Manufacturing: Pandemic leads to rise in sub-standard parts

Pandemic leads to rise in sub-standard parts

The number of sub-standard parts supplied to the world’s manufacturing industries has rocketed during the coronavirus crisis.

Birmingham engineering company G&P, which specialises in the inspection and rectification of parts supplied to some of the world’s leading manufacturers, says it witnessed a 73 per rise in faulty parts during 2020.

The firm reworked more than 27 million parts for its customers during the year to bring them up to scratch, and removed a further seven million substandard components from the manufacturing supply chain altogether.

‘2020 presented new challenges with a massive disruption to working practices’

G&P said the huge rise in substandard parts had happened without there being any increase in the numbers of parts being produced and tested.

G&P’s chairman, Geoff Cousins, said: “2020 presented new challenges with a massive disruption to working practices, such as social distancing, travel restrictions, interruptions to supply chains, remote working and different shift patterns, to name a few.

“Under these circumstances it was even more important to maintain robust quality protocols, and G&P was able to improve the level of service and results, reworking an increased number of parts to OEM (original equipment manufacturer) standard.

“G&P’s core focus is to help manufacturers and suppliers increase quality standards and improve efficiency, whether it’s achieved through the utilisation of G&P’s innovative technology, a flexible and rapidly deployed workforce or tried-and-tested inspection methods.”

G&P provides independent inspection, rectification and technical services to a number of sectors, including automotive and aerospace.

Quality street: a part undergoes inspection at G&P

Brewer opts for renewable energy

Carling brewer Molson Coors –which has a major production site in Burton – has become the first UK brewer to make its products using renewable electricity.

The firm – which has a major production site in Burton – is famous for its Carling brand, which will now be made using electricity produced at a wind farm in South Yorkshire. The electricity will come from RWE’s Tween Bridge wind farm, where it operates 22 turbines. The electricity will power Molson Coor’s other UK sites at Tadcaster, Rock and Suffolk.

The deal with RWE means that all of the one billion pints Molson Coors produces in the UK in an average year will be made with electricity from entirely renewable sources. In an average year Molson Coors consumes the same amount of electricity as around 25,000 households.

Fraser Thomson, operations director, Western Europe at Molson Coors Beverage Company said: “One of our values at Molson Coors is taking accountability, and that includes being responsible for the impact our business has on the environment. That’s why we’ve made such bold commitments to play our part in tackling climate change –because it is the right thing to do.”

Cabinet maker secures partnership

A manufacturer of heated display cabinets for the catering industry has appointed a local firm as its partner for parts and accessories.

Flexeserve has partnered with First Choice Catering Spares, a Cannock firm that has been supplying spare parts to the catering industry for more than 20 years.

Jamie Joyce (pictured) CEO at Flexeserve, said: “Our equipment is incredibly robust, because of the high-quality accredited components we use, our expertise in assembly and rigorous approach to testing.

“However, when a replacement part is required, it tends to be needed quickly. That’s because our units have become such a vital part of our customers’ operations that they want to avoid any downtime. With First Choice assisting us with parts distribution, we can be sure that our customers, distributors, and service and maintenance partners will continue to receive genuine Flexeserve parts and in the most appropriate timescale and delivery method for them.”

Steven McLaren, head of manufacturer partnerships at First Choice, said:“It’s a proud moment for all involved at First Choice Group, to be officially partnering with such an innovative company as Flexeserve.

“We can now offer their customers the efficiency and availability of OEM parts stock on some of the most pioneering foodservice equipment solutions. Similarly, Flexeserve will see a significant investment in UK stockholding, together with award-winning customer service. They will also be able to take full advantage of our infrastructure, built solely around the supply of genuine OEM parts.”

Adi takes home award

A Birmingham engineering firm has further cemented its reputation as a socially responsible business after winning a sustainability award.

Kings Norton based Adi Group was named ‘best performer’ in the wholesale, services and professionals category in an annual awards scheme run by rankings platform EcoVadis.

EcoVadis rates firms on their record in a number of fields, including environmental, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

The idea is to demonstrate who are the ‘good guys’ in industry, and so far EcoVadis has rated more than 75,000 businesses worldwide.

Adi was itself rated by EcoVadis last year, and was granted ‘platinum’ status, after scoring highly in the above areas, placing the company the top one per cent of businesses in the world for corporate social responsibility.

Adi CEO Alan Lusty said: “We’re really pleased to receive further recognition from EcoVadis.

“As a vital support cog in the world of manufacturing, our remit has always been to help minimise process and operational inefficiency.

“During this global pandemic, such aspects have been highlighted even further, as key sectors such as food and beverage and biosciences have been sent into production overdrive to help support the UK’s fightback.

“Adi has led the charge in ensuring clients maximise outputs while minimising production downtime.”