Manufacturing Today Europe Issue 119 August 2015

today

BEST PRACTICES FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

EUROPE

119 August

MANUFACTURING

The benefits of

integration Accurate information across the supply chain is essential to enable managers to make timely, balanced, fact-based and traceable decisions

Also in this issue:

Technology/M&A Reliability database Machine tools

DDA regulations Limit switches Digital thread

Editor’s Comment

Seeing

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

Business Development Director David Garner Operations Director Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Laura Thompson Jeff Goldenberg Mark Cowles Tarj D’Silva Emily Claxton Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove - Sales Director Tim Eakins Dave King Darren Jolliffe Gareth Stevens Mark Cawston

growth?

I

’ve been receiving positive reports about UK manufacturing for a little while, but I have to say that it is nice to see this good news reflected in the pages of MTE! The magazine has been revitalised this year, and it is clear from reading the stories in this issue that manufacturers in the UK and indeed, the markets further afield, are feeling positive, showing signs of growth, and are keen to invest in new technology, talent and innovation in order to maintain their momentum.

While some of the companies are only now becoming lean, discovering continuous improvement and the benefits of the right IT system, some others are further down their journey, and are investigating how to gain advantages from the Internet of Things and harnessing Big Data.

Wherever you are in your manufacturing story – if you’d like to share it with MTE, please get in touch.

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Subscriptions ikidd@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

MANUFACTURING

today

BEST PRACTICES FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

EUROPE

@MTE_magazine

118 July

Follow us at:

The benefits Schofield Publishing

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

of

integration Accurate information across the supply chain is essential to enable managers to make timely, balanced, fact-based and traceable decisions

Also in this issue:

A switch in time

As industrial sectors have developed, so too have the range of demands and possible applications where limit switches can be used

Connecting the strands

Manufacturing competitiveness will rely progressively more on the ‘Digital Thread’ to interpret data gathered by connected sensors, machines and networks

©2015 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.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 1

Features The benefits of integration

4 News

12 Connecting the strands

Updates and announcements from the manufacturing arena

18 A shared view

It has been suggested that the ‘Digital Thread’ is the next great step change for manufacturing – but what is it and are you ready to embrace it?

The benefits of an industry-wide database of component reliability extend far beyond just manufacturing – they apply equally to any process-intensive industry

6 The benefits of integration Information vital to fulfilling customer needs is often not sufficiently linked to the value chain, and sometimes not available at all. Integrated planning deployment offers a range of key success factors

10 A leading role

14 A switch in time Every industrial application has its own demands and feature considerations, but providing more choice in limit switch communication allows end-users greater flexibility in how they plan and lay out their plant

Paul Jones discusses the rise of technology within manufacturing, and the impact that this may have on mergers and acquisitions in the sector

Considering compliance 16 Considering compliance

A leading role 2 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Despite the implementation of the DDA regulations, there is a still a lack of awareness from business owners as to if their business falls within its scope

20 Fine tolerance KMP, a French sub-contracting company, has invested in machine tools from Haas, and found them to be extremely reliable and robust

Fine tolerance

CONTENTS

Profiles 23 SPTS Technologies

Rotpunkt Kuechen

153 Foseco

29 Special Metals Wiggin Limited

156 Weiss Spindeltechnologie

34 norelem

159 CG Drives and Automation

36 Rotpunkt Küchen

164 Collini

39 ESBE

169 Dams International

42 WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen

172 R. Stahl (P) Ltd 175 Baxi

45 Scherdel

100 Deutz AG

178 Ferrum

54 Fluorocarbon Company

105 600 UK

180 Plextec Consulting

57 Stürtz Maschinenbau

109 JDR Cable Systems

182 Polar Manufacturing

62 Dinex

115 Bifrangi UK

184 Tronrud Engineering

64 Spirotech-SRD

118 Väderstad Group

67 Diamond Box

121 MöllerTech UK

71 Faltec Europe

124 Drallim

75 Svedbergs

127 METTLER TOLEDO Safeline

78 Tec Systems

134 Continental Sports

81 Essentra

138 Hi-Force

85 Porvair Filtration Group

141 Collins and Hayes Furniture

90 Fanuc UK

146 Neumeister Hydraulik

186 Teknos

94 Farrel

150 European Investment Casters’ Federation (EICF)

188 Analog Devices (Ireland)

97 Brafe Engineering

Pohjanmaan Kaluste

190 Beatson Clark 192 Pohjanmaan Kaluste 194 ZincOx Resources 196 Riedhammer 198 Hermann Bantleon Tronrud Engineering

WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 3

The cost of absence

Life value?

New research carried out by PSHPC, one of the UK’s leading health and protection advisers, shows that the average value of life assurance benefits for those in manufacturing is half of that received by those in professions such as the law and banking. This is despite the fact that the cost of the benefit is almost the same.

The research found that average life assurance for professionals is £232,000 per Paul White annum at a cost of £210 per person, while the average life assurance for individuals in the manufacturing sector is only £113,000 per annum, but costs almost as much at £180.

Commenting on the findings, PSHPC consultant Paul White said: “There are several reasons, based on actuarial risk calculations, why the cost of group life assurance for manufacturing employees is relatively expensive compared to their professional services contemporaries.

One is that manufacturing plants tend to be in areas of the country where life expectancies are somewhat lower, in contrast to areas where professional services employees are more likely to live.

Secondly, manufacturing jobs are more likely to involve work which may cause health problems, such as musculo-skeletal issues; and even in some case fatalities through industrial accidents.”

Those in the manufacturing sector can perhaps take some comfort from the fact that while their life assurance benefits are less than those in professional services occupations, they are still better than for those in the retail, leisure and hotel sectors, who only enjoy an average life assurance benefit of £45,000 a year.

Less than a fifth of UK manufacturers are measuring the cost of sickness and absence according to EEF, the Manufacturers Association, which has published its annual report into sickness and absence.

EEF’s ‘Sickness and Absence Survey 2015’ revealed that the average sick pay cost per employee is £374 equating to a total cost of £1 billion for the manufacturing sector every year. However, it seems that few companies are measuring the costs of absence within their own firms.

Adrian Lewis, Commercial Director at Activ Absence, a leading provider of absence management software added: “The report also reveals that the majority of companies fail to track and manage absence rates and very few have insight into whether their health and employee benefits are having a positive impact on their staff ’s well-being.

“Companies with the right systems in place to manage absence will not only see an improvement in their absence rates and a cost reduction of around 20-30 per cent, they will understand why absences are taking place.

“They will be able to identify the root causes of absence, see patterns and trends in different areas of the business – intelligence that will enable them to put measures in place to support staff or address any issues head on.”

Going for silver Three of the UK’s most talented engineers are to receive the Royal Academy of Engineering’s coveted Silver Medal for remarkable technical achievements in their fields, coupled with commercial success.

They are Dr Susannah Clarke, the inventor of 3D printed surgical instruments, Dr Andy Ward, an indoor location-tracking technology pioneer, and Dr Don Syme, the creator of the F# computer programming language.

For over two decades, the Academy’s Silver Medals have recognised exceptional personal contributions from early- to mid-career engineers who have advanced the cause of engineering in the UK and achieved significant commercial success.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling DBE FREng FRS, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “This year’s Silver Medallists are testament to the strength and diversity of UK engineering and demonstrate the breadth of exciting careers that engineering offers. They also demonstrate the power of university/industry collaboration and the importance of innovation to the UK economy.”

4 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

New client win RWG Germany, a specialist producer of complex airframe bearings for the global aerospace industry has announced it is going to implement IFS Applications.

At RWG Germany, part of the Kaman group, IFS Applications will replace a number of legacy systems that had grown cumbersome to maintain due to a patchwork of customisations. Moreover, the previous solutions could not efficiently map the communication between the company’s individual divisions or the communication between the parent company and sister companies.

RWG Germany chose IFS Applications because of its out-of-the-box support of industry-specific requirements, its ease of integration throughout the business, its ability to simplify the data exchange within the group, and its comprehensive analysis capabilities. With IFS Applications, RWG Germany will modernise its IT environment and streamline business processes while optimising communication within the global Kaman group. The integrated ERP software will provide full business transparency while integrating the different parts of the organisation. In a future phase of the implementation, the company’s field service division will also be able to access the integrated CRM module. The IFS solution includes components for financials, human resources, distribution, manufacturing, and marketing.

Peter Höhne, Vice President Sales & Marketing, IFS Europe Central in Erlangen, Germany noted: “RWG Germany is an important customer win and further evidence of our competence in the aerospace and defence manufacturing industry.”

MANUFACTURING NEWS

Pure air The need for quality compressed air filtered to a range of purity levels in accordance with standards such as ISO 8573-1 is an essential requirement for many manufacturing applications.

Furthermore, the additional challenges of meeting minimal pressure differentials along with demands for improved energy efficiency are other important factors. The latest generation of high performance filters developed

by HPC Kaeser are the ideal solution providing efficient filtration for flow rates from 0.60 to 14.20 m³ /min (21.2 to 501.5 cfm) and with minimal pressure differential.

An important part of the design brief for these new filters was the ability to achieve tailored compressed air purity combined with maximum efficiency and this has been achieved thanks to the completely redesigned element head. The innovative new HPC Kaeser design gently redirects the airflow so that it is evenly distributed across the filter media. This is a patented in-house development and the result of decades of compressed air engineering expertise.

Other features include quick and easy element replacement via a bayonet fitting which connects the filter head and housing. This includes an integrated positive positioning guide, which ensures that the housing and element are always correctly joined following filter element and seal replacement.

Biggest ever steel pour Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) has completed its biggest ever pour with a staggering 607 tonnes of continuous molten steel transferred into a vast subterranean mould.

The record breaking feat in the company’s foundry beats the biggest ever previous pour by seven tonnes and will create an ultra-large casting component which will weigh around 320 tonnes once finished, taking Forgemasters’ record 607 tonne casting pour six weeks to cool sufficiently to be excavated.

The pouring is the fifth in a series of 11 castings destined to become some of the largest cast components ever made by the South Yorkshire manufacturing giant for a landmark $19m contract for established customer German company, SMS Meer.

John Sanderson, foundry manager at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “This casting is set to be a record for some time now. The process, which has many complex elements, was made even more challenging because the casting is one in a series of 11, which meant that our deep casting pits were already in use so we had to raise the sides of a shallower pit to 12 feet above ground level to accommodate.

“Pouring 607 tonnes of liquid steel required five ladles to be poured simultaneously, with a sixth ladle used as a top-up.

“The steel is poured at more than 1500 degrees centigrade and the casting will take six weeks to cool to about 1000 degrees, when it will have solidified far enough to be dug from the sand mould.

Over the next days, it will further cool to 300 degrees at which point we will remove the feeder heads and transfer it to a furnace for a two-week heat treatment cycle.

“The whole process from receiving drawings of the component, through pattern and mould making, casting, heat treatment, fettling and finish machining on a component of this scale is approximately 18 months.”

Digital customer interaction For information professionals and the business leaders they support, the most critical information management skills that businesses will need over the coming years are the ability to add value to information through insight and analysis, combined with a strategic outlook and awareness of business goals. However, a new study from Iron Mountain reveals that both groups agree these skills are currently the weakest.

The survey of senior business executives and records and information professionals in 900 mid-sized European and North American organisations found that information management is changing fast to embrace shifting business priorities. Half (49 per cent) of European information managers believe their role and responsibilities have changed significantly over the last five years.The adjustment required to meet these emerging business needs is also exposing some worrying skills gaps.

When it comes to current competence, four in ten business leaders and their records and information professionals feel there is room for improvement in strategic outlook and understanding of wider business goals.The ability to effectively add value to information through strategic insight and analysis is a more contentious area, with business executives having a lower opinion of information managers’ ability (45 per cent have concerns) than the professionals themselves (38 per cent are worried).

44

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 5

The benefits of

integration Roswitha Tertea, Martin Laub and Martin Bunk offer advice on the need to attack the ‘just-in-case buffer’ phenomenon

As organisations have become global, an increasing number of leaders are frustrated with the long response time of their supply chain when market conditions change. Costsavings originally achieved by introducing long-distance sourcing strategies, offshoring, outsourcing, multi-national distribution networks or cheaper delivery channels, have now partly translated into additional costs, due to express delivery of raw materials, stock-outs or overnight services for customers. Companies have to respond faster to rapidly changing and more sophisticated customer demands and demonstrate flexibility and agility within volatile markets.

