deliver the planned rates; next we need to enable the people to be able to build the product and also equip them to help improve the way it is built.Thirdly, during the learning phase the operators will also find innovative ways of improving the process, which may need engineering support or offline development to complete prior to introducing improvements onto the line. Finally, we are investing in our employees’ abilities with the Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) NVQ programme in LEAN. We know the hours it takes

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Magellan Aerospace

Magellan Aerospace is a global, integrated aerospace company that provides complex assemblies and systems solutions to aircraft and engine manufacturers, and defence and space agencies worldwide.

Magellan designs, engineers, and manufactures aeroengine and aerostructure assemblies and components for aerospace markets, advanced products for military and space markets, industrial power generation, and specialty products.

BAE is a principal sub-contractor for the delivery of the F-35 programme and has world leading expertise and operational capabilities. BAE and Magellan are integral stakeholders in the F-35 programme, working together to provide sophisticated major assemblies for this global, next generation fighter.

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to make each section and we have planned how this will reduce going forward.”

So far the £150 million has gone on a 10,000 square metre titanium machine shop that opened in 2010 where parts for the F-35 are ground out of titanium by eight automated milling machines; these have just three operators monitoring them and another two personnel who set up specialised tools that remove excess material; meanwhile, other employees on the floor remove excess metal from finished parts. In addition, the company has also invested in a new office building and an extended manufacturing facility, which opened in 2012 as the second part of a three phase expansion plan to meet production plans and remain at the forefront of UK manufacturing.

“We have demonstrated continued investment in our facilities over the past 13 years.That investment included the new titanium machining facility, which allows flexible manufacturing and an initial extension to the assembly facility in 2011; this will be completed by our latest extension. We are also particularly proud of the assembly facility’s moving Integrated Assembly Line, or IAL, which first came

online in 2012,” says Jon. “The IAL ‘pulses’ currently every four days – usually on a Monday.The lines moves as one so every section has to be balanced in terms of work content and also complete before the deadline to allow the line to move as one.”

The line is a multi-model line making all three variants of the F-35 aircraft down the same line.

A pair of products (port & starboard) will move down the line together. At each station work will be completed prior to the pulse.The pulse is effectively a very complex overhead crane system that moves the product along every four days.

“Jigs and fixtures are selected from a store based on the programme order of variants.The line also transfers the product to the machining centre, the spray facility and the equipping sections.”

In December 2015 the company announced it had begun work on a major extension to its cutting edge manufacturing facility, which will further prepare the site for a significant boost in production. Following the start of the project, the UK Government recently committed to 138 F-35 Lightning II STOVL variant aircraft for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

BAE Systems

BAE Systems has a challenging few years ahead of it, but the company is relishing the opportunity to meet demand through ongoing investments in both employees and facilities, as Jon concludes: “You could sum it up by saying we have built 240 aircraft in 15 years and have to build another 200 in the next three, however, our continued investment in people and in facilities – especially through the latest extension work to our assembly facility - demonstrates we are ready to meet that challenge.”

The 4,500 square metre expansion is due for completion in January 2017 and is the final part of a three phase plan for the facility. Originally opened in 2003 at a cost of £11 million, the facility will be capable of manufacturing over 160 aircraft sets annually once completed; this is a whopping increase of 250 per cent from current numbers.

“The continued development gives BAE Systems

the necessary physical space for the installed capacity to operate within in order to achieve the planned rates F35 is predicting.The eventual plan was always to build one aircraft every day so planning ahead and installing a building large enough to cope with the growth required in time for the necessary line expansion is key,” states Jon. With the increased rates and cost reductions,

BAE Systems Products: Future technologies, combat and trainer aircraft, complex surface ships and combat vehicles www.baesystems.com

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Cheesman Products (Automotive) Ltd

A stainless

record

With a history dating back over more than four decades, Cheesman Products (Automotive) Ltd. represents one of Europe’s most experienced exhaust system manufacturers

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ince John Cheesman and his wife Mary founded the company in 1973, Cheesman has earned an admirable reputation in the design and fabrication of stainless steel products, specialising in tube bending and the production of exhaust systems.

John’s extensive industry experience was a major factor in Cheesman becoming well known throughout the market. While John and Mary took semi-retirement in 2002, Cheesman is still owned and managed by the Cheesman family and continues the tradition of fabricating high quality stainless steel tubular products.

“Cheesman produces original equipment parts for low volume vehicle manufacturers. This can range from sports cars and mobility vehicles through to road sweepers and military vehicles.

We have supplied some of our customers since the mid-1970s and continue to do so,” elaborates Managing Director, Paul Cheesman. “We see ourselves as a dependable and approachable company and can offer extensive manufacturing experience, exemplary customer service and on-time delivery records that speak for themselves.

Our attention to detail in the manufacture of parts and our ability to listen to our customers’ requirements are key factors in how we operate.”

By working in close collaboration with clients, Cheesman is able to design and manufacture a portfolio of products that typically comprises

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exhaust systems including front pipes, silencers, tailpipes, water pipes, air cleaner pipes and an extensive variety of welded assemblies. The initial development of products can be undertaken using the intended vehicle to ensure simplicity of design, functionality and best fit, before the creation of a ‘master pattern’ from which all subsequent parts can be derived. As an alternative to using the vehicle, existing parts or engineering drawings can also be used to create the master pattern.

The company’s in-house co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) capability is finally employed for checking the accuracy of dimensions of parts.

Cheesman is an expert in delivering parts

that fit the unique needs of its clients within the automotive market. Batch quantities manufactured by the company are typically of between ten and 500 units, depending on the product, but quantities as low as five off can be catered for if required.

These products are predominantly manufactured in 304 stainless steel, but can also be fabricated in 409 stainless or mild steel should the client have a particular need.

Its depth of knowledge in exhaust manufacture, ensures that Cheesman can offer optimum design solutions that make practical, economic and aesthetic sense. The company’s dedication to delivering high-quality and on-time product

solutions has enabled it to develop on-going customer relationships that, in some cases, have lasted for as long as 40 years. “In 2015 Cheesman delivered 98.1 per cent of its products on time despite moving premises and the machines being ‘down’ for the period of one month. Factoring out the move we would have delivered 99.83 per cent on time,” Paul reveals. “We strongly believe that any customer who uses us as a supplier deserves to receive their products on the date that they requested and that those products both fit the vehicle and perform as intended. This is especially important when supplying direct to a vehicle production line as we do by means of our Kanban delivery service. With a long history of content customers and minimal returns or rejects our products and designs have shown themselves to be truly impressive.”

The company’s move to new premises has given it the opportunity to further expand its manufacturing capacity to meet the technically demanding requirements of its clients. The business, based in Woking until April 2015, started with a single manually operated hydraulic mandrel tube bending machine with a capacity of ø1.1/2” x 20 swg, which is still owned by the company today

for posterity. Currently Cheesman operates from a 17,000 sq ft, specially refurbished facility, located in Ash Vale, on the Surrey/Hampshire border. Over the years the company has continued to invest in machinery and equipment and now has a range of CNC tube bending machines with the ability to bend up to ø4”. This investment has increased not only the company’s manufacturing capacity, but also the demand for increased workspace within the business, resulting in the move to its current location. With the company’s move successfully completed, Cheesman will seek to continue to expand its service to clients old and new.

