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CUSTOM EXPANDS
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CUSTOM BUS PREMISES EXPANDS A new facility offering increased floorspace for key upgraded bus-making machinery at its western Sydney premises is allowing Custom Bus Group to better accommodate production demand for its latest bus models.
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ith its latest Denning Adventurer schoolcharter bus recently released, and its green-emissions electric Element plus ‘Element H2’ (you heard it first!) hydrogen fuel-cell bus soon to be revealed, Custom has maximised any pandemic downtime to completely refurbish it St Marys location, install new advanced equipment and improve its quality processes and procedures, it states. According to the company, the production facility is almost unrecognisable from what it was four months ago, having added four completely new lines with three full bays per line. New cranes have been installed; mezzanine areas built to improve efficiency; fencing and caging has been installed around robot welders for safety; floors have 28
been painted; bays have been lined with new gantries and fitted with gas supply, air reels and racking containing the critical quick-turnover parts required for each specific section, it explains. Custom Denning’s manufacturing manager Danny Mottley said: “We manufacture all the steel components for our production line here on site, and pack them into stillage kits for delivery to our production facility. “We do all our own in-house cutting, laser cutting, CNC bending, aluminium welding, TIG welding and mandrel tube bending for stanchions, seat frames and square tubing as well. “From the smallest of parts to the largest, it’s great to see it all manufactured right here, and then come together to create an entire bus – it’s fantastic! “I am also excited about us doing our own
powder coating, which should be up and running in a couple of months and, with more good things to come, I can’t wait!” Mottley explained.
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REFINED SYSTEMS Whilst the refurbishments were taking place the company simultaneously worked on the implementation of new work processes; tighter controls; increased quality measures; and the installation of a completely new parts system that interacts with all the various business units, which it says merges “...all divisions as one to further solidify the company”. Custom Denning managing director Scott Dunn envisaged such an expansion and, as early as late 2019, he purchased additional space – also at St Marys – to alleviate anticipated production line congestion as business increased to offer the group further
ABC August 2020 busnews.com.au
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