Yet what we usually find, is that information vital to fulfilling these customer needs is not sufficiently linked within the value chain, and in many cases not available at all. Instead of having truly integrated planning activities across the organisation, we often observe a phenomenon we call ‘just-in-case buffers.’

6 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

D

ecision makers at any level of the organisation usually lack the full information required to make timely, balanced, fact-based and traceable decisions in their respective roles.

To avoid jeopardising sales numbers or customer orders, planning parameters get inflated, leading to the rise of ‘just-in-case buffers’ across various operational functions of an organisation. They are called ‘just-in-case’ because poor data quality, complexity, and uncertainty make people build safety measures into their daily work in order to cover all scenarios.

These buffers become visible in various dimensions, most notably in four areas: 1 Inventories: Non-prioritised buffers of raw material, work in progress (WIP) or finished goods.

2 Lead time: Unreliable lead times from suppliers due to frequent changes of requests; manufacturing throughput times impacted by changing priorities; distribution lead times impacted by global networks.

3 People: Resource buffers in all functions, since staffing decisions are based on peak demands, and the desire to cover all ‘what-if ’ scenarios.

4 Equipment: Equipment capacity is over-dimensioned for maximum volumes or supposedly ‘moving bottlenecks’, which in reality are not solved but circumvented.

These symptoms of ‘just-in-case buffers’ can often be traced back to the various planning levels of an organisation that are poorly integrated. We differentiate four levels of integrated planning, which normally show causally related deficiencies: ■ Corporate planning: We often see a disconnect between financial budgeting and planning and the SI&OP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning) process.

Integrated planning from company to company, but we have identified three major reasons and the specific approaches to overcome them.

Reason for failure 1 Conflicting targets: Targets are often contradicting, or roles and responsibilities for target achievement are not clear. Classic examples of conflicting supply chain targets are: 1.

2.

3.

Inventory vs cost Asset utilisation vs demand driven flows Low cost country sourcing/ manufacturing vs flexible supply

When a production manager is measured by production output, a supply chain manager by inventory levels and customer service and factory managers by cost savings, there is an obvious mismatch in targets. The same holds true when efficiency of non-bottleneck equipment is measured (and improved) which is counterintuitive to a lean production flow.

Targets can also be conflicting when, for instance, the purchasing department is measured by the rate of long-distance (supposedly ‘low-cost country’) sourcing, and manufacturing is measured by production volume flexibility.

■ SI&OP: Commonly, the outcome of the SI&OP process is not one consensus plan but one forecast that competes with other forecasts or plans in the organisation.

■ Operations planning: Usually operations planning is out of line with an agreed consensus plan and/or not done with a standard processor within a common system.

■ Production planning / shop floor execution: System-generated plans are often not trusted.

Individual plans (usually created in silos) are then made even when pull systems would not require a plan at all.

These deficiencies can be addressed individually, often only leading to marginal results. However, the highest impact will be achieved with a holistic approach, addressing all dimensions and their interdependencies by building and deploying an integrated planning system.

Root causes for integrated planning failure vary

Solution: Cross functional shared targets: Integrated planning needs to aim at balanced decision making. If long-distance sourcing is required for cost reasons it should be aligned with manufacturing flexibility targets and by establishing supplier consignment stocks.

To evaluate the trade-offs between short lead times and additional cost for this, a total cost of ownership (TCO) model covering all aspects of the transaction (e.g. purchase price, internal cost of capital and inventory holding cost rate) needs to be used to balance targets.

We also strongly encourage establishing crossfunctional, shared targets for those teams that need to collaborate to achieve the desired results.

If they can jointly influence a KPI they should have the same targets and their bonuses should also be tied to them.

You typically get what you measure and reward.

So you have to make sure those KPIs and targets are unambiguous, aligned, and broken down to the people who can actually influence them.

Reason for failure 2 Opacity & lack of correct data: Complex supply chain networks cannnot be controlled any longer by applying historically grown control mechanisms. Decision makers in organisational entities often use the resulting opacity to cover problems originally caused by several reasons, such as uncontrolled IT systems,

wrong data and reports and unclear roles and responsibilities.

As information gets extended or consolidated within hierarchy levels, decision makers lose even more sight of what the actual facts are. The consequences and implications of decisions across a global supply chain are no longer obvious.

Typical situations are data overflow or information disconnect. In many cases, either information arrives ‘filtered’ to decision makers, or automated planning systems manipulate relevant information upfront. Sales projections change quarterly and are not covered within supply planning.

Type-mix-changes left unconsidered harm efficient capacity planning, and phase-in/ phase-out approaches are not considered in the volume mix.

Solutions: ■ Strengthen the position of decision makers: Integrated planning needs to be an instrument to deliver a basis for decisions at every involved organisational level, at any time and at any stage. Ideally, integrated planning triggers reaction and pulls for transparency to support the right decision taken from a flood of information that includes sales and financial planning as well as operational execution regarding performance decisions.

■ Empowering decision makers requires some major clarifications. What is the right level of required detail to build the base for a decision?

Can a fact-based KPI be clearly allocated to the decision made? Was the decision-making process owned by a cross-functional team across planning units? Has the decision process (base) covered presence, diversity and cause and effect? And finally, does a feedback loop inform the decision maker about the outcome?

Integrated planning as such is much more than just providing plans; it is the great art of providing transparency to build a trustful base for decision makers.

Reason for failure 3 Complexity of processes and organisational structure: Overcomplicated and disconnected processes and organisational structures have often grown historically, as a response to new external requirements. Thus, additional layers were built into the organisation, multiple interfaces were created, and processes ended up meandering through various departments with little clarity on end-to-end accountability.

A heterogeneous IT-landscape that evolved through the years often leads to data fragmentation, inconsistent information, delays in KPI generation and difficulties in making fact-based decisions, causing mistrust among departments.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 7

Integrated planning

Client Success Story Effective integrated planning has had substantial business impact at a recent project Hitachi Consulting team conducted for a global automotive supplier, achieving: ■ More than €15 million operative cost savings ■ Inventory vs. shipments reduced by 10% - 20% ■ Service level (availability and OTIF) optimized by 10% - 60% ■ End-to-end lead times reduced by up to 30% ■ Optimised procurement and production planning (resulting in OTIF improvements above) ■ Improved production plan stability and plan attainment (resulting in OTIF improvements above)

Planning processes are often designed by people who are working in other departments - like corporate - and don’t take best practices and pitfalls known to the people ‘in the trenches’ of daily planning into consideration. Quite often, new functions or even whole departments are introduced as a response to new requirements or to act as an interface between departments that do not seem able to cope with the complexity.

As a result, we see the emergence of supply chain planners from the global to the factory level, including maintenance planners and schedulers.

These functions usually emerge from a need to co-ordinate activities but fail in doing so since they add complexity to the information flow and process.

Solutions: ■ Common fit of systems, rules and structure for purpose: At a basic level, companies should re-focus on core processes, simplify and harmonise the IT landscape and streamline the organisational structure. Ensuring end to-end accountability for processes, clear responsibility for KPIs and well-defined targets enables people at all levels to make real-time, fact-based decisions.

■ Seamless information flow: Since integrated planning can be seen as the nervous system of the company, it is important to have an IT landscape that ensures seamless information flow based on reliable data and unequivocal definition of KPIs, thus building transparency, enhancing decision-making, and reflecting operational reality.

“For the past five years we had been improving functional planning (in Production, Purchasing, etc.) with some positive impact, yet only aligning these planning activities under the umbrella of integrated planning brought the significant impact we were looking for, as well as the transparency required for quick decisions.”

- VP Supply Chain Management, Major Automotive Supplier

8 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Simplicity and accessibility are key to gaining acceptance among various end-users. Strive for one master plan, which can be broken down into relevant plans for the individual functions.

■ Simple rules: Develop and establish simple rules and guiding principles that have to be followed by all.

This will empower people at all levels to make decisions fast. For instance, in a lean environment, rules that have proven to provide guidance are ‘Input = Output’; ‘When a production batch starts, it never stops in the process’; or ‘No overtaking of products allowed’.

Ensure that the rules are accepted and connect them to performance indicators and incentives.

■ Clear structure / responsibilities: Remove functions, departments, or layers that have only an interface function or where the value add cannot be clearly determined. Assign clear responsibilities and owners to the different plans, forecasts, and for execution. Establish cross-functional meetings to ensure clarity of tasks and constraints across the value chain.

Conclusion If senior executives are wondering why numerous improvement projects aimed at better service, lower inventories or better capacity and resource flexibility have only marginal or even no results, we highly recommend close investigation of integrated planning.

Investigate the symptoms deriving from ‘justin-case’ buffers and understand the relationship and dependencies of them. Put effort into improvement initiatives steered around building transparency and data reliability while breaking down the walls of conflicting targets to reduce complexity in structure, systems and procedures.

Key Success Factors for Integrated Planning Deployment ■ Shared x-functional targets (e.g. lead time, cost, service, inventory) ■ Balanced decision making to enable strategy deployment ■ Foundation in place and dependencies considered ■ Effective performance management (closed loop mgt. system) ■ Full network view and optimisation ■ Act early on resistance and fears (e.g. loss of power, lower bonus)

Roswitha Tertea is vice president, Martin Laub is senior manager and Martin Bunk is senior manager at Hitachi Consulting. Hitachi Consulting is the global management consulting and IT services business of Hitachi Ltd., a global technology leader and a catalyst of sustainable societal change.

Hitachi Consulting is a catalyst of positive business change, propelling companies ahead by enabling superior operational performance. www.hitachiconsulting.com

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 9

A leading

role Paul Jones discusses the rise of technology within manufacturing, and the impact that this may have on M&A in the sector

U

K manufacturing is back in vogue.

The politicians are talking about the jobs it is generating and the wealth being created through export. The tax man is handing out tax breaks for investing and credits for apprentices. Above all there is the very real and rapid advancement in UK manufacturing technology, know-how and connectivity that will finally put an end to the perennial arguments around the UK’s lack of productivity and competiveness.

There will be some that argue there is nothing new here, the UK automotive industry is, after all, a world leader in production automation and efficiency. Increasingly, however, more sectors are re-engineering their production processes and adopting complex communication and automation techniques to meet the demands of global trends of mass customisation and localisation, both leading to increased speed at which products go from design to manufacture. This amalgamation of the ‘cyber’ and the ‘physical’ within manufacturing,

10 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

dubbed ‘Industry 4.0’ or the Industrial Internet of Things, is driven by intelligent factories looking at integrating the needs of customers and businesses to create the ideal climate for growth and efficiency.

After many years of relative neglect this new industrial revolution represents a real opportunity for the UK. With the expertise that the country has in technology and process engineering we are ideally placed to take advantage of this trend. The UK has some of the best factories in the world, manufacturing the highest quality of products, and heavy investment in automation could give them the productivity levels that are missing to compete on a global scale.

However, it is not just Britain that is looking at this possibility. The political consensus that has emerged on the subject in this country is being repeated across the world. More and more countries have realised that they want to start manufacturing more at home, and are reviewing how to make investment more attractive.

Germany has been particularly effective so far, and we are increasingly seeing other countries look to replicate the model, particularly in terms of industrial policy.

This opinion is echoed by Jurgen Maier, UK chief executive of Siemens. In an interview for Clearwater International’s latest ‘Rainmaker’ report, he made the point that having copied the German model, the UK now has an opportunity to grasp global leadership in the high-tech future of manufacturing. In his words, this is thanks largely to the fact that British firms now have access to brand new technology centres and the latest know how.

In the interview, Maier made a further trend prediction for the industry. He believes that the move towards localisation, combined with the drive towards mass customisation, will lead to further on-shoring. The crux of his argument is that whereas 20 years ago, factories were the method of choice to ensure scale and standardisation, this is no longer possible for every industry. As a result, factories need to be

M&A As products evolve throughout their lifetime, different software and data will be required to manage them effectively, especially as manufacturing becomes increasingly linked to the advancing technology

more flexible to respond to customer needs, meaning that having ten smaller factories closer to the consumer is preferable to one large factory in China.