“During our time in Woking we initially increased the size of our premises by adding mezzanine flooring. Later we took on an additional

unit to the two that we already occupied. We were overdue a move to larger premises but finding somewhere that met our requirements proved difficult. However we now have an enhanced layout of machines and space in which to better organise our production runs. We are looking to make use of our improved facilities by expanding our customer base with the view to forging more long-standing client relationships with companies in a variety of market sectors,” Paul concludes. “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution made by our staff, some of whom have been with us from the mid 1970s. Our team takes pride in their work and the products they make by following the Cheesman philosophy of keeping the customer happy at all times!”

Cheesman Products (Automotive) Ltd Products: Original equipment parts for low volume vehicle manufacturers www.cheesmanproducts.co.uk

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Capital Coated Steel

We’ve got you

covered Gary Hunt, Managing Director

Following a relocation to premises at the North Black Vein Industrial Estate, Wattsville, Capital Coated Steel anticipates a turnover of more than £40 million in 2016 as it seeks to diversify its broad customer base

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s Europe’s largest independent specialist distributor of precoated steel, Capital Coated Steel processes more than 70,000 tonnes of steel annually to all pre-coated steel markets in Europe and further afield and boasts a strong reputation as a leading expert in its field.

“Capital Coated Steel was set up in 1972 by my father John Hunt, when the market for precoated steel was in its infancy, mainly supplying the roofing and cladding market. The company has grown with the boom in the product’s usage over the decades and now reports a turnover of nearly £40 million,” begins Gary Hunt, Managing Director at Capital Coated Steel. “Our core markets are very broad and include automotive, domestic appliances, building exteriors and interiors, ceilings, lighting, office furniture, electronic enclosures, office furniture, doors and garages, food panel industries and manufacturers, air conditioning and the refrigeration industry.

Effectively, if you need a steel box, large or small, it can be made from pre-coated steel.”

Products within the group’s portfolio include Laminates for interior or exterior application, Co-Laminates for surface critical applications, Polyester for internal or external use, Tata Colorcoat Prisma, a range of technically superior building products; Tata Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra, reliable, durable, building envelope products, Tata Colorcoat LG, affordable, high performance building products, and PVDF with exceptional UV resistance.

Elaborating on the advantages of pre-coated steel in comparison to post powder coating steel, Gary continues: “There are huge environmental and cost benefits as our customers do not need to invest in a powder-coating plant or face the energy, time, resources and costs involved in running one. It also allows for better quality control as our pre-coated steel is delivered to the highest standards from the best mills. Purchasing pre-coated steel from Capital Coated Steel also means that we handle the whole supply chain on behalf of our customer, reducing the pressure on resources and space internally.”

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Meanwhile, the group’s services include corrugating and profiling, multi blanking and decoiling, warehousing and distribution, slitting and shearing. For corrugating and profiling, the group offers four types of roll formed strip; box profiled sheets that are available in 32 mm or 26 mm deep, 16 mm liner panel and 19 mm corrugated sheet that conforms with the requirements of BS 3083:1988. If condensation is an issue, anticondensation felt can be offered on both 32 mm

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and 26 mm box profiles. Meanwhile, for multi blanking & decoiling, the group has over 40 years of experience in decoiling, edge trimming, centreslitting, multi-stranding and filming. Decoiled sheets can range from as small as 100 mm to more than 6000 mm, with a gauge range from 0.2 to 2.0 mm. It now has slitting capacity from 0.15 mm to 1.6 mm thick and from 6mm wide up to 1600 mm.

Complementing the group’s long-term

Capital Coated Steel First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones with Gary Hunt

expertise is its commitment to continuous improvement, with millions invested in new equipment and facilities to ensure it operates with enough capacity and efficiencies to not only meet the demands of global players, but also niche firms. This way of operating has resulted in an enviable reputation for putting the customer first.

The most notable investment in recent years for the group took place in 2015, with almost

four million pounds spent on the purchase and refurbishment of the former Tata Steel plant in Wattsville, South Wales. Acquired to create new headquarters and a production base for all companies within the group under one roof, the relocation has enabled all 110 employees within the group, including those at Brunel Steel Services, a supplier of non-prime, pre-finished steels, Forall decoiling and shearing services, Macward Steel Slitting Services and Odoni-Elwell, cycle storage

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Capital Coated Steel

consultants to work in a more collaborative environment and also take advantage of a more efficient and cutting edge plant.

The new site has also provided Capital Coated Steel with significantly increased capacity, which enables it to meet the growing worldwide demand for its products. In line with this increased capacity, the investment also naturally included the acquisition of new equipment, as Gary highlights: “In 2015, Capital Coated Steel invested £3.5 million in a new 130,000 square foot premises and the very latest equipment including a two million dollar light gauge slitting line.

Manufactured by Red Bud Industries of Illinois, US, which also assisted in the installation of the new line, the machine is capable of slitting 300 metres of coated steel a minute and over 500 tonnes a day. The new slitting machine is in addition to the company’s three other slitting machines, three cut-to-length lines, two guillotines and three roll formers for roofing and cladding.”

With up to 20 per cent of its turnover being exported to Europe, Capital Coated Steel is faced with a challenging market due to the strength of the pound over the Euro; however, as a group that remained profitable during the recession, it is quietly confident about its future.

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As demand increases for its products, the group plans a period of consolidation.

“In the last two years we have invested a lot of money in getting the right processes and facilities in place. We are now returning to full production, having made the biggest move in the company’s history with minimal disruption for our customers, so the next 12 months will be spent using that investment to the fullest and continuing to build and maintain relationships with our customers. We are also continually looking at new markets, especially niche markets, and making the most of our recent investments to further expand across Europe with the goal of further cementing our position as Europe’s largest independent specialist distributor of pre-coated steel. We have a philosophy of being easy to deal with. Call us and we’ll do our best to fulfill all your pre-coated steel needs,” concludes Gary.

Capital Coated Steel Products/Services: Pre-coated steel www.capitalcs.com

Swift Group Laufenberg

The drive to

thrive

Innovation, value for money and customer engagement all define Swift’s current success and with momentum growing the future looks bright for the UK’s leading caravan manufacturer

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Behind this success we have a very sound business and a management team with over a hundred years worth of combined experience and a fantastic team of people that are aligned to the company vision of delivering the very best market-leading products

Nick Page

ow employing over 1000 staff and turning over more than £200 million annually, Swift Group has grown to become the UK’s largest leisure vehicle manufacturer since it was first established back in 1964. With a range of products designed to suit all budgets and requirements, Swift is the leader in the tourer caravan and motorhome markets with shares of 40 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively.

Possessing a 20 per cent share it is also amongst the leading producers of holiday homes.

When Manufacturing Today Europe featured Swift back in May 2015, Group Commercial Director, Nick Page, spoke of the company’s approach to innovation and the unprecedented growth it was experiencing, achieving record sales and having already sold out of its 2016 season motorhome production capacity. Today, the success story continues with improved sales

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Swift Kon-Tiki

performance and a number of awards under its belt. “All our products have been greatly in demand over the last few years,” Nick begins.

“Last season we sold out a little too early and this season is looking similar.”