These emerging trends will also have an impact on M&A and in this respect the sector is already performing strongly. 2014 was an excellent year for M&A in the global manufacturing industry, with deal values surpassing €119bn – an increase of over 163 per cent on the previous year. Both deal value and volume spiked dramatically in the final quarter of the year, indicating that the upward trajectory is by no means over.

With the current economic outlook strong, and businesses no longer focusing on cost-cutting programmes, we expect to see an increase in the number of manufacturers looking to invest in technology, or even making acquisitions to extend their offering.

Recent reports show that over nine in ten UK manufacturing and industrial companies describe themselves as acquisitive; M&A in

the manufacturing sector is looking extremely positive for the remainder of 2015.

One area that looks particularly attractive at present is the industrial software and automation industry, sectors that are driving efficiency across manufacturing generally. These products and software developments that are capturing and controlling vast amounts of production data and creating efficient processes and real time communication from the factory floor to the Boardroom are in high demand. Sales of robots that are increasingly building more of the world’s output are on the rise. Engineering capacity is stretched, large players are already struggling to find, train or retain sufficiently experienced engineers and we expect a land grab in due course to avoid business plans being de-railed.

As products evolve throughout their lifetime, different software and data will be required to manage them effectively, especially as manufacturing becomes increasingly linked to the advancing technology, we expect an

increasing amount of the production supply chain to provide managed or rented services as opposed to the simple sale of technology.

Companies that can re-engineer their production and after sales to accommodate these changes and offer flexibility to ensure that a product is appropriately managed throughout its life cycle will become increasingly attractive to investors, particularly as manufacturers continue to look for technology partners.

Technology will continue to have a significant impact on the manufacturing sector, both in terms of the way that firms create and maintain their products, and when looking at investment in the industry. The UK is seemingly ideally placed, with its expertise in both of these sectors being recognised around the world, and we expect the country to take a leading role in the revolution of manufacturing in the coming years.

Paul Jones Paul Jones is Industrials & Chemicals partner at Clearwater International. Clearwater International focuses on providing corporate finance advice for mid-market transactions including M&A, private equity, debt advisory and restructuring services. The business has completed over 700 transactions worth an aggregate value of €14bn. www.clearwaterinternational.com

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 11

Connecting the

strands

Jeff Pike asks: Are you ready to join the Digital Thread revolution?

M

any would argue that the Digital Thread (DT) is the next major disruptive technology, but what exactly is it? Digital Thread in the manufacturing world is now an integral part of the US ‘Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise’ championed by the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute1. DT in the Aerospace and Defence (A&D) industry is the idea of seamlessly integrating information through the value chain, from initial capability planning and analysis, through design, manufacturing, testing, and on to final sustainment and disposal phases. All of these functions are able to share contextualised,

digital information, and the DT allows dynamic, contemporaneous assessment of the system’s current and future capabilities. This means that specialists throughout the process can work on the item simultaneously to inform decisions throughout the life of a system or product.

In 2013 Christine Furstoss, Global Technology Director for manufacturing giant GE’s Global Research division suggested that it was the next great step change for manufacturing after Henry Ford’s perfected assembly line and Toyota’s Lean Processes. DT forms an integral part of their ‘Brilliant Factory’ concept, where GE envision “a self-improving factory that can continuously improve products and processes in the plant. With a seamless digital thread that can gather, analyse and transmit data real-time to different parts of the supply chain”.2

1 DMDI is managed by the US government’s interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office (AMNPO), hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

2 http://www.geglobalresearch.com/blog/ge-partner-manufacturing-innovation-institutes. http://www.cioreview.com/ magazine/Digital-Thread-Creating-A-SelfImproving-Brilliant-Factory-DSDM672049974.html.

12 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

The quick wins of DT The benefits of DT in the design, manufacturing and maintenance arena, across many sectors including aerospace and defence, are clear to see. CAD designs can be digitally transmitted to manufacturing engineers who can test them to ensure they can be produced using virtual models. Designs can be optimised for production ability, usability and maintainability by exploiting a common database and physics-based models.

Manufacturers can reduce the cost of ‘hard tooling’ because the tolerances that can be incorporated during this ‘collaborative design’ process mean that less external tooling is needed to position components during assembly.

Manufacturing competitiveness will rely progressively more on DT to interpret data gathered by increasingly connected sensors, machines and networks with intelligent feedback loops to adapt and incorporate manufacturing and maintenance needs right back into the initial

design stage. But can DT manage supply chain risk?

But what of the wider supply chain process?

Can DT help to manage supply chain risk? One of the greatest internal supply chain risks comes from misalignment across the chain – which in turn is becoming less linear and more of a network.

Internally, supply chains comprise three elements: physical, informational and financial. Within the supply chain functional stovepipe, DT has a clear role to play in bringing these elements together, but it also offers the opportunity to integrate it into the wider business or, in the case of defence, organisational enterprise.

Normally, successful internal supply chains are driven from above by a Supply Chain Strategy that aligns with the overall enterprise

Digital Supply Chain

business or organisational strategy. While it must serve the higher strategy, it must also be reactive to feedback from the subordinate supply chain network, comprising infrastructure, human resources, technology development and procurement structures. Even at this high level, it can be seen that the volume and complexity of data is liable to swamp even the most dynamic supply chain director!

Fixing the Internal Supply Chain Alignment doesn’t stop there though. The supply chain network must drive and be responsive to feedback from the processes of inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing & sales, and service. These in turn drive resource requirements - hard infrastructure and people – a key factor in the bottom line. Network, processes and even human resources each has their own driving factors and risks. To manage these risks, there is a surfeit of stove-piped performance measuring metrics such as sales performance, inventory availability, OTIF, but an enterprise-wide picture that allows good decision making at all levels cannot be built unless the base structure

and connectivity is right, and this is where DT comes to the fore.

Big bang or iterative change?

As with core design and manufacturing processes, it can be seen that misalignment of the supply chain and poor feedback can lead to a lack of coordination, predictability, resilience and consistency.

Internal supply chains are often intermittent and disconnected processes with a mix of manual, automated and virtual elements. They need to be replaced with a continuous, interactive, holistic and integrated process, but this is not always possible with a ‘big bang’ approach because no

burning platforms such as profit warnings or major disruptive technology lead to revolutionary change. Iterative, evolutionary change is often required, and the challenges this brings often leads to inertia.

Iterative change is, however, possible for those who are unwilling to take the radical and major steps that GE appear to be considering. Innovative Boards of Directors can drive forward change in a more progressively measured manner by first of all aligning strategic goals with supply chain plans and operations. Subsequent steps include ensuring full visibility of the physical, financial and information supply chains and identifying and allocating costs throughout them. This may be challenging, but they must ensure that a financial viewpoint is embedded in the planning and execution processes of such change. This will enable them to quickly examine alternative scenarios and evaluate the financial impact of

their proposed actions. The end result will deliver a 360-degree insight that will allow the business or organisation to make informed decisions.

Evolution not revolution This sounds easy to say, and difficult to do; however, it is the first step on the road to bringing a Digital Thread to the supply chain. A bespoke whole-enterprise solution is probably what the major system vendors would suggest as the only way ahead, but this is more revolution than evolution and such large programs bring their own risks of failure. Introducing a ‘wall of capability bricks’ as each step of the iterative change is

undertaken may offer a less risky alternative, and will work. This option may be more comfortable for all concerned, from top to bottom, in such a fundamental change program. We at IFS provide such capability with a solution based on modular building blocks that can be scaled to match business needs – from giants such as GE who use IFS Aerospace and Defence products to smaller manufacturing and supply chain enterprises and defence organisations.

Once these internal supply chain processes are right, not only will the enterprise be well on the way to engaging with and implementing DT, but it will be much more resilient and agile, enabling it to address the myriad of external supply chain risks that are likely to arise in an increasingly volatile, complex and digitally connected world. Are you ready to join the Digital Thread revolution?

Jeff Pike Jeff Pike is Head of Strategy and Marketing for the IFS A&D Centre of Excellence. IFS is a leading vendor of enterprise asset management (EAM) software to the aerospace & defense sector globally. IFS Applications supports full-spectrum enterprise, project and program-centric manufacturing and vendors serving the A&D sector. IFS underpins performance-based logistics (PBL) solutions to support, traditional, contracting for availability (CFA) through to full contracting for capability (CFC) solutions. www.IFSWORLD.com

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 13

A switch in

time

James MacDonald takes a look at limit switches

L

imit switches have long featured in a variety of different industrial applications where the durability of the component package has ensured it can be relied upon in even the most challenging circumstances.

In position detection, the switches are used to ensure all movable locating features are correctly seated for proper operation; in mechanical travel applications, they are incorporated within the mechanical apparatus as a safety feature to detect when operating features have reached the end of travel; and in security applications, they can be used to detect when a door or window has been moved and, because they are so reliable, they are particularly beneficial in remote locations where maintenance can be an issue.

And the use of limit switches does not end there. They can also be used to detect movement from mechanical parts to activate signals to the surrounding environment; or used in automated processes to activate a signal where a desired mass has been achieved; or

14 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

in safety systems, to prevent a machine being operated until the safety guards are in place.

Increasing choices As the industrial sectors have developed, so too have the range of demands and possible applications where limit switches can be used.

The choice of configuration options would have typically been though the choice of switch circuitry, or through the availability of multiple actuator styles. By introducing wireless switches, however, the choice has increased.

Now, designers can choose the way that the limit switch communicates with the rest of the system.

Every industrial application, of course, has its own demands and feature considerations, but providing more choice allows end-users greater flexibility in how they plan and lay out their plant. Both the cabled and wireless switches have the durability necessary for rugged applications from using the same robust housing.

Communication options now mean that a switch can be cabled directly to the system controls,

or having wireless as an option means excessive cable runs can be eliminated, significantly reducing the cost of implementation and time spent on maintenance.

Challenges and complexities There are challenges and complexities in designing modern-day cabled and wireless switches. Historically they have tended to be over-complicated, use inexpensive technology, and suffer from issues regarding power. Many have similarly failed to take into account the global technological certifications required.

But times have changed: reliability, stability and performance have become the watchwords.

The wireless limit switch has a replaceable 3.6V Lithium Thionyl Chloride battery inside the housing, for example, which will allow approximately one year of power supply, with any drop in performance from the battery being indicated on the receiver. This method of supplying power eliminates performance issues that may arise if energy harvesting was being relied upon. The dedicated pairing system

Switches

also utilises point-to-point communication to operate independently from any wifi protocols and without the need rely on IT system considerations.

So what are the types of switches available?

And when should a cable switch be used in preference to a wireless device and vice versa?

The standard construction of the limit switch comes in a zinc die-cast housing, with a detachable head. This allows the head to be fitted at 90° increments to allow options to fit the customer’s system. The functional head styles include the choice of rotary arms with steel or nylon rollers, pin plungers or wobble sticks.

The cabled limit switch can come with a variety of conduit entry dimensions to give the customer a choice of gland to fit the system.

Alternatively a pre-cabled limit switch can have additional seal security for use in harsh wash down environments.

Switch technology can also allow for a sequential or centre neutral style, as well as having a snap action mechanism or safety focused slow-action switch.

The wireless switch is similar but with one or two significant differences. Within the same proven reliability of the zinc casing, instead of the switch output being routed by cable to the conduit entry point, the wireless switch uses an integrated RF board which connects to an antenna on the outside of the switch body.

This will communicate with a receiver installed with a PLC at the point of control up to 1000ft away. Communication is conducted using the established WPAN 802.15.4, 2.4 GHz system which is the same wireless protocol as the Zigbee communications profile. Instead of being part of a mesh network, the Limitless range, for example, works as a point-to-point system with the frequency of each switch providing a unique pairing to a receiver channel. A regular ‘heartbeat’ at 30-second intervals between switch and receiver ensures communication lines are active, and a warning will be given upon any interruption to the signal.