Whist the domestic UK market remains a key stage for Swift, over the past few years its export activities have seen considerable growth, notably increasing 34 per cent over the past two years. Putting this into context, in 2015 the company placed 95th in the Sunday Times Top Track 200 for Britain’s Private Companies with the Fastest Growth in International Sales. Markets for the group now extend across the globe from Europe and Iceland to Sri Lanka, South Korea and Australasia.

“Behind this success we have a very sound business and a management team with over a hundred years worth of combined experience and a fantastic team of people that are aligned to the company vision of delivering the very best market-leading products,” Nick explains. “In terms of our products we deliver an outstanding array of features including SMART HT – the world’s most advanced caravan construction system – innovative styles and designs, and great value products, all supplemented by an ability to react quickly to market demands.”

The latest addition to Swift’s innovative range of product features is Swift Command, which features across the top end of both its caravan and motorhome ranges giving customers the ability to monitor and control certain features like lighting and heating remotely via the internet or through an app.

Such commitment to delivering high quality product offerings to the market has resulted in a number of prestigious awards over the years. Most recently Swift was awarded the Best Family Caravan under £15,500 at the National Caravan Awards 2016 for the Sprite Freedom 6TD package it offers. Providing exceptional affordable value for families, the caravan utilises the innovative SMART Plus construction process that is normally reserved for the more expensive models. “We were also recently awarded the Luxury Tourer of the Year 2016 for the Elegance/ Continental range from Caravan Times,” highlights Nick. “Importantly this was voted for by actual customers, rather than journalists, and is testament to the high quality product offering and superb user experience our customers have had with this exceptional range of caravans.”

Also helping to solidify its position as a leading player in this consumer market is an exemplary approach to marketing. “We have run a number of different initiatives that have worked for us over the last 12 months such as ‘First Time Buyer’ and ‘Swift Experience’,” Nick continues. “These

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Swift Group Swift Escape

Swift Elegance

“

Overall we have a very exciting year ahead and are looking forward to the new 2017 season where we have some exciting product launches including a new highly appealing leisure vehicle targeted at attracting new customers to the industry

are designed with the aim of attracting new customers to the industry, to visit shows and to hopefully help them on their way to leisure vehicle ownership. The ‘Swift Experience’ follows several existing Swift owners via social media and PR activity showcasing how appealing ownership is and the myriad of opportunities it opens up.

We believe that this has definitely encouraged new customers into the industry.”

To cope with such popular success and the ensuing growth, Swift undergoes a continuous programme of investment to improve manufacturing capabilities and increase production capacity. Back in May 2015 Nick mentioned the £1.5 million investment into a state-of-the-art CNC router, and it is currently in the middle of a further £1.75 million programme to install a new laminating facility. The new facility will allow the company to produce panels to a high quality standard as well as enabling it to change the technical specification of its entire touring caravan and motorhome product line up bringing noticeable customer benefits.

“In addition to this a new assembly hall will be built adjacent to the current production facility here in Cottingham allowing us to consolidate our holiday home business onto one site,” says Nick.

“The new facility will also incorporate a large covered storage area for just-in-time component delivery. Preparatory works have already started with the main element due for completion before

April 2018 giving us the additional production flexibility with an enhanced ability to respond appropriately to the market. Ultimately, it clearly signals the business’ intent over the coming years to increase its production capacity.”

Over the next year Swift plans to continue its trailblazing progress in the industry with further innovative product, service and initiative launches further anchoring the company at the forefront of the industry across its entire range. On a concluding note Nick sums up the company’s positivity as it looks towards the future: “We will be continuing our sponsorship of Team Wiggins in partnership with Sir Bradley Wiggins and are providing two new 2016 motorhomes for the team to use during the Olympic build up. Overall we have a very exciting year ahead and are looking forward to the new 2017 season where we have some exciting product launches including a new highly appealing leisure vehicle targeted at attracting new customers to the industry.”

Swift Group Products: UK’s leading manufacturer of motorhomes, caravans and holiday homes www.swiftgroup.co.uk

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VCST Industrial Products

Geared

up

As a key supplier to the automotive industry, VCST’s commitment to innovation and customer relationships have been critical to it occupying such a leading position in the market

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irst established in 1972 as a subsidiary of the DAF and Volvo Group, VCST Industrial Products is now a key supply partner to some of the biggest and most reputable names in the automotive industry.

Volkswagen Group, General Motors and Ford count amongst its light passenger vehicle market, whilst Caterpillar Perkins, DAF PACCAR and Cummins feature in the medium-heavy client list.

The company’s current market offering mainly encompasses toothed components, as in gears for engine and transmission applications, but also includes related shaft and brake products. It is a portfolio which has very much developed out of VCST’s close engagement with the industry as a key supplier as well as its unrivalled manufacturing capability.

Current CEO Eric Willekens explains that at the turn of the new millennium engine technology within the passenger vehicle industry progressed in a number of ways demanding a partial transition from belts and chains, that had previously been relied upon for timing applications,

to geared systems. What has followed is a period of market growth facilitated by VCST’s innovative development of geared timing and NVH-mitigating (noise, vibration and harshness) engine-balancing systems. “Today you can find gears in a whole variety of applications,” he explains. “From camto-cam and balancing applications to the accurate timing of all kinds of periphery devices like oil pumps, fuel pumps and HVAC systems.

“As such our business is split into three divisions: engine applications; transmissions, which includes both gears and shafts because customers wanted a one-stop-shop for these interacting components; and aluminium brake blocks for electronic brake systems, which again resulted from our machining capacity and existing customer relationships.”

Over its history VCST has developed an unrivalled depth of specialist knowledge within the fields of gear geometry and design and this, as Eric points out, is one of the company’s key USPs. “A lot of customers praise us for our competence and knowledge in the design and development

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of complete gear systems and turnkey solutions, and this recognition has often been realised by a number of key supplier awards,” he highlights.

“Over the years we have been able to exploit this competence and have set up a fully-fledged R&D department to support our engineering operations and ensure that we can be a good partner to all of our customers in the design and development of new solutions. Very often OEMs and T1 suppliers, who are confronted with new engine designs and regulations, knock on our doors to ask for support in the development of associated gear components.”

Enhancing this approach to innovation is a strong globalisation strategy – one that has defined VCST’s growth over the past 15 years.

Starting in 2001 with the opening of plants in Germany and the US, new sites in Mexico, China and Romania have followed and it is now active in five of its ‘best-cost’ markets. “This not only provides excellent customer proximity in the various regions where they are most active, but it is also a major strength of us as we embark on global projects for our customers whilst still supplying them from local sources,” Eric continues.

However, whilst a lot of VCST’s strength comes

2-S - Petrofer

New generation of base oil (= GtL technology) with low emission and excellent cutting and grinding properties.

Established in 1948, Petrofer is a privately owned company, located in Hildesheim, Germany. As a result of continuous research and development, high levels of innovation and extensive expertise, Petrofer has continued to optimise its products by working in close cooperation with customers like VCST, ZF and VW. Today, with over 600 high-quality chemical products, Petrofer is one of the world’s leading companies for industrial lubricants, specialised liquids and process technologies, with 42 locations worldwide. For the Benelux area 2-S is Petrofer’s partner for its portfolio and technical support. 2-S is an ISO9001 company with its own lab facilities.

Visit 2-S at the TechniShow in Utrecht, Netherlands 15-18 March 2016, to hear about innovations about emulsions, neat oils and cleaners. Exhibition hall 12, booth C 119

Your technologic innovative partner in fluids for the metal industry www.petrofer.com www.2-s.eu

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VCST Industrial Products

from within, as it continues to innovate both alongside and ahead of its customers’ trends and demands, Eric is also keen to reward its own key supply partnerships. In particular he points out grinding specialist Reishauer, which has been essential in providing top quality solutions to the wider market. “During gear development it is very important to understand NVH characteristics and in terms of geared components these issues arrive at the point of contact between two gears,” he explains.

“In order to mitigate this NVH behaviour you have to be able to control the microgeometry of the gear and this is a very intricate process. We rely very heavily on our state-of-the-art tooling and equipment in ensuring we can meet these high quality requirements during the finishing operations and working with our suppliers at both the development and operation stages results in a very good marriage. This helps develop a fully integrated value chain to reach the best results for our end customers.”

As it progresses along this path of continued development VCST aims to invest around 10-12 per cent of its total revenues into ensuring it can remain competitive in a wider industry that is always moving forward. By looking carefully at these strategic decisions, standardising its solutions and operations as best as possible is key to ensuring it can create long-term sustainability whilst keeping its customers and its relationships with those customers at the heart of everything it does. Not only is it investment into cutting-edge technology alongside its suppliers that facilitates this, but also its continued approach to idea generation and the industrialisation of its core competencies and patented solutions.

In 2015 VCST experienced its biggest year yet with a turnover of 170 million euros, the third consecutive year of ten per cent growth, and continuing this trajectory is a defining feature of the company’s future outlook. “In line with this aspiration the biggest challenge for us is managing growth to ensure that we can be sustainable in the long-term in light of a market that has the potential to can fluctuate quite quickly,” Eric comments. “Therefore over the course of 2016 will be looking at managing and establishing our newest plants in Romania and China where we see the biggest growth coming from in the near future, and ensuring we can balance our global presence in the best way.”

Furthermore, by making significant steps with its globalisation and innovation strategy, continuing

to support and develop its people will also play a key role in achieving further success over the coming years. Eric notes that nourishing and nurturing the talents and creativity of its employees is essential to VCST’s future and it is this commitment, combined with its unique customer relationships within the automotive market that will drive the business’s success well into the future.

VCST Industrial Products Products: Specialist manufacturers of automotive gear and brake components

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MORNOS

Containing

growth Continued investment means that MORNOS has its sights set on a growing European market

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ORNOS was first founded in 1991 as a packaging materials manufacturing company in Thiva, Greece and in the years that have followed it has grown through a strategy of acquired and organic growth to become one of the country’s leading packaging firms. Predominantly active in the food industry, Mornos has a vast range of state-of-theart manufacturing facilities and demonstrates a number of different capabilities including injection moulding, thermoforming and printing. What results is a portfolio that encompasses everything from flexible and rigid plastic solutions to bottle crates, barrels, carton boxes and a variety of paper packaging solutions.

“It is this complete range of capabilities and our cutting edge equipment combined with the broad knowhow and experience of our people that really sets us apart in the market,” begins Marketing and Exports manager Sifis Kalfaoglou.

“This is then bolstered by an extensive client base

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made up of major multinationals.” Amongst this client list sits a host of high profile international household names like Heineken, Nestlé, Carrefour, Coca Cola, Pepsico, Fabulous Bakin’ Boys, The Co-operative Group, Unilever and Shell.

Sifis notes that the vast majority of MORNOS’ activities revolve around the food sector, and its manufacturing facilities aptly illustrate both the reach of its expertise and the types of products delivered to market. “We have three different segments in our production line,” he outlines.

“The first involves our thermoforming and injection processes, which can provide printed, sleeved or labelled cups and containers. The customer base here is mainly the dairy industries for yoghurt and ice cream, but also for retailers and distributors for the disposable items they produce.

“The second is our flexible packaging line, which is accompanied by both Flexo and Gravure printing machines. Sitting within this is a selection of laminators, slitters, punching machines for aluminium foils, and converting machines for different bag shapes. PE extruder lines and a fully equipped prepress room support this capability.

Finally we have our Litho printing line for the manufacturing of printed cartons from cardboard up to 600gsm. Window patching, paper cup printing, UV coating and gold foil are all features made possible by this line.”

The majority of this production is carried out at the company’s main facility, now based close to Athens, which provides 300,000 square metres of space (40,000 square metres of which is covered), including warehouse capacity. However, a manufacturing site in Albania adds plastic barrel and irrigation pipe manufacturing facilities to the portfolio. Investment into equipment and

procedures to maintain this highly modern, stateof-the-art capacity is an ongoing commitment.

A dedicated R&D department ensures that the development of particular solutions and products are adapted inline with customer needs. Whilst Sifis expresses that much of its product line is

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MORNOS

made up of standard components, it is able to work with its clients to ensure it can come up with the most cost effective solutions. A pre-press department also maintains strong co-operative relationships with customers’ marketing experts to ensure that the best possible presence of the final product.

“Quality is also a major commitment for us at MORNOS and we have all the relevant certifications for the products that we supply, from ISO 9001 to BRC/IOP and IMS/FDA regulations,” explains Sifis. “Supplying into the food

industry means we take this responsibility very seriously and, as such, our qualifications cover all food safety aspects and related standards.”

Sitting next to its responsibility for high quality standards is MORNOS’ approach to its environmental impact and sustainable performance. Whilst it actively works to comply with the ISO 14001 environmental management system, the company also demonstrates a proactive attitude through a number of initiatives.

For instance when it comes to energy usage, over recent years the business has installed modern lighting equipment throughout its plants, which has resulted in a marked 80 per cent reduction in power for lighting needs. On top of this it is currently exploring the possibility of natural gas usage.

Furthermore, the business commits to an emissions management system (RTO), a rigorous recycling programme and ensures that its secondary packaging materials are made from 70 per cent recycled paper alongside the reuse of pallets. In addition to this a team of R&D engineers research and collaborate on a continuous basis to improve its own product offerings with the aim to lessening their environmental, social and economical impact.

Business for MORNOS at present is strong with particular growth coming from its export market. Continued investment into its facilities and product development will be key to securing further expansion in Western Europe, which will be a key strategic driver for the company over the coming months. Securing this ambition will take the company one step closer to achieving its ultimate vision to be the most credible and effective partner for its customers, aiding them through a complete range of solutions and services to reach product success.

MORNOS Products: Leading Greek packaging firm www.mo.gr

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Iggesund Paperboard

A neat

package

With a rich heritage extending back for more than 300 years, Iggesund Paperboard AB has developed a leading reputation specialising in the manufacture of paperboard for the packaging and graphics sectors

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ggesund Paperboard was founded within Sweden’s Hudiksvall municipality during 1685 and since its incorporation the company has continuously striven for quality and innovation. The business began with the production of highquality tissue paper and made the decision to expand into the production of paperboard for packaging in 1963.

Managing the new venture under the brand name Invercote, the decision to diversify represented a strategic choice to enter into the manufacture of paperboard at a time when there was no regional market for the product and relatively little know-how regarding the technology used during production.