The strength of the traditional limit switch comes from the level of durability the housing offers and the adaptation available through the actuator choice to best fit the working environment. Three examples illustrate the point: Automated welding robot – The basic purpose is to detect that the weld material is present. When the welding rod is in place, the limit switch is held in an active state completing the circuit. However, when the welding rod in the feeding rail is empty, the switch is released which subsequently cuts the power to the welding arc. This means that there is no risk of danger to anyone in the area and also saves

on power consumption. The switch is able to endure vibration, temperature and debris, but the close proximity of the working environment means it is only a short distance to be cabled to the control unit.

Industrial mass-detection – Industrial processes require a level of control to monitor when the materials being produced achieves the required mass. As part of a paper plant, the new paper produced was wound onto looms.

As they rotate, gathering the paper, the mass of the package gets larger. Upon reaching the desired size, a rotary limit switch is activated to allow the process to stop and the newly wound paper to be removed. Within this operating environment, a dedicated cable run was available meaning an unobtrusive means of connection was available without causing a hazard.

Compactor control system – The compacting process for recycling solid waste material relies upon the items being compacted to a manageable size before further processing.

The limit switches are built into the compactors to detect maximum travel of the pressure plates in the horizontal and vertical axis. The limit switches must withstand the pressure of the process and vibration of the moving parts.

The operator interface can be mounted onto the outside face of the machine, so the cable to the limit switches can be kept routed within the package walls.

So when might a wireless switch be a more appropriate device? Wireless switches are ideal in cases where a hard-wired system is not practical, either because of the cost or the challenge of installation (and often both) especially in larger or more restrictive sites/ applications. Examples include: Crane boom detection – Large-scale cranes can cover an expansive distance from the end of the boom, down to the ground.

Wireless limit switches are ideal for detecting

if a mass in transit has come too close to the mechanical features. A durable limit switch can be installed at the end of the boom, and able to communicate the status to the operator who may be at ground level. This eliminates the requirement to run a length of cable from the operator station to the end of the jib. It eliminates what could be a costly component, as well as the possibility of a cable becoming an obstruction in the moving parts.

Safety Showers – When working with hazardous materials, an emergency shower station is often available for operators. The wireless products can quickly be integrated into the shower unit handle. Upon the shower being activated, a signal is sent to the receiver to transmit the message that an emergency situation has occurred. The benefit of the wireless product is that no additional wiring is necessary around the shower block, and the signal can be transmitted up to 1000ft aware to warn of the incident.

Retrofit requirements - A limit switch had been used successfully for many years sending the status of gate position to the security gatehouse at the opposite end of a car park.

The cable was originally routed underground but since being installed, the car park had been re-surfaced. When the cable was damaged they thought that they would have to find new ways to route the cable or close part of the car park to dig up the road surface to access the damaged portion. Instead a wireless limit switch was installed at the gate and the receiver in the security room in less than 20 minutes and the full system was operational again with no need to close the area for rework or loss of income.

Summary Limit switches are appropriate for a host of different applications, and are often interchangeable. The key determinant is often the environment. A wireless limit switch could work in the welding robot, for example, but the receiver would be more expensive than 10ft of cable; alternatively the cost of cable for the crane would be more expensive than the receiver. Having greater choice with regards connectivity, however, enables customers to decide which system best suits their needs.

James MacDonald James MacDonald is the EMEA Application Engineer for industrial switches at Honeywell Sensing and Control.

He deals with the integration of basic, limits and wireless switches into end users application and can be reached out to at: james.macdonald@honeywell.com.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 15

Considering compliance Mick van der Stock explores the issue of the DDA and the need for workplaces to be accessible to those with disabilities

W

Ensuring your building is equipped with adequate mobility solutions is not only vital in ensuring staff enjoy safe passage throughout your premises, but will also ensure you abide to DDA regulations, meaning you’re keeping what could be a potentially hefty fine at bay

16 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

hile accounting for the access needs of people with disabilities is not a new requirement for businesses and organisations, more recently, it is an issue that has gained significant momentum since the full implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

Despite the implementation of the DDA regulations, it seems that there is still a lack of awareness from business owners as to which types of organisation fall within its scope. Equally, it’s important to know exactly what measures are needed to ensure full legal compliance. At the same time, for facilities managers and other premises operators, the DDA regulations have thrown into sharper focus the broader social responsibility to provide both easy and equal access to a product or service, including both access into and within the building.

Bearing this in mind, it’s worth questioning what obligations the regulations place on your business and how you can ensure that you’re

doing everything in your power to remain compliant. Penalties for failing to meet the guidelines can range from heavy compensation claims to complete closure of a business, meaning companies can ill-afford to ignore them.

1. Initial access It’s the first hurdle you’ll need to clear, as it’s the entrance to your workplace. Take a look at your building – stairs and other obstacles may require a platform lift to aid wheelchair or other disabled access. For the most part, it’s worth imparting an element of common sense – what obvious obstacles are there preventing someone with limited mobility from accessing your premises? If there are entry routes that could prove tricky to navigate, then provide alternate access. Also, for staff arriving on the premises, you’ll be required to provide accessible parking to those with limited physical mobility.

2. Internal access Once exterior challenges are addressed, interior

Industrial mobility

changes in level, i.e. a workplace on an elevated floor, may restrict access to services. This means you’ll be required to install a mechanical device to solve the issue and remain compliant, this could include anything, dependent on the circumstances from a fully installed lift, to a stair lift, or through floor lift.

3. Signposting Whilst the main issue with internal access is installing the correct mechanical systems, it’s also crucial to ensure adequate information is provided to staff. Details regarding lift location must be both written and tactile, not only for the awareness of physically disabled staff, but also for the needs of the visually impaired.

4. Stopping accuracy Accuracy is vital when it comes to mobility access, as just a few inches can make an entire area of a building inaccessible. With mechanical devices, and in particular, lifts, the car must stop within very tight limits of the floor level to be considered DDA compliant and enable staff to enjoy practical access.

5. Call buttons In order to meet the new regulatory requirements, lift buttons must be within certain specified heights on both the ground floor and landing areas in order to make them accessible for wheelchair users. Likewise, the buttons should be tactile, illuminated and emit an audible noise to confirm call acceptance.

The call panel, call buttons and car walls should all have contrasting colours, to aid those with visual impairment.

With around ten million disabled people in England, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of the population, it’s vital businesses cater to the needs of staff with disabilities. Ensuring your building is equipped with adequate mobility solutions is not only vital in ensuring staff enjoy safe passage throughout your premises, but will also ensure you abide to DDA regulations, meaning you’re keeping what could be a potentially hefty fine at bay.

Mick van der Stock Mick van der Stock is mobility manager at UK mobility and maintenance specialist, Pickerings. For more information on Pickerings Lifts Mobility, Maintenance and Repair, please visit www.pickeringslifts.co.uk, contact 0113 252 2678 or alternatively email mobility@pickeringslifts.co.uk.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 17

A shared

view

A growing number of manufacturing firms are gathering valuable business intelligence from mining the vast volumes of data generated by their production processes. If such data was shared securely industrywide, the benefits could be much greater, says Dr Liane Smith

M

cKinsey & Co (2011) defines big data as ‘datasets whose size is beyond the ability of typical database software tools to capture, store, manage, and analyse.’ Big data promises greater levels of speed and efficiency for almost every type of business and in every industry.

There would be great benefit to the transport industry for example, if the different ‘data stacks’ across rail, aviation and roads were pooled to create a shared view. Transport for London (TfL) has committed to syndicating open data to third parties and to engaging developers to innovate using its open data. More than 200 travel apps are helping millions of customers make optimal use of the transport network. The economic value of time saved has been estimated at up to

18 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

£58m per year, according to the International Association of Public Transport.

Meanwhile, the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) initiative developed by Eurocontrol, enables airlines, ground handlers, air traffic control and airport staff to share the latest and most accurate information about the status of flights for better-informed decision-making.

A-CDM has been fully implemented at 15 European airports handling the equivalent of 480 million passengers a year. According to Airports Council International, this is delivering tangible benefits – including lowering their airline partners’ operating cost base by over £44m annually.

Hearts and minds TfL’s open data and A-CDM are just two

examples of the types of initiatives discussed recently at the ‘Connected Data’ workshops held by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE).

Further workshops in 2015 have focused on other sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy and the built environment. Although data models and systems could be managed and maintained as assets, the RAE believes that a change in ‘hearts and minds’ is necessary to capitalise on the opportunities that improved connectivity provides.

One of the barriers to realising the benefits of shared data is that individual organisations perceive value in the proprietary data they hold.

Any firm that has invested time and money in recording a large dataset is more likely to make it available if they have confidence in the quality, security and anonymity of the shared dataset

Big data

Sharing data on the use and incidence of failures on specific parts could be a key way to achieve improvements across the industry and prevent sub-standard components finding their way into products across the globe from many diverse sources presents technical challenges, while queries can take too long to return an answer unless the right technology is in place.

Component reliability data applications

Nevertheless, connecting data presents a significant opportunity. Cisco Consulting Services values this opportunity, what it calls the ‘Internet of Everything’ (IoE), at $19tn over the next decade. This is based on two studies conducted during 2013-14 that identified $4.6tn in potential bottom-line value for the public sector, and $14.4tn for the private sector.

The high-tech, telecom, and financial services industries ranked highest in potential IoE value in Cisco’s private sector study, while the retail, energy, and manufacturing sectors ranked lowest, but were found to have the highest potential upside for growth.

Certainly, firms must be prepared to find smarter ways of managing and extracting value from the data they collect. The sheer volume of data, and the speed at which it is collected

Manufacturing companies capture vast volumes of data on a daily basis in order to monitor the quality and reliability of manufactured components. Accurate and precise information is essential to demonstrate a certain level of reliability of a vendor’s products, as performance in the market can vary significantly from controlled, pre-despatch testing. This informs business-critical decisions such as the warranties offered for certain products, the sampling frequency for quality control checks and the scale of manufacturers’ in-house repair capabilities.

Accurate reliability data could also allow manufacturers to identify the social and environmental factors that affect higher returns of products. However, these are hard to detect in isolation and therefore a large and appropriately structured dataset is required to identify trends.

Getting accurate reliability figures for components and sub-components requires access to a statistically significant database. Although most manufacturers collate component reliability information from their own operations, having access to industry-wide data would mean they could identify the best performing components, and benchmark the performance of components within their own organisation against industry averages. They could also extract reliability and availability metrics to support a range of costsaving decisions based on facts.

While the industry recognises this need, a key challenge has been the reticence of manufacturers to share their data externally.

Manufacturers may simply constrain the data to their own dataset in order to track the reliability of products with specific sub-components sourced from different suppliers. For example, a bolt manufacturer may detect issues with bar stock sourced from different suppliers based on feedback of failures from customers.

This information would be highly valuable in pinpointing the root cause of failure, and the speed and validation of the root cause analysis may be greatly enhanced by sharing the data across other industry sources.

Sharing data on the use and incidence of failures on specific parts could be a key way to

achieve improvements across the industry and prevent sub-standard components finding their way into products across the globe.

Realising industry value In response to industry demand, Wood Group Intetech has launched a global database of component performance data. This online experience database utilises a reliability analysis tool, iQRA, and is already in use in the oil and gas industry where it is providing operators with access to global well and oilfield component performance information.

However, the benefits are equally applicable to manufacturing, where insight into component performance could result in a more reliable component selection. Suppliers too, could improve component performance by highlighting areas for existing product modification, or developing new ones.

Wood Group Intetech has developed iQRA to ensure that data sources are kept strictly confidential. Sensitive data is anonymised and access to system functions is protected, using password strength gates and a robust set of user roles and privileges.

The benefits of an industry-wide database of component reliability extend far beyond energy and manufacturing – they apply equally to any process-intensive industry, and where cost pressures and increasing regulatory requirements demand informed decision-making based upon a risk evaluation approach.

Dr Liane Smith Dr Liane Smith works at Wood Group Intetech.

Wood Group is an international energy services company with over $7bn sales and operating in more than 50 countries. The Group is built on Core Values and has three businesses – Wood Group PSN, Wood Group Kenny and Wood Group Mustang – providing a range of engineering, production support and maintenance management services to the oil & gas, and power generation industries worldwide. For further information visit: www.intetech.com.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 19

Fine

tolerance One French company has found that Haas machine tools put in an outstanding performance

M

achine shops that need a cost-effective solution for cutting tough, difficult-tomachine materials around the clock should look no further than the recently launched Haas UMC-750 universal machining centre. Testifying to the machine’s ruggedness and dependability is French company KMP, where an automated UMC-750 runs night and day machining complex aerospace components in titanium for Airbus.