The move to diversify into the manufacture of paperboard would prove to be a highly successful decision for Iggesund and today the company has more than 50 years of expertise and paperboard know-how. The business operates as part of the Holmen Group and is recognised as a strong contributor to the Group’s overall financial strength. Holmen generated 15,994 MSEK during 2014, with an operating profit of circa 1284 MSEK. The company has land ownership comprising some 1.3 million hectares, encompassing one million hectares of productive forest and 218,000 hectares in natural reserves.

Today Iggesund manufactures its lines of paperboard products under its Ivercote and Incada brands. The Invercote family of products is produced from pure virgin fibre sourced from sustainably managed Swedish forests. The brand has an established reputation as one of the world’s best performing paperboard for packaging and graphical applications. It is a multilayered solid bleached board (SBB) that is preferred by some of the most demanding brand owners in a number of industry sectors for its durability, versatility and taint and odour neutrality. The Incada family consists of products that are customised for different end-user applications. Incada is manufactured to the highest quality and holds a prominent position within the market as a multilayered folding box board (FBB) that is based entirely on virgin fibre of known and traceable origin.

Incada is used for various graphical applications, such as picture postcards, brochures and book covers, and also for the packaging of cosmetics, health care items, confectionery, pharmaceuticals and tobacco products. Incada is also an ideal base for plastic extrusion coating and laminations.

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Iggesund Paperboard

Since the first introduction of its Invercote brand, Iggesund has steadily increased its presence within the global market. The Invercote and Imcada lines are manufactured in two state-of-the-art mills, located within Iggesund’s mill in Sweden and its Workington mill in the UK. Incada products are manufactured at the company’s Workington mill, which is fully powered by biofuel, while Invercote products are produced at the Iggesund mill using 99 per cent biofuel, although on occasion the plant is run fully on biofuel, such as during December 2014 for example. Furthermore, Iggesund also adds further value to its Invercote and Incada brands at its converting plant located within Strömsbruk in Sweden, where it applies various barriers and surface films and foils.

Paperboard is combined with various plastics, films, foils or other additional paperboard layers, to attain specific properties. The choice of material is determined by the desired property and complete descriptions of the product can be acquired by studying the specifications of the laminate together with those of the paperboard products itself. The applied barriers can protect against moisture, grease and heat, as well as further strengthen the paperboard, or combine several of these functions. Iggesund Paperboard representatives often participate in the packaging development of its clients, thereby acquiring a broad overview of packaging solutions. This knowledge can help determine the best solution for the product’s journey through the distribution system from

manufacturer to consumer. In addition to what is presented in the Iggesund catalogue, there are other products and combinations paperboard solutions available.

Further to its on-going push for creative solutions and innovation, environmental awareness and sustainability are key objectives for Iggesund.

This was demonstrated in November 2015, when the company was awarded the Environmental and Energy Awareness Award at the CN Group Business Awards. The event’s judges selected Iggesund as the victors in recognition of the scale of the contribution to the reduction in fossil fuel CO2 emissions resulting from its investment in its Workington biofuel CHP plant. The biomass boiler at the Workington mill was started during 2013 and was an investment of 1305 MSEK (£108 million). The reduction of fossil carbon dioxide emissions is equal to taking 65,000 cars off the road.

The company was also acknowledged for having shown commitment to improving its impact on the environment through a dedicated and structured approach to maximising its process efficiencies within its wider pulpmill, boardmachine and finishing operations over the years. This is exemplified by ongoing work in preparation for certification under Energy Management Standard ISO 50001 to complement the existing Environmental Management Standard 14001.

“We can be very proud of the award and what it recognises in Iggesund Paperboard. It is a reminder that we have achieved an enormous amount already in recent years,” commented Jonny Lowe, head of HR at Iggesund Paperboard’s Workington Mill. “We still have some exciting developments ahead in this area and through people continuing to engage with identifying and proposing ideas and opportunities for our future energy and environmental improvements we will be able to maintain this progress into the future.”

Iggesund remains committed to providing the best standards of quality, as well as the highest standards of customer service to new and existing clients. To further demonstrate what the business is cable of, Iggesund has been busy during 2016 attending industry events including DSCOOP Tel Aviv, LuxePack Shanghai and DSCOOP San Antonio. With a firmly established reputation and high market visibility, Iggesund is a proven marketleader in packaging solutions.

Iggesund Paperboard AB Products: Manufacture of paperboard for the packaging and graphics sectors

www.iggesund.com

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FANUC UK

A new era for

automation

Having merged its robotics, controls and machine tools divisions into one building in 2015, FANUC UK has enjoyed 20 per cent growth on the previous financial year

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art of the global FANUC organisation, FANUC UK has developed a strong reputation for providing groundbreaking industrial automation and robotic solutions to a diverse range of customers. Operating from its Coventry based facility, which is used as a single customer support portal for its three core businesses, the company pushes the boundaries of innovation in its supply of high quality products. From CNC controllers, lasers, robots, machining centres, wire EDM, injection moulding machines to fully integrated factory automation systems, FANUC UK has versatile technologies to suit every manufacturing process.

Keen to enhance synergy, FANUC UK integrated three of its divisions into one at FANUC UK in 2015, which resulted in the company announcing a sales increase of 20 per cent on the previous year. With total control and flexibility over its products, systems and automation projects, the company then turned its attentions to training engineers across the board in all areas

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of the business to further bolster growth when it comes to services/spares and machine sales. These developments have clearly proven fruitful for FANUC UK, with the company undertaking its first major automation cell incorporating both robotics and machine tools. This installation consisting of nine robots and nine machine tools was ordered as a single source solution for an automotive supplier, this landmark project played an integral role in the company’s successful 2015.

“We had a strong second half of 2015, with steady growth in all areas of the business,” says Tom Bouchier, Managing Director at FANUC UK. “The main growth has been in injection moulding on the special purpose machines side of our operations; we have gone from ten units a year to 100 units this year on the RoboShot machine range, which is a significant increase. The robots have also witnessed strong growth, with an estimated 30 per cent of the market share coming from robots in 2015. One reason for this growth is the fact manufacturing is returning to the UK, which is

fantastic; there is a real feeling of buoyancy in the industry.”

Following this strong performance in all areas of the business, FANUC UK is now preparing to move to larger premises in line with the group’s investment programme for continued expansion across the globe, as Tom notes: “We’re currently at the stage of signing a contract and hope to be in the building by February 2017. The new location is at the Technology Park in Ansty, on the outskirts of Coventry and will be four times the size of our current premises.”

Alongside these developments, the company has also had a change in management. Previous Managing Director Chris Sumner is now focusing his attentions on the group’s goal of delivering the best response times in the industry, and he will be facilitating this new strategy across 17 offices in Europe. “It is FANUC’s philosophy that service comes first, which is why we are working on informing people of our capabilities as a systems provider that can provide full turnkey automation

packages to a broad range of industries; robot users know of our strengths but we need to highlight our capabilities and products to other sectors,” explains Tom. Indeed, with more than 100 models, FANUC offers the widest range of industrial robots in the world and covers a broad spectrum of applications and industries. Easy to operate, these robots provide customers with complete flexibility thanks to a number of application-specific options, simple integration, payloads up to 2.3 tonnes and maximum reaches up to 4.7 metres. The most recent robot to join the company’s extensive collection is the world’s first heavy lifting collaboration robot, the CR-35iA, which has a 35 kilogramme payload and is able to work side-by-side with human employees thanks to the use of intelligent sensors that automatically stop the robot should it touch a human operator.