In southwest France, one very-well-known company dominates the industrial landscape: The Airbus Group. Along with an extensive supply chain in the Toulouse area, this European giant is single-handedly responsible for a good deal of the region’s economy. In fact, in 2011, when word got out that Airbus was planning a major manufacturing programme, husband and wife entrepreneurs Sébastien and Sonia Korczak decided to establish their own subcontract machining facility, KMP, with the intention of servicing the large number of tier-2 and tier-3 aerospace companies in the area.

20 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

“Before we opted for Haas, we were told by other machine tool suppliers that they weren’t up to the job of cutting hard materials,” says Sébastien Korczak. “In fact, it turns out they didn’t want us to know that Haas machines can be pushed day and night cutting tough materials, and will not let you down. What’s more, they’re so easy to use that one of my operators learnt the control in just a day; even my 11-year-old son can run the machines!”

With no established contacts in the aerospace supply sector, KMP’s first six months were far from plain sailing. But, knocking on the doors of large aerospace supply chain companies eventually led to a hand full of orders, which the company machined using a pre-owned Haas VF-2 vertical machining centre with a Haas TR160 two-axis (rotating/tilting) trunnion table.

“Haas has a big brand presence in the market in Europe, and because we’d had a very good experience with our used VF-2, we felt compelled to find out more about their machines,” says Mr. Korczak. “Other machine tool suppliers said Haas machines were only good for

aluminium and plastics, but to me, their derisory comments hinted that there was a hidden truth they didn’t want us to know about. At the start, we wanted a five-axis machine to differentiate ourselves from three main competitors we had identified in the market. But, we needed to find a good machine at a good price, and we couldn’t afford to buy a new one. The pre-owned Haas VF-2 proved to be the ideal solution. It has a very big programme storage capacity, which allows us to use sophisticated machining strategies.”

Such was KMP’s initial success that within six months, the company had swapped the VF-2 for a Haas VM-2 vertical machining centre complete with a more powerful spindle, followed shortly after by a Haas DT-1 drill/tap centre. However, the most recent purchases at KMP are two Haas UMC-750 five-axis machining centres, one of which is robot-loaded and typically runs all night.

KMP was, in fact, the first company in France to install a UMC-750.

“We shopped around, but with a weight of eight tons the UMC-750 appeared to us to

Case study have the mass we were going to need to cut tough materials,” states Mr. Korczak. “We had the opportunity to see the UMC-750 without the cover and were reassured by the sturdy, rigid machine frame. Also, we have great confidence in the Haas control. In fact, the UMC-750 is supplied as standard with some essential macros for five-axis machining, specifically for the dynamic repositioning of parts.”

According to Mr. Korczak, the machine’s precision is another differentiating feature that has helped overcome many component issues at KMP. For instance, one particular part required holes drilled to a tolerance of ±3µm. The holes were generated using helical interpolation on the UMC-750, and the customer approved the part when they were delivered as ‘right first time.’

Around 80 per cent of components at KMP are produced from titanium – a notoriously tough and difficult-to-machine alloy – mostly for the aerospace industry, but also for motorsport.

Many of the components are highly complex, featuring freeform surfaces, inclined faces, angled through-holes and irregularly shaped bosses.

Sometimes 80 to 90 per cent of the original billet is machined away. Titanium has proved to be no problem for the Haas machines. Indeed, thanks to automation, one of the UMC-750 machines runs around the clock cutting titanium workpieces.

The Eco-Tower 60 from Lang Technik offers a simple and advantageous introduction to automation, typically for batch sizes up to 60 off.

An operator at KMP loads the tower with billets, presses the button, and walks away, returning to find a completed batch of precision parts.

“Communication with the UMC-750 is very straightforward and was facilitated by a Haas technician in no time,” says Mr. Korczak.

KMP aims to continue growing by finding customers who need precise parts made in tough materials and larger volumes. But the company is in competition with local companies, as well as rivals operating in lower-cost economies, such as Romania and Tunisia.

“We have to be well organised and structured, with an attractive hourly rate, in order to compete,” concludes Mr. Korczak.

“Which means the price and running costs of Haas machines are a huge advantage, and we can build on that.

“We now feel confident enough to hire more employees and buy more Haas machine tools, especially universal machines. I’m very glad we didn’t listen to the stories we were told by other machine tool companies. We wouldn’t be where we are today. It’s always worth finding out for yourself.” www.haascnc.com

Around 80 per cent of components at KMP are produced from titanium, many are highly complex, featuring freeform surfaces, inclined faces, angled through-holes and irregularly shaped bosses

French company KMP runs its automated UMC750 night and day machining complex aerospace components in titanium for Airbus

Sébastien and Sonia Korczak established KMP, a subcontract machining facility in Toulouse, with the intention of servicing the large number of tier-2 and tier-3 aerospace companies in the area

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 21

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Focus on: SPTS Technologies l Special Metals Wiggin Limited l norelem l Rotpunkt Küchen l ESBE l WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen l Scherdel l Fluorocarbon Company l Stürtz Maschinenbau l Dinex l Spirotech-SRD l Diamond Box l Faltec Europe l Svedbergs l Tec Systems l Essentra l Porvair Filtration Group l Fanuc UK l Farrel l Brafe Engineering l Deutz AG l 600 UK l JDR Cable Systems l Bifrangi UK l Väderstad Group l MöllerTech UK l

y

Drallim l METTLER TOLEDO Safeline l Continental Sports l Hi-Force l Collins and Hayes Furniture l Neumeister Hydraulik l European Investment Casters’ Federation (EICF) l Foseco l Weiss Spindeltechnologie l CG Drives and Automation l Collini l Dams International l R. Stahl (P) Ltd l Baxi l Ferrum l Plextec Consulting l Polar Manufacturing l Tronrud Engineering l Teknos l Analog Devices (Ireland) l Beatson Clark l Pohjanmaan Kaluste l ZincOx Resources l Riedhammer l Hermann Bantleon l

EUROPE

BEST PRACTICES FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS

EUROPE

MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING toda y toda

SPTS Technologies

Sophisticated

technology

SPTS Technologies is a leading supplier of etch, deposition and thermal equipment and process solutions

SPTS Technologies Ltd. Products: Etch, PVD, CVD and thermal wafer processing capital equipment Sites: Newport, South Wales Employees: 500 www.spts.com

E

ncompassing over 40 years of experience in developing and manufacturing wafer processing equipment, SPTS Technologies Limited (SPTS) brings together expertise from several companies including Watkins-Johnson, Trikon Technologies, STS, and Aviza Technology.

Although the roots of the company can be traced back as far as the 1960s the name SPTS first appeared during 2009 and continues to endure following its acquisition by Orbotech Ltd. last August. Orbotech is a NASDAQ listed company and has been at the cutting edge of the electronics industry supply chain, innovating technologies present in the manufacture of the world’s most sophisticated consumer products for over 30 years.

Today SPTS continues to design, manufacture, sell, and support etch, PVD, CVD and thermal

capital equipment, providing advanced wafer processing technologies and solutions for the microelectronics industry. End-market applications include micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), advanced packaging, LED, highspeed radio frequency device integrated circuits (IC’s) and power semiconductors. As part of Orbotech, SPTS is able to build on its existing manufacturing strength and industry expertise to expand its reach to better serve its clients globally. Although the acquisition of SPTS by Orbotech was completed less than 12 months ago SPTS has made a significant impact on the group, delivering approximately a third of its total revenue during the first quarter of 2015.

Furthermore SPTS is dedicated to exploring the synergies between itself and Orbotech, while remaining focused on its own technology development and manufacturing processes

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 23

SPTS Technologies

‘‘

Like any business we are looking for synergies to develop global opportunities and consolidation - not in terms of headcount but certainly for operational efficiencies and supply chain, which continue to be a big focus for us

Philtronics Limited Manufacturing Excellence.

Philtronics is a contract electronic manufacturer (CEM), offering outsource electronic manufacturing services (EMS) to customers demanding flexibility and a fast turnaround with a high level of product reliability. The company has become a strategic partner to SPTS over the past ten years and is their number one CEM supplier. Both companies have successfully collaborated on numerous continuous improvement projects. This strong partnership approach between customer and supplier has provided benefit to both organisations on delivering their required objectives, and demonstrates that close communication is key to success for all.

to ensure that it continues to remain at the forefront of an increasingly dynamic market.

“Like any business we are looking for synergies to develop global opportunities and consolidation - not in terms of headcount but certainly for operational efficiencies and supply chain, which continue to be a big focus for us,” explains Mike Hewlett, vice president of operations at SPTS Technologies. “SPTS is a technology company, and we are continuously investing in new wafer processing solutions and manufacturing techniques to make sure all

of the current and future requirements of our customers are met. To remain competitive in the rapidly evolving microelectronics manufacturing industry we have to be at the leading edge of development as new technologies emerge while being as responsive as possible with productionready solutions for our customers as they ramp to volume manufacture.”

Mike continued: “In fulfilling our customer requirements, one of our biggest strengths is in our lead-times. Our process modules and systems range from $1million to $4 million, so it is a significant investment for our customers.

At the same time, our customers also face high levels of demand from their end customers who are global brands like Samsung and Apple who are highly driven by consumer behaviour and ‘want it now’. This is a very fast moving industry and our lead-time genuinely gives us that competitive advantage to win the business.”

Supply chain management and relations are critical in ensuring short lead-times. To achieve its competitive lead-times SPTS has

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 25

26 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

SPTS Technologies

Mike Hewlett vice president of operations

introduced increasingly efficient manufacturing processes that have allowed the company to greatly improve production ramp without compromising customer specifications or quality.

Presently SPTS enjoys material lead-times of around six weeks, which is achieved through co-operation with local suppliers. “Ideally our manufactured parts are delivered from within 100 miles of our facility, including machined

parts, looms and electrical parts,” Mike reveals.

“This allows us to not only support the local economy, but also to manage quality and engineering revision change, which in such a dynamic industry is rife.”

As the use and demand for electronics continue to increase so too has the need for delivering higher volumes of ICs at lower cost. SPTS has remained at the forefront of wafer processing solutions and this enables its customers to meet their challenging requirements by offering a range of wafer size handling systems. The integrated circuits and micro-electronic devices produced using SPTS equipment are found in every smartphone in the world and in other things that touch our lives every day, such as automobile airbags and domestic appliances.

“When I joined the company over 30 years ago, the wafers being managed at that time were 75mm in diameter,” Mike elaborates. “Today the typical wafers we manage are 300mm in diameter, so that means that you can get more

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 27

SPTS Technologies

‘‘

We treat our customers extremely well and serve them as best as we can. We also do not simply just ship a unit and let it go into the field; we offer full support from installation through to qualification, and this is of great importance to any customer

devices onto one wafer. If you imagine a 300mm wafer, it is 12 inches of silicon moving through a machine at a very quick pace before being diced into the small ICs that you see inside mobile phones, tablets, etc, which are between 3mm to 4mm in size or smaller. This means that it is possible to fit hundreds or thousands of devices onto one wafer. The semiconductor industry is highly cost sensitive so any improvement in throughput and yield gives both us and our customer an additional advantage. Therefore process efficiency and wafer throughput are benefits we always work to improve and deliver to our customers.”

Commitment to customer satisfaction and customer success has also been instrumental in SPTS’s success. Mike concludes: “We treat our customers extremely well and serve them as best as we can. Customer loyalty is our top corporate objective and it has been key for repeat business. Presently about 70 per cent of our business is repeat business because we have very strong relationships with our customers.

We also do not simply just ship a unit and let it go into the field; we offer full support from installation through to qualification, and this is of great importance to any customer.”

The company’s combined efforts has enabled SPTS to win numerous awards, including the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2013, and was also named Welsh Government Anchor Company in January 2014.

More recent accolades include two awards at the Welsh Business Awards 2014 and EEF Future Manufacturing Awards Insider’s Made in Wales 2013 ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ Award and the ‘Green Manufacturer’ Award in 2014.