Eradicating the need for external safety devices, this incredible technology opens up a new era for manufacturing, where humans and robots will be able to work even more closely on tasks, which will thus enhance productivity and efficiencies across the plant floor. As opposed to the company’s standard yellow colour for its robots, the ISO 10218-1 certified CR-35iA is covered by a soft green cover to reduce any impact to the human body, while also distinguishing the safe collaborative robot from a standard robot. By combining the repeatability of a robot with the dexterity of a human, customers will benefit from increased productivity, improved health and safety in their workforce and a more competitive business.

With more innovative products due to be launched in April 2016, FANUC UK is certain to continue bringing its customers into a new age by redefining factory automation capabilities through advanced artificial intelligence. This innovation, alongside its focus on marketing itself as one company with a comprehensive range of products and services, will also aid the firm in reaching its goal of doubling growth over the next four years,

as Tom concludes: “Put together with the new management team, we will strive to meet this business plan to double growth once again by highlighting our strengths to customers. Four years ago we were at £25 million turnover and we’re just under £50 million in 2015; it is our focus to continue this trend moving forward.”

FANUC UK Products: Industrial automation and robotic solutions www.fanuc.eu/uk/

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IPG Photonics UK

Broadeninghorizons IPG Photonics continues to bring new innovations to market, which are designed to drive value and efficiency into high-value production processes

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s an internationally leading supplier of high power fibre lasers and amplifiers, IPG Photonics is revolutionising the performance and utility of manufacturing across numerous applications and industries from materials processing and micromachining, to telecommunications, medical and other advanced applications. From four production facilities in the US, Germany, Russia & Italy and supportive sales offices in the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, India and across Europe, the company is the leading vertically integrated manufacturer. IPG has developed a strong reputation for leading design, quality and supply.

Due to its unique approach to product innovation, the company has strategically placed itself within the manufacturing industry as a leader of technical solutions, displacing traditional products with superior performance and value.

One display of this revolution in practice is with

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the development of IPG’s Laser Seam Stepper (LSS) system.

“The LSS is designed as a ready alternative to traditional Resistance Spot Welding (RSW),” explains Director of Sales and Service at IPG Photonics UK, Mark Thompson. “In transportation the market is moving towards the use of lightweight materials and there is often a need to join lightweight or dissimilar materials. The LSS will complete production grade joins in half the cycle time of RSW and is capable of joining dissimilar materials; typically aluminium to automotive grade steel or another grade of aluminium.”

Within the automotive industry, and other high-volume production environments, RSW has dominated production lines for years, despite the high process speed and increased component strength offered by earlier laser joining technologies. One key advantage afforded by traditional RSW is the integrated clamping technology that retains the workpiece safely,

accurately and repeatedly. The LSS system from IPG was developed to combine the advantages of the RSW clamping technology with a faster laserwelding process.

The LSS is designed to be a maintenance free fibre laser combined with a simple robotic C-gun clamp tool that results in superior process speeds and inherent safety features. An integrated laser welding head within the G-gun clamp realises the X-Y welding motions. The system will only release its laser power when the clamp is in full contact with the material to be welded, so that safety is built-in by design. The basic version of the tool is capable of welding linear seams with a typical length of 20-50mm. A beam wobble function allows a characteristic weave pattern to manipulate the welding seam, increasing the weld area.

In terms of process speed, a typical stepping operation with 30mm welding seams, spaced by 30mm achieves a welding velocity around

connection to laser sources

connection to laser sources

component

30mm in 1.7-2.0 seconds. Within the context of automotive ‘body-in-white’ processes, when compared to traditional RSW applications, significant time and cost reductions are realised.

For example an RSW cycle of 30 joints might take 75 seconds. The LSS tool, will achieve similar weld criteria with only 15 seams; taking only 37 seconds. With less floor space and less capital investment cost the overall benefits of upgrading from RSW to LSS are clear to see.

“The LSS system has been primarily adopted in automotive overlap welding and aluminium joining after four years production and development in a fully-automated car plant,” Mark continues. “Within this environment there are a number of other benefits that present themselves. For example, not only does LSS provide the ability to weld dissimilar materials, but it also allows for the overlap width to be reduced without compromising joining performance. This results in reduced weight

and improved passenger viewing angles.”

As a representative example of this, the clamping brackets of the LSS tool will allow vehicle designers and manufacturers to reduce the flanges from 15mm (required for RSW) to a range from 6-10mm, depending on application.

This not only facilitates noticeably larger passenger viewing angles but can also increase the A/B pillar entrance areas by eight per cent and significantly reduce weight.

To further demonstrate the competitive advantage that the LSS tool brings to the automotive industry, Berlin-based INPRO, which counts names such as Daimler, Volkswagen and Siemens as its partners, carried out an economic comparison between wobbled-beam LSS and RSW methods. After review, it was concluded that the performance of the wobbled seam produced by the new LSS welding module is comparable to or even better than RSW, whilst completing

the task in half the time.

Significantly this can result in a cost reduction of six to ten per cent under an assumed condition that sees a fully automated production run of 800 units in a three-shift operation.

“It is important to note that the LSS system can be applied successfully to any high-volume production industry where steel or aluminium is widely used,” Mark points out, noting in particular the maritime and furniture industries that have already adopted the technology in some places. “Until now the system has gone through a programme of continuous development and future improvement processes will remain aligned with customer demand. As such, we are open to working with major manufacturers to enhance the benefits of LSS for their applications.”

The LSS system is a key example of how IPG approaches the international market to drive value and efficiency into new and existing manufacturing processes; in doing so IPG helps facilitate its customers’ transition into the future.

With the growth of high value manufacturing ongoing at a considerable pace, the company has paid particular attention to its UK business by investing in a new UK Sales and Service Centre.

“With this established our UK team now have the responsibility to drive growth in the adoption of high power fibre laser applications,” highlights Mark.

“IPG’s products are widely used to deliver improved value in a variety of applications including cutting, joining, drilling, marking, 3D printing, cleaning and cladding. We are working closely with the UK’s manufacturing supply chain to support growth. By transitioning to an increased use of fibre laser technology, our customers are benefitting from higher productivity and significantly lower cost of ownership.”

IPG Photonics UK Products: Leading global supplier of high power fibre lasers and fibre amplifiers www.ipgphotonics.com

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‘‘

Todd & Duncan

A fine

yarn

As the world’s finest quality spinner of cashmere yarn, Todd & Duncan uses its 140 years of history to deliver superior quality, exceptional customer service, innovation and integrity

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ounded in 1867 in Scotland by William Todd and James Duncan,Todd & Duncan originally began operating at its mill in Alva, Clackmannanshire. In 1897 the company expanded with the acquisition of Kinross spinning mills in Loch Leven and moved the entire business to its new facility following a fire at the Alva mill in 1906. A milestone for the company took place in 1946 when a young entrepreneur entered the family firm who was convinced the future of Todd & Duncan lay in specialised high value knitting yarns. By focusing on these yarns instead of the broad range of textiles that the company traditionally produced, Alan Smith saw potential in the market for a specialist skill in spinning high quality single ply cashmere yarn.