28 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Special Metals Wiggin Limited

Integrated for

success

With roots dating back to the mid 1800s with the formation of Henry Wiggin and Company Limited by Sir Henry Wiggin, Special Metals Wiggin Limited has earned a commanding reputation as a leading innovator and manufacturer of nickel-based superalloys

Special Metals Wiggin Limted Products: Special metals and alloys Sites: Hereford, UK Employees: 530 www.specialmetalswiggin.co.uk

W

ith over 100 years of experience in the nickel industry, Special Metals Wiggin has survived the challenges created by volatile market conditions and clients operating within a host of industry sectors encompassing aerospace, automotive, petrochemical power generation, thermal processing and heat treatment, chemical, marine engineering; and oil and gas extraction.

The company is presently part of the American manufacturer, Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), which acquired Special Metals Wiggin in 2006. Following this milestone, the business has continued to provide solutions to difficult material problems through such time-tested products as its world-recognised INCONEL速, INCOLOY速, NIMONIC速,

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 29

30 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Special Metals Wiggin Limited

FUCHS Lubricant Group The FUCHS Lubricants Group has been a key supplier to the Special Metals Wiggin site in Hereford for over 20 years. Developing close working relationships with all of the teams, FUCHS has introduced new fluid technologies contributing to many successful cost down initiatives.

With two experienced technicians employed full time on site, FUCHS has also introduced its ‘Fluids Live’ service on site, an Intranet Web based, recording, tracking and reporting tool with integrated Key Performance Indicator Measurements to manage, monitor, and control the application and use of all lubricants and cutting fluids and services used on site. (www.fuchslubricants.com/fluids-live) New advances continue to be made in the machining and application of Nimonic alloys, the FUCHS Group will continue to work closely with Special Metals to ensure that their facility at Hereford is best in class, maintaining the relationship with FUCHS Lubricants UK and its technology at the forefront in the production of components utilising these alloys.

UDIMET®, MONEL® and NILO® alloys. From its Hereford base, Special Metals Wiggin represents a major European production facility in the Special Metals Corporation group of companies, which also includes facilities in Huntington, West Virginia and New Hartford, New York, as well as Perth, Australia. Using air and vacuum melting, vacuum arc and electroslag re-melting, powder metallurgy, forging, extrusion, hot and cold rolling, and cold drawing, the business makes a comprehensive range of nickel alloys in many standard wrought forms. These include ingot, billet and bar, extruded sections, pipe and tube,

and flat products (plate, sheet and foil).

The business was last profiled by Manufacturing Today Europe in 2008, during which time Special Metal Wiggin’s parent company had approved a scheme to build a new rod mill, which was manufactured in Sweden and commissioned in December 2008.

Complimenting its state-of-the-art rod mill, Special Metal Wiggin offers a unique low-cost melting, forging and extrusion process placing it in a strong position to compete on the global market.

Although demand has been impacted by

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 31

the current low oil price, business, particularly long-term potential for the manufacturing of specialty alloys, remains strong. As such, Special Metals Wiggin has continued to invest in its manufacturing capabilities in line with what is perceives as current market trends, as director of sales Mike Simon elaborates: “Since 2008 we have built on the development made from a new rod mill and have continued to grow our core business utilising that investment while also currently investing in new capacity to make seamless tubing. This includes an investment in another Cold Pilgering machine to increase our capacity as well as ancillary equipment. As part of this investment we are also moving and improving the layout of all our finishing and final inspection operations for operational flow improvement. A further important decision that we have taken was to close down our strip mill where we used to make cold rolled strip. We exited that business in order to use the space

Newfield Automation Ltd. Established in 1989 with a proven track record of providing integrated control and mechanical handling systems we offer a single source for the client’s requirements, from consultancy to total turnkey projects.

Our long standing partnership approach with Special Metals Wiggin Ltd has allowed the continued delivery of a variety of mechanical handling and control system solutions that meets their requirements to provide improved machine operability, process and operator safety and overall plant reliability.

32 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Special Metals Wiggin Limited

in that we go right from melting through to finished seamless tubes. We melt the ingots, forge and extrude them on site and go on to finish the tubes themselves. This means that we are able to control quality and generally means that we have lower lead times than any of our competitors. We can also have more flexibility,” Mike reveals.

Considering the future of Special Metals Wiggin as well as the market in general, Mike concludes: “Over the next 12 months the business will focus on the market for seamless tube manufacturing, however, we are growing other products such as our capacity in the automotive sector. With the current downturn in oil and gas there has been an impact on all of the tube market, because it affects everything from steel through to nickel alloys. There is of course still capacity within the market, and it is very competitive at the moment. However, we believe that oil and gas will recover next year and as it does that demand will come back.”

to expand our tube production.”

Commenting on industry demand for special metals across the market he adds: “Although there is a current downturn in terms of the oil and gas industry, the long-term trend in this and other industries is for increasing use of highernickel alloys for corrosion and temperature resistance. Across the energy sector for example, we perceive mid to long-term potential in solar energy, new technologies for conventional fossil fuel power stations as well as some opportunity in nuclear power.”

Further to its continuing programme of development and investment, Special Metals Wiggin maintains its leading position by ensuring that it delivers the highest levels of quality. As such, all of its facilities are accredited to quality management system ISO 9001:2000 and in addition the testing laboratories are accredited by UKAS. Furthermore, approvals from individual customers include those from Airbus, ABB, Westinghouse, Fiat Avio, MTU GmbH, Rolls Royce, SNECMA, Statoil, and VdTÜV. The company also has EN/AS/ JISQ 9100 and PRI/Nadcap Approval for heat treatment, non-destructive testing and materials testing.

Its combined facilities and industry recognised accreditation, allows Special Metals Wiggin to operate as a fully integrated nickel alloy manufacturer, whereas many of its competitors operate across several sites. “One of the things that gives us a competitive edge is that we are unusual as a tube manufacturer

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 33

norelem

Taking hold As norelem looks to expand its global footprint, Paul Mulvey, heading up the new UK operation, expresses his positivity for the company’s future

norelem Products: Manufacture and supply workholding and clamping solutions Sites: Seven + Employees: 600 www.norelem.co.uk

34 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded in 1958, German based company norelem has established itself as a leading player in Europe supplying workholding and clamping solutions to the industrial, automotive and aerospace industries.

The company is currently undergoing a major initiative to increase its global footprint. As part of this programme, the company has established a new facility in Mexico, as well as setting up a new commercial office in Brazil and as recently as January 2015, a new commercial and technical office in the UK. norelem currently has a portfolio offering of around 28,000 products, supplying everything from toggle latches through to fully designed workholding and clamping systems. With state-ofthe-art manufacturing facilities in Germany and France the company has the ability to manufacture many of its own products with cold-forming, milling, CNC technology and injection moulding systems, amongst others, in place. “This gives us an advantage over our competitors as we are able to drive costs and quality standards within the industries,” explains UK Head, Paul Mulvey.

One of the main strengths of norelem is the service it provides. “What makes us unique is the

fact that we are able to offer, not just a product, but also the service to sit down with a customer and look at a process or application within a production facility and work out how we can reduce cost, waste, scrap and increase efficiency.

This sets us apart from being just a parts supplier, we’re setting ourselves up to be something very high quality and very solutions led,” highlights Paul.

Testifying to this are a couple of ongoing projects the UK office is working on within the automotive industry. “On one of them the company has a seven per cent scrap rate at the moment because of the way they physically hold the products in the manufacturing process. We’re looking at implementing a system that will remove the scrap rate and save them around £15,000 a week,” outlines Paul. “Another company want to automate the way they operate and we’re looking at improving efficiencies so they can redeploy six of their personnel to other areas of the plant.”

Other strengths include the widely recognised Big Green Book catalogue, which Paul says: “Is critical to our selling strategy as it is available online and via an app, which allows technicians and engineers to view a component in 2D or 3D CAD and place it into their designs to make sure

it works.” The company is also in the process of improving its online presence by optimising its SEO campaign and increasing its presence on Facebook and Twitter. “We have seen some extensive growth throughout mainland Europe by utilising that strategy, and we wish to extend this into the UK,” adds Paul.

Having established the UK office in January 2015, the brand is very new to the UK market and Paul is keen to lay out the company’s strategy for growth in the country. “Specifically what we are looking for in the UK is to generate awareness of the norelem name because it’s very well known in Europe as the number one, but has a very minimal footprint here,” says Paul. One particular industry that represents a significant opportunity is the automotive industry. “The UK industry is having a massive renaissance from where it was 15 years ago, ultimately off the back of people like Jaguar Land Rover,” he continues. “Strategically we want to work with key distributors and also blue chip organisations at OEM, Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels. ” Another area the UK office is keen to continue from norelem’s European operation is the engagement with education and universities to stimulate innovation within the industry. Over the last ten years the portfolio for norelem has expanded from 10,000 to the 28,000 it holds

at present, and continued product development is ongoing. “We are constantly looking to work with engineering schools and universities,” Paul emphasises. “We are working with a number of colleges in Germany and looking to roll that out to the UK where we effectively sponsor a project and offer technical and product support. We are keen to link in with the engineers of tomorrow and we’re happy to invest in that to help people grow. Whilst at the moment in the UK we want to support some relative projects, in the future we would like to be able sponsor a number of students through university.”

The UK arm of norelem is in its infancy, but as

Paul is keen to express it has a lot of resources behind it as it looks to gain a firm foothold in the market, visiting a number of trade exhibitions and investing in advertising. “The opportunities are availing themselves already and they are quite substantial,” he says. “It’s a really exciting time for all of us. It’s a company that is prepared to invest time, money and effort to do things properly as it looks for global footprint against a backdrop of very high quality and competitively priced products.”

Ultimately, whilst the current strategy is to raise brand awareness in the UK, the company will look to expand and create a range of employment opportunities.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 35

Rotpunkt Küchen

Dedicated to

service

The provision of high quality kitchens from the family owned company Rotpunkt, Rabe & Meyer Küchen GmbH & Co KG, helps to turn peoples’ dreams into reality

Rotpunkt Küchen Products: Kitchen Design Sites: Germany Employees: 220 www.rotpunktkuechen.de

36 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

E

stablished in 1930 by Heinrich Rabe and Wilhelm Meyer in Bünde-Ahle, the company began manufacturing cigar boxes, building upon the history that Bünde holds as the cigarmaking centre of Germany. Later branching into wooden toys and sewing boxes, the business eventually, following the Second World War, digressed and cemented its position within kitchen manufacturing, and since that time has not looked back. “With the latest manufacturing technology at our main factory/headquarters and at our subsidiary plants in Löhne and Preußisch Oldendorf, we continue the tradition of specialised manufacturing processes, producing an extensive product range with reliability of quality and logistics,” says Andreas Wagner, one of two, joint managing directors.

The colourful history of the business is of no surprise to others in the region, with 80

per cent of kitchen production in the area extending from a history of similar cigar and sewing box production lines. “We are a family business, which is very important, especially for the size of the company, and the short lines of communication ensure that any decision-making can be quickly implemented, deciding together with our sales department and business team.

One big advantage is that no long discussions regarding investments in fleet of vehicles, machines, new markets or other investments need take place,” points out Andreas.

“We don’t manufacture just set ranges of kitchens, instead build on commission/order, designing the kitchen to whatever the customer wants. Typical delivery can be achieved within four weeks after the order date, and 80 per cent of our kitchens are delivered in this time, whilst special surface patterns and finishes can take longer,” he adds. Producing design-

orientated kitchens, often comes at a premium to the end user, but by using Rotpunkt’s services, professional designs are achieved without paying the extra for the company brand. “We actually have a designer in the UK that worked with us for many years, designing kitchens for Rotpunkt Küchen,” says Andreas, highlighting the quality design.

Following a very successful period of trading, the company is in the process of making substantial investment into a 6000sqm hall, divided into two parts: pre-production section with a 4800sqm extension, and a main hall extension of between 1200 to 1500sqm. The 4800sqm extension of the warehouse and sawing technique area incorporates a classic surface layer with board cutter and a direct connection to edge bending machines for LOS 1 size production. With construction due to commence in the summer of 2015, Andreas

highlights how ongoing investment helps to shape the future: “For the production of our own kitchen fronts, we have invested in an edge bending machine using a new laser technique.

This new technique produces a seamless edge, with the laser melting the edge and welding the plate. This was one of the major investments we made last year at our plant in Preußisch Oldendorf.”

Automatic improvements are also scheduled to be made allowing for standard boards to be taken out of storage much faster than with conventional on-floor storage methods, greatly increasing the inventory turnover rate. “All sawing, edge cutting and drilling is order specific, and the extension in the assembly station will promote opportunities for lean manufacturing, instead of having a reserve warehouse further off the main production area. This will ensure work can be undertaken faster, more securely,

‘‘

We don’t manufacture just set ranges of kitchens, instead build on commission/order, designing the kitchen to whatever the customer wants

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 37

Rotpunkt Küchen

REHAU

The process of laser welding edgeband materials has made its way into almost all areas of the furniture industry in recent years.

REHAU has been using suitable edgebands for laser welding edge band materials from the very start. The market leader for flexibly implementable polymer edgebands is now reorganising its range to provide the fabricator with an even quicker overview: RAUKANTEX laser edge has become RAUKANTEX pro, which can be used with all the latest zero-joint technologies. Also ROTPUNKT Küchen relies on the quality of the RAUKANTEX edgeband with the polymer functional layer that offers a precise colour match with the visible side of the edgeband and, when processed correctly, can be optimally melted on at all application stages, producing a narrow surface closure without visible joints.

38 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

and with a higher rate of productivity. In comparison, the main warehouse extension does not have many technical extensions, acting mainly as a replenishment of storage,” explains Andreas.

By ensuring that customer service remains a priority, the business has successfully achieved the delivery of numerous complex kitchens, utilising a fleet of mobile designers throughout Europe. Focusing on its operations across the

Channel, Andreas adds: “We have been very successful in the UK, particularly with the exclusive agreements that we share with these designers. In our strategy to complete the service, we want to further build up studios that are exclusive stockists of our kitchens. It is very rare that we deliver directly to the customer.

The further development of our business in UK will see us becoming more prominent in the north of England, the Midlands and Ireland.”

Whilst the company continues to enjoy strong market growth in the UK, it is through the focus on service, and the motivated and experienced field workers that it continues to build upon valuable relationships. Concluding, Andreas explains: “Our partnership agreements are very important to our success, and providing the best value for them is equally as important, ensuring our stockists can achieve the highest level of profit, and this plays a huge role in encouraging and stabilising the friendship-like relationships. Over the next 12 months we are expecting a major sales growth, with our large construction project representing a major milestone for the company, and further investment of ten million to 12 million euros over the next three years will be a pioneering phase for the company.”

ESBE

Get invalved ESBE is committed to expanding its product range to further meet the needs of the customer

ESBE AB Products: Valves and actuators for waterbased heating and cooling systems Sites: One in Sweden Employees: 220 www.esbe.eu/gb/en

W

ith more than 100 years of history in the benchmarking of new standards for valve and actuator capabilities in different systems, ESBE AB’s product range today is based on three core features: energy efficiency, enhanced comfort and improved safety. Used in systems for heating, cooling and tap water, ESBE’s products are present throughout Europe, where the company has developed a strong foothold thanks to its commitment to continuous development of its portfolio and ongoing modernisation and improvement of its facilities.

“ESBE was founded 1906 in the small Swedish village of Reftele, where headquarters and production remain today. Since the 1930s our focus has been on heating, an area that ESBE has achieved a leading position in valves and

actuators used in water-based heating and cooling systems in most of the large European markets,” begins Karsten Pillukeit, CEO of ESBE AB. “Today we employ more than 200 members of staff across Europe, with two thirds of our employees working in production, management and support functions in our headquarters; the remaining one third is employed in the European sales companies in Germany, Poland, France and Italy.

Although we have a global customer base, more than 90 per cent of our sales are concentrated in Europe.”

Majority owned by the Skogsfors family, with an 80 per cent stake, with the remaining 20 per cent owned by employee shareholders, the highly successful organisation currently boasts a 40 million euro turnover and a ten per cent increase in organic growth over the last ten years.

One reason behind ESBE’s strong foothold in

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 39

ESBE Europe is its superior facilities, which have seen investments of approximately 35 million euros over the last five years. Using its own financial strength to make these improvements, the company has ensured it will continue to lead the way in valves and actuators.

“In order to stay competitive as a European based manufacturer of highly energy efficient solutions, continuous improvement must be a driving force. Due to our ability to develop and produce products from scratch, we have a considerable breadth and depth of production capability. Our investments included ongoing modernisation of the machine park, extension of process capabilities, capacity increase, product line extensions, improvement of work methods and assembly lines and the optimised utilisation of space.”

Karsten Pillukeit, CEO, ESBE AB

40 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

So far these enhancements have proven fruitful for ESBE, with the innovative company winning the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015 for its ESBE Superflow valve SLB130 and ESBE Circulation unit GRA111. Offering reliability, security and high quality standards, the SLB130 allows for easy adjustments to customer requirements in a wide range of applications.

Compact in size, the superflow valve has a flow value that is twice as high as conventional valves without compromising on controllability.

In addition, the integrated actuator features intelligent functions and can work as both a diverting valve as well as a mixing valve.

Meanwhile, ESBE’s circulation unit – GRA 111

was praised for its well-conceived functionality, easy handling and elegant look. The one size fits all product offers pre-assembled, tightness tested and heat-insulated assembly and boasts a unique technology that can reduce the risk of over dimensioning and lost authority. Moreover, the GRA 111 is controlled by an actuator, making it a perfect match for mixing operations with an external controller. Equipped with a high efficiency circulation pump and tailor-made insulation, customers can rest assures that ESBE provides the best possible circulation for both economy and environment.

Aware that new products offer a higher possibility of delivering better value sales throughout the supply chain, ESBE is committed to expanding its product range to further meet the needs of its customer base and thus maintain

its competitive edge in the market, as Karsten highlights: “In times when market growth is limited and competition becomes tougher, innovation is one important way to distinguish yourself from the rest of the crowd. Our depth and flexibility of production, combined with a geographically tight network of quality secured suppliers enables us to maintain the required high quality standards in delivery times and delivery precision.

Our customers appreciate the durability and functionality of our products, features that have been core elements of our brand. We are seen as an innovator in our field; customers consult us on market trends and ask for our support in using our products as integral components in new developments of their own.”

With some European markets such as the UK remaining strong, ESBE will focus on selective

markets over the next 12 months while remaining optimistic that the general economic situation across Europe will improve, as Karsten concludes: “It would seem 2014 was a difficult year for most sectors. Despite record low interest rates, there was a low investment mentality, which affected the HEVAC sector in the wake of falling energy prices. Being more than 90 per cent dependant on Europe, a more global view on market opportunities will be a natural path to follow for us over the coming years. On top of market opportunities, we are well on our way to being recognised as much more than a component producer, and the possibilities of valves, actuators and controls as systems integrators is becoming more widely acknowledged. These are our two key elements, which we need to mould in a broader strategic view.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 41

WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen

Complete precision WaldrichSiegen is a world leading supplier of heavy-duty machine tools

WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH Products: Leading manufacturer of heavy-duty machine tools Employees: 1600 - Group www.waldrichsiegen.com

42 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded by Heinrich Adolf Waldrich in 1840, WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH witnessed steady growth as it began producing pumps, exhausters for blast furnaces and belt pulleys. In 1897, Heinrich’s son designed and produced the first roll turning machines; an innovative milestone for the company that resulted in a commitment to continuous expansion of products and services that is still maintained today, as Dr. Stephan Witt, managing director at WaldrichSiegen, begins: “WaldrichSiegen is the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty machine tools in the fields of grinding, texturing, milling, vertical and horizontal turning. Customers all over the world focus on WaldrichSiegen in all areas that require precision and performance as decisive criteria in machining of sophisticated products. The

products are for example used for machining rolls and work pieces, heavy marine diesel engines, crankshafts and turbine rotors.

“WaldrichSiegen designs and produces machine tools tailor-made for the individual application. The machines do not only provide utmost precision and performance, but are carefully developed to ensure the perfect machine tool for the customers’ work piece is created. That comprises the development of the machining strategy including tool concept and the simulation of machining processes. The extensive consultation of the customer is the main characteristic of WaldrichSiegen.” With a strong customer base in place, WaldrichSiegen uses its long-term experience to manufacture machine tools that ensure optimum precision and efficiency.

In 2004 WaldrichSiegen was acquired by the

HerkulesGroup, a development that resulted in new innovations such as ProfiMill, the company’s portal milling machine series. On top of product development, becoming part of HerkulesGroup has enabled the company to profit from existing synergies within the group, as Stephan discusses: “The HerkulesGroup has sales and service units all over the world, for example in India, China and the USA. WaldrichSiegen customers profit from immediate service and local contact persons. In addition to that, the product portfolio of the companies in the group is complementary. Thus, the group offers a wide range of products to the customer. Together with our sister company, UnionChemnitz, we can supply our customers with boring mills and portal mills from one source – the customers profits from the vast know-how within the group.”

Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2015, the global leader in large machine tools manufacture began its anniversary year with a milling technology seminar for customers in March. During this seminar, Stephan notes that WaldrichSiegen took the opportunity to discuss

the development of ProfiMill: “Eighty customers from all over Europe came to Burbach/North Rhine Westphalia, to learn about the latest innovations in milling technology. One part of the seminar consisted of lectures introducing the product portfolio and the milling machine series ProfiMill. The second half of the seminar was practically oriented. During live demonstrations on a ProfiMill, the guests could witness the wide scope of precise and efficient machining options.

Discussing with the WaldrichSiegen experts, they learned to optimally apply the ProfiMill technology in their own companies.”

By working consistently towards a maximum standardisation of all major machine components throughout the development of the ProfiMill concept, WaldrichSiegen has created the optimal solution for the economic machining of complex large work pieces. Available in either table or gantry design, all ProfiMill major

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 43

WaldrichSiegen Werkzeugmaschinen

machine components are made of high quality cast iron and manufactured in-house to ensure optimum precision and quality. Keen to meet the evolving demands of its customers, Stephan notes that WaldrichSiegen has introduced two smaller machine types to the market: “This means WaldrichSiegen now also offers

Fuchs Umwelttechnik Produktions-und Vertriebs-GmbH Fuchs Umwelttechnik Produktions-und Vertriebs-GmbH, with its headquarters in Staig-Steinberg near Ulm, is the technological leader in the development and production of filter and extraction systems for trade and industry. Since its founding in 1984 by Dipl.-Ing. Harald Fuchs, the innovative company has offered its customers excellent solutions for the extraction and filtering of harmful emissions from the air in the production process. Since 1991 its exhaust and filtering devices have been used by WaldrichSiegen. Thanks for the many years of good and harmonious co-operation. .

44 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

customers with smaller work pieces the opportunity to machine their work pieces with WaldrichSiegen technology. The new machines have all the well proven characteristics of the larger ProfiMill machines. They provide utmost precision, performance and efficiency.”

Moreover, through easy maintenance and

service, in addition to energy efficiency, the life cycle costs have been minimised and economic viability of the ProfiMill machines have seen a significant increase; these beneficial features are a core part of the dynamic firm’s commitment to delivering the best possible solutions. “The design of our machines is characterised as being maintenance and service friendly as well as highly energy efficient,” says Stephan. To maintain a competitive edge in technological innovation, sustainability and responsibility, WaldrichSiegen is part of the initiative ‘Blue competence’ by the VDMA, a German Engineering Federation that focuses on developing sustainable solutions for the economy, ecology and society.

Another notable product for the company is ProfiTurn V, which set new standards in the machine tool industry when it was introduced to the market in 2013. “The ProfiTurn V provides significantly more performance and precision than all other known machine concepts. It integrates different operations for the machining of complex, large work pieces with the highest precision and excels in obtaining high availability and energy efficiency. Workpieces with weights of up to 500t and diameters of 12,000 mm can be machined with the ProfiTurn V,” highlights Stephan.