The rest, as they say, is history. Since then the company quickly established itself as the world’s largest and finest quality spinner of cashmere yarn; a reputation that has been maintained through significant investments in technology that not only enhances performance, but also boosts productivity and the consistency of the natural

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fibres. Furthermore, following a dip in profits during the 2000’s, the company sought out a European management team who came up with strategies to increase sales, boost margins and enhance customer service levels, as well as improve product quality, performance and manufacturing efficiency. With these strategies a success, the company was back in profit by 2008.

Following a five year partnership in which Ningxia Zhongyin Cashmere Company supplied cashmere fibre to Todd & Duncan, the Chinese firm took this working relationship to the next level in September 2009 when Todd & Duncan became its subsidiary.

As the largest cashmere dehairing and combing operation in China, which has also been ranked as the leading cashmere company in China since 2004, Ningxia Zhongyin Cashmere Company has guaranteed access to the world’s finest cashmere fibre. Recognising the heritage and integrity that the Todd & Duncan cashmere brand represents, as well as its potential to accelerate market share both in its home market and throughout Europe, Ningxia

Zhongyin Cashmere Company acquired the Scottish firm to exploit these opportunities.

Keen to manufacture cashmere yarn from a traditional Scottish manufacturing base that maintains a strong pride in high quality craftsmanship, Ningxa Zhongyin not only brought a mill but a market that will have authenticity for its global customer base.

Todd & Duncan, meanwhile, has benefited from financial security and new direct access to the Chinese market.

Today the acknowledged leader in the production of cashmere yarns of the highest quality, the company’s products are used by the world’s most famous knitwear brands. However, to retain its crown, the company is committed to constantly refining and developing new textures and colours that are in line with current or upcoming fashion trends.

This dedication to staying at the forefront of innovation can be seen in Todd & Duncan’s Spring/ Summer 2015 collection, which was inspired by light installations by international artists such as

Morellet and Navarro as well as water colour and ink paintings by William Johnston. On top of this, the bright bold and brash works of David Batchelor and all types of street graffiti inspires the collection.

Within the collection are a rhapsody of new colours to create a vibrant energy for customers throughout the summer that are seeking individuality. Colour snap shots for the season included Rainbows, vibrant rich soaked colours such as black, trance, azurite, bleu celeste, vanilla, krill and lipstick to create a portfolio of bold hues; Denim Dreams, a range of never ending blues mixed with off-whites, and Graffiti, with surfaces covered with bold shapes and scratchy linear marks in an array of colours or monochrome.

Also new for the season was Consort, a smart cashmere/silk blend yard that has all of the natural characteristics of silk on show; it is ideal for fine gauge knits and is multi-plied for a more casual look, and Helix, a new metallised two-tone wrapped yarn in a spectrum of colours that offers a spider web effect with an etched look that worked well with the new summer brights.

Meanwhile, the company’s Autumn/Winter 2015 Collection focused on the infinite nature of colour

and used the likes of Louise Bourgeois’ exhibition ‘Insomnia’, which featured 220 night-time doodles, and Kate MccGwire’s exhibition ‘Lure’, which presented extraordinary feather installations, as inspiration. Denim also made a return, this time with new multi-ply Denim marls – nine clever colour twists that are knitted on the 2.5 ndle or by hand.

Alongside this product development, the company also introduced Tweedsmuir, a new addition to the Tweeddale collection, which offers a heavier look with interesting colour combinations and is knit on 8ndle and multi-ply for 5ndle.

Lomond, a lambs wool textured slub yarn with a striking colour offering, was also part of the collection.

With stock service, sales support

and product development remaining at the forefront of Todd & Duncan’s operations, the company seems to have its future sewn up as it continues to deliver optimum quality cashmere yarn to top fashion brands, couture houses and international contemporary designers across the globe.

Todd & Duncan Products: Cashmere yarn www.todd-duncan.co.uk

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United Cast Bar

Setting the

bar

Since the company was first incorporated during February 1998, United Cast Bar Limited has forged an impressive reputation in the production of Unibar Continuous Cast Iron from two of Europe’s most prestigious foundries

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nited Cast Bar Limited (UCB) was formed just under two decades ago by the merger of three of Europe’s most prestigious continuous cast iron bar foundries. Together Eurocast Bar Limited (UK), Starkey’s Technicast Limited (UK) and Cast Profil SA (Spain), along with their associated stockists and service centres, combine over 120 years of industry experience. This allows UCB to synergise its leading technical and manufacturing procedures, quality systems, control parameters, commercial rationalisation and supply logistics systems to provide a complete turnkey solution. From this solid base, the company has developed its comprehensive range of Unibar products, across a host of materials in both standard and bespoke measurements and shapes.

Presently UCB has locations throughout the world, including two foundries located in Chesterfield, UK and Zaragoza, Spain. The company’s distribution network is currently

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established throughout the UK, Germany, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, France and Turkey, and South Korea. While furthermore, UCB also maintains a strategic partnership with Elcas BV based in the Netherlands. During its history UCB has strengthened and extended its sales structure and sales network by providing a manufacturing base that is able to produce over 80,000 tonnes of Unibar products, with over 20,000 tonnes permanently held as standard stock within its foundries and distributors around the world. Since 2014, UCB has increased its capacity through the investment of £6 million in new melting facilities in Spain and the UK, as well as new laboratory and machine shop.

The aim of the development of Unibar is to establish standards of quality, consistency and customer service that exceed current market demands, coupled with the best technical and commercial support. At the core of the business is the UCB manufacturing process, which allows the company to manufacture products

to the highest standards. The Unibar horizontal continuous casting machine consists of four major units comprised of a holding furnace with liquidcooled dies; a pulling unit; a notching and breaking device; and a control panel that regulates the flow of coolant and the speed of casting and that also co-ordinates the function of the other three components of the machine.

The manufacturing process employs a closed system, in which a liquid-cooled die is built into the holding furnace so that the liquid metal enters the die without coming into contact with the atmosphere. The bar itself is pulled horizontally so that the metal flows more uniformly and is always subject to a much higher ferrostatic pressure when compared to sand castings. This process combined with the rapid cooling of the die, ensures superior soundness, good surface finish and homogenous structure as well as excellent structural cohesion throughout the section. As a result of this operation, the periphery of the bar is solid the moment it leaves the die and cooling

fresh fractures on every length of bar produced.

During July 2015 UCB further established itself as a leading manufacturer by producing the largest diameter cast ever fabricated in the UK at its site in Chesterfield. In an impressive feat, the company was able to successfully produce over 180 tonne of 700mm dia in both flake and nodular iron grades. Commenting on the achievement, Managing Director of the United Cast Bar (UK) facility, James Brand said: “This production run marks the culmination of many years hard work in design of equipment and process flow. It supports and expands the already broad product portfolio, opening up yet more doors for our sales people.”

2015 continued to represent a highly successful year for UCB within the UK with the production of a second run of the company’s second largest rectangle bar in 750mm x 550mm dimensions, due to all of its previously produced stock selling very quickly. This led Group Managing Director, Alessandro Rottach to praise the UK operation for the development, while adding: “United Cast Bar’s balance of efficiency, flexibility coupled with

our broadest product offering for the market from both our UK and Spanish operations, make UCB an invincible force in the continuous cast iron market.”

Through the culmination of investment into the company’s manufacturing capability, its dedication to market-leading levels of customer service and quality and its specialist Unibar manufacturing process, UCB represents an industry leader with a strong reputation going into 2016. Furthermore, its comprehensive portfolio of standard and bespoke products that are available through a strong global distribution network will ensure that the company is on had to supply customers old and new, when and where products are required.

United Cast Bar Limited Products: Manufacturer of cast iron bars www.unitedcastbar.com

system (which also conforms the profile shape), while the core remains liquid. The rapid cooling process causes the periphery to have very fine graphite in a predominant ferritic matrix with a high material cohesion, which is much higher than is obtained in sand casting.

The lack of porosity, slag and other inclusions are ensured by the Unibar Process, which combines with other advantages to deliver a significantly greater level of fatigue strength.

Starter bars are inserted into graphite die prior to filling the holding furnace. Upon entering the die, liquid metal freezes on the protruding bolts and is subsequently extracted by means of standard round pulling bars connecting the starting blocks with the drive mechanism. After the newly cast material has passed the pulling mechanism, the pulling bars are disconnected and the material itself is notched and broken into individual bars. These are commonly between two and four metres long and the quality of the material can be readily checked by observing

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Jacob Pipework Systems

Jacob pipework in a sugar factory

Solid flow of

success Occupying a leading position in the market is the result of many years worth of customer relationships and continuous innovation for Jacob Pipework Systems, which now looks forward to expanding its international presence even further

F Patrick Jacob, Managing Director

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r. Jacob Söhne GmbH & Co. KG was first established back in 1928 and is now the leading global supplier of modular pipework systems. Compared to the rest of its market, Jacob has the widest offering of around 7000 standardised products geared towards providing comprehensive solutions to dry product transfer and contaminated air extraction needs within an industrial environment. With a number of plants situated around the world and even more sales representatives operating in over 40 countries, Jacob has laid down a footprint in numerous industries from pharmaceutical and food

to chemicals, plastics, oil mist extraction and other major industrial applications.

“Basically, anywhere dry product needs to be transported throughout a process, or contaminated air needs to be removed from a space, our modular systems can provide key benefits,” begins Managing Director, Patrick Jacob who goes on to discuss the company’s main sales channels. “We cater to the plant engineering and mechanical engineering experts around the world. Germany is a major stronghold for us as it is a large exporting nation and we have a lot of plant engineers here who carry out international business. In terms of sales it is generally split equally

Modular pipework application

Pipework for the chemical industry

between domestic and export, but in reality, because a lot of our domestic customers are operating on a global platform, it is weighted more towards the export side.�

It is not only the breadth of products that marks Jacob out as a leader in the market able to provide a one-stop-shop of pipework solutions from bends to turn-head distributors, but also this international presence and stock flexibility. Five daughter companies make up the Jacob Group, consisting of two production sites in Germany, and one each in Italy and the US. Sales-wise, two main offices are set up in the UK and France, and its network of representatives takes this around the world.

Feedmill

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Jacob Pipework Systems Swivel pipe switch, food grade

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We are able to understand the market, respond to demands and develop new products accordingly, as well as providing excellent German engineering to our customers.

“When it comes to our product, availability is key because whilst it can still represent a significant investment, it is not usually the first priority in a major plant construction project for many of our customers,” he says. “This means they want a very flexible, modular pipework system that can be delivered very quickly and we are perfectly placed to provide this.”

At its largest plant in Germany, Jacob holds around ten million euros worth of stock in one of the largest warehouses of its kind. A total of around 14 million euros is held across the group and in Germany alone this equates to one million individual items. “Having multiple production locations also gives our customers confidence in delivery as if one site encounters an issue, another can take the additional load and provide this production stability,” Patrick adds.

Within its production sites the combination of highly skilled and knowledgeable labour with state-of-the-art automation technology enables Jacob to run high volume production lines with consistent quality but also an adaptive, solutions-led process. “Automation drives productivity and reliability, and we are the only ones in this industry large enough to make use of this technology,” Patrick continues. “However maintaining a high level of skilled labour, which we do through continuous training, is rewarded with very low turnover rates, so we are able to understand the market, respond to demands and develop new products accordingly, as well as providing excellent German engineering to our customers.”

When it comes to innovation the company approaches product development from two strategic angles. As the largest supplier in the market with such a long history and robust reputation, it has become the partner of choice for many of its customers when they start looking at new processes and products. “We are often included at this phase to help develop the best solutions and we can gather really good market feedback this way,” says Patrick.

The second stream of development comes from the business’ large technology and engineering department, which retains a focus on innovation by looking at what products can be improved and what new systems could be launched to market.

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Illustrating the success Jacob has experienced from this approach, Patrick outlines three of the company’s recent and most important innovations.

“Firstly we have developed an economical connection method called QUICK CONNECT, which is essentially a pull-ring that provides a very quick and easy method for putting a system together,” he describes. “The installation of pipeworks is very time consuming and labour intensive and the longer this takes, the more expensive it gets. Therefore this system becomes very cost effective. It is also very flexible, making cleaning and adjustments very simple to carry out.”

Two other key developments are related very closely to the food industry where quality assurance is absolutely essential. For example, over the last couple of years it has developed a Food Grade line, which is the only modular pipework system in the world certified by both the US FDA and European EC1935/2004 accredited standards agencies. This assures that all products that pass through remain safe to consume and unaltered in terms of quality. “Continuing this we have also launched the Detectable Design line, which revolves around making the seals that sit between two joining components, metal detectable,” Patrick explains.

“This means that should a seal enter the process, for whatever reason, they will be detectable by the manufacturer’s metal detector system and safely

removed. Of course they are food-grade certified so no contamination will have occurred but our customers appreciate that we can safeguard against this. Again, we are the only company in the industry able to offer such a solution.”

With a strong market around the world and a leading position in the development of new and innovative products, the future for Jacob looks positive. At POWTECH 2016, the sector’s biggest trade show, it will be launching a new service innovation and over the coming months continued investment will be pumped into expanding its technical capability to aid more efficient production. “However our main strategy as we move forward is going to be on expanding our international presence,” concludes Patrick.

“We are finalising a new plant in Italy, which will significantly increase production capability there, and we hope to do something similar in the US to offer our products to more international companies whilst being able to service them locally.”

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With a strong market around the world and a leading position in the development of new and innovative products, the future for Jacob looks positive

Jacob Pipework Systems Products: Market leading supplier of industrial pipework systems

www.pipe-systems.eu

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ESKATE is a leading manufacturer and supplier of clamp rings and flanges for pipe connections.

With 30 years’ experience, ESKATE has advanced to become Germany’s number one manufacturer. Top quality and extremely short lead times are the major strengths of the company. Europe’s largest on-site stock and cost effective manufacturing processes enable ESKATE to offer very favourable conditions to its customers. “We are continuously improving our production processes and developing new ways of manufacturing our current product range,” says Werner Breitenkamp (CEO). “Utilising the most modern of bending technologies we bend all sizes of pipes and other parts from the smallest radius to the largest sections for a variety of industries, including offshore, architectural steel construction, infrastructure, machine construction and the petrochemical industry. ESKATE has infinite possibilities for bespoke solutions.”

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Editor: Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales director: Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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