Benefiting from 175 years of experience in manufacturing machine tools, the future looks positive for WaldrichSiegen and it continues to transfer well-proven solutions and technological expertise into the development of new machine concepts.

Scherdel

Highly

sprung

Offering an extensive portfolio, Scherdel focuses on safety, reliability, trust and continuous development

Scherdel Products: Bespoke springs and stampings and associated components Sites: Europe, the US, South America and Asia www.scherdel.com

W

ith a strong global presence of 29 manufacturing plants, throughout 11 countries, across three continents, Scherdel operates as a market leader in the field of metal forming; assembly and joining technology; mechanical engineering; and tool and surface technology in standard and bespoke modes.

The company was founded during 1889

by Sigmund Scherdel, with the establishment of a wire-drawing mill for the production of piano strings in Marktredwitz, Germany, moving later shortly thereafter into the processing of spring steel wire spokes, flexible shafts, tension, compression and torsion springs. Through over 125 years of successful operation, Scherdel has developed a rich history and a highly trusted reputation of stability and innovation. “Today Scherdel remains as a 100 per cent family

owned business that is known globally for the manufacture of springs,” says Managing Director Marcus Bach. “My great-grandfather founded the company and was in contact with Rudolf Diesel early on in the development of his engine, so that the very first diesel engine was produced using valve springs provided by Scherdel.”

Indeed throughout its history Scherdel has been present for several defining moments around the world. During 1902 to 1914 for example, Scherdel springs were successfully used with the first street racing cars, while in 1928 the company rose to prove itself in the field of aviation with Scherdel valve springs in use in the first successful east-west Atlantic crossing with a Junkers machine. Additionally during the same year, the Maybach engines of the Graf Zeppelin airship were equipped with Scherdel springs.

Over the following years the business continued

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 45

46 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Scherdel

Simplex Rapid S.r.l.

Simplex Rapid S.r.l. is a leading manufacturer of spring coiling machines based in Milan/Italy. Since its foundation in 1948 Simplex Rapid has been distinguishing itself by several patents that have revolutionised its field of application.

Ninety per cent of its production is exported all over the world (40 per cent to Germany, 20 per cent to USA).

The attention paid to customers’ satisfaction makes it possible to establish long-term partnerships with the most demanding manufacturers of springs for automotive, medical, aerospace.

The machine models MC 50 and MC 80 are particularly appreciated for the production of automotive springs (such as valve springs) with medium-to-large-sized wire (up to 5.0 – 8.0 mm).

The machine range FX (for wire dia. from 0.1 to 3.0 mm) is the state-of-the-art in manufacturing compression springs with small-to-medium-sized wire at high/very high speed (more than 1000 springs/minute.)

Continuous feedback received from its own customers (i.e. leading companies in the sub-supply of springs such as Scherdel Group) enables Simplex Rapid to enhance the specific features that distinguish its machines: quality, technology and use of innovative solutions.

to grow and expand its service offering. The company’s reputation for innovations and industry firsts was further strengthened when in 1936 Scherdel pioneered the use of shot peening of springs in Europe. The process allowed for the surface strain of springs to be hardened and the fatigue strength considerably increased.

Commenting on the development of the business, Marcus says: “We have expanded our business to provide different kinds and shapes of springs and have added further applications, including the surface treatment of springs and tool machine and system construction. Scherdel is also able to work in close collaboration with OEMs and system manufacturers to assist from an early stage in the development of new products.”

Today Scherdel employs some 4500 members of staff across the globe, some 270 of which are invested in the undertaking of research and development activities. Its global network has given Scherdel a global footprint, which includes a strong presence within Europe, the US, Brazil, China and Japan. The company’s turnover has continued to increase year-on-year, with Scherdel achieving a turnover of around €600 million during 2014. The present product portfolio offered by Scherdel is comprised of technical springs and metal forming; assembly and joining technology; surface treatment; tool, machine and system construction; and standard springs. Its

products have found applications in a broad base of industries including the automotive; electro mobility (E-mobility); health care; electronic; machine and system construction and tool construction sectors. Furthermore in addition to these main areas, Scherdel has also provided products to the energy and solar; household appliance; sports and leisure; furniture and fitting; and aerospace industries.

The automotive industry has proven to be an important contributor to the success of Scherdel since early in the company’s history, whether it is in specialist racing cars or everyday personal transport. Within the automotive sector Scherdel has proven expertise in vehicle drive systems; body, brakes and chassis applications; and vehicle interiors. Presently the automotive market appears strong and is an area in which Marcus has great confidence. “I think that the automotive market in Europe is getting stronger again and even with some weakness in Asia and China, the market is generally still growing,” he says. “I certainly think that the automotive business has a good future and over the next 12 months we will be looking to build a second plant in China as well as to increase our international footprint.”

Extending into E-mobility, the development of innovative ideas and their implementation represents a major challenge for the automotive industry and its suppliers. While the same can be said for the further development of

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 47

Scherdel

Compression springs

Punch bending parts

Transmission parts

‘‘

The strength of Scherdel is that we are a significantly research and development focused company and we provide our clients with tailored solutions to their problems

conventional vehicles, the principle is amplified in the development of future-oriented system technologies including electric mobility. To meet the challenges of this emerging industry, Scherdel is developing parts and assemblies for hybrid and purely electric drives and the mass production of these parts. Innovations in the field include the use of metal-plastic composites, such as laser-welded products made from highly purified copper. Additionally Scherdel is carrying out core research in the field of welded joints for nonferrous metals with renowned companies and research initiations. In recent years Scherdel has met the prerequisites for the development and manufacture of prototypes in small series and these are constantly being expanded for future products. “The strength of Scherdel is that we are a significantly research and development focused company and we provide our clients with tailored solutions to their problems. We can contact

clients at the early stage of development of parts and components to find the best solution to their requirements,” Marcus reveals.

Further to developing solutions for the growing E-mobility market, Scherdel is keen to expand its presence within the sector of health care solutions. Within this area Scherdel works in accordance to the premise that ‘health and intellect are the two blessings of life’, as observed by the ancient Greek dramatist Menander. Indeed the modern medical industry generates new innovations everyday, which enables new examination methods; advances the treatment of patients; or eases the burden of doctors and nursing staff. In order to facilitate this development, Scherdel applies its specialist knowledge that plays a part in all applications where wire or strip material is needed. As it does across all of the sectors it serves, Scherdel supports its clients within the medical industry with innovative solutions, using secure and completely documented production processes.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 49

50 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Scherdel Manufacturing plant, Mexico

Headquarters, Germany

Friedr. Gustav Theis Kaltwalzwerke GmbH

Theis is a leading international B2B cold rolling mill. Located in Europe and Asia, Theis is focused on deveolping and producing high end precision strip in stainless or carbon steel as well as flatwire and profiles. Together with the customer it is always looking for outstanding solutions. Most of its customers like the automotive, medical or spring industries require narrow confines for tolerances, surface or mechanical performance.

Theis’ know-how is the advantage for many ambitious customers in different markets worldwide. This is also the background of a long and successful partnership between Scherdel and Theis.

This leads to the creation of reliable products that ensure that Scherdel clients in this sector can concentrate on the patient’s well being.

The first Scherdel products are already in use in various medical applications and during 2014 the company provided millions of springs to ensure the fuction of drug delivery systems or for safety syringes. “We are actively seeing to increase our presence within the medical market,” Marcus says. “Presently the company’s main business is in the automotive sector but we want to grow further into new markets. We already have some offers from clients in the medical market and we certainly see opportunity there for Scherdel to gain more business.”

To support its ambition to increase its market

presence across a range of applications, Scherdel continues to invest in new and expanded production facilities to further strengthen its global manufacturing and support network.

To this end one of company’s most recent investments was the opening of additional manufacturing capacity within Mexico. “We were already present in Mexico, but the plant there had become too small so we took the decision to built a new plant to incorporate more space for products,” Marcus elaborates. “The motivation for us was the opportunity of offering valve springs to our clients in the US, European and Asian markets. The plant was ready for operation and the manufacture of most products by the end of 2014, but it took some time for the release procedure of our customers. However the factory is now operational and has begun serial production.”

Situated in Silao de la Victoria – a city state of Guanajuato, the investment in the new facility was valued at some $10 million. The new facility covers an area of almost 30,000 square-metres and presently features around 9500 squaremetres of administration, production and storage space. However, due to the expansive nature of the new location, Scherdel is capable of flexibly increasing its capacity to meet new and emerging customer demands. In addition to the new facility and associated equipment roughly 100 new members of staff were added to the company’s existing workforce, further enhancing the manufacturing capacity of Scherdel. The training of the new employees is undertaken predominantly at the company’s plants in Germany to guarantee the highest standards

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 51

52 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Scherdel

‘‘

It is very important for us to have the right people in the right places and we train our own staff and offer courses, which are specialised in springs as well as other disciplines like language courses and cultural issues when dealing with international trade

of quality. The German plants represent the first port-of-call for knowledge transfer for Scherdel, as the region is the home of its product development and production engineering efforts.

The training and development of in-house knowledge and engineering capacity is a core strategy for Scherdel in delivering the highest standards in quality, efficiency and safety. Its efforts to exceed the requirements of its customers is something that drives the business forward in entering new locations, expanding its knowledge base and encouraging further innovation. “Our first company aim is the customer’s satisfaction and this can only be achieved by having good and motivated staff,” Marcus observes. “It is very important for us to have the right people in the right places and we train our own staff and offer courses, which are specialised in springs as well as other disciplines like language courses and cultural issues when dealing with international trade.”

Scherdel has survived through some of the most volatile moments in history and the varying fortunes of the global market. On 26th March 2015, the company announced the anniversary of its 125th year in operation. To mark the occasion Scherdel is holding a special exhibition, which is taking place at the ‘Fichtelgebirgsmuseum’ from 21st March to 6th September 2015. Utilising words and pictures, the exhibition uncovers the success of Scherdel as a family-run business with a fascinating history incorporating BMW sports boats, Graf Zeppelin airships and Formula One racing cars.

From its very beginning the company has relied on technically sophisticated products that promise future growth. Indeed the maxim of the company is ‘progress based on tradition - growth from innovation’ and it is a philosophy that has served the company well and will continue to do so during the latter half of 2015 and beyond.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 53

Fluorocarbon Company

Strong

performance

Fluorocarbon was a pioneer in the moulding of PTFE polymers in the UK and today remains dedicated to innovation

Fluorocarbon Company Ltd Products: PTFE and fluoropolymer materials Sites: Four in UK and one in Europe www.fluorocarbon.co.uk

54 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

A

pioneer in the moulding of PTFE polymers in the UK since its foundation in 1962, Hertfordshire based Fluorocarbon has grown through experience, innovation, expansion and strategic acquisitions to become one of the UK’s largest fluoropolymer processors and global suppliers of PTFE and fluoropolymer materials, components and coatings. Indeed, following five decades of strategic growth, the company has established five manufacturing sites, four in the UK and one in Romania. Complementing these sites are the firm’s sales offices, which are strategically located across Europe and the USA. Relied upon by many blue chip organisations to deliver high quality solutions for use in extremely hazardous and challenging projects, Fluorocarbon is committed to continuous product and service improvement to ensure its solutions meet and or exceed ever-increasing demands from a wide range of industries.

“Fluorocarbon sell into some very hazardous

and safety critical markets and complying to legislative requirements is not sufficient, which is why we put so much emphasis on controlling our processes from material blending through manufacture to dispatch. Fluorocarbon invests heavily in quality control including people, laboratory test equipment and measurement systems. Our commitment to quality is total and demonstrated through our BS EN ISO 9001:2008 certification and conformance to AS9100,” says Ralph Cash, Commercial Director at Fluorocarbon Company Ltd. Alongside these credentials, the company has also received the ISO 14001:2004 certification following a three-year energy efficiency plan to reduce energy costs and increase efficiency. In line with these efforts, Fluorocarbon was awarded the EEF/ENER-G Environmental Efficiency Award for the second year running in November 2014. This award was given in recognition of green business excellence and Fluorocarbon’s ability to exceed targets and make good use of technology.

to review existing sealing solutions and we have a good track record of taking cost out by reviewing not just the physical sealing elements but the ease of assembly and fitting.” Examples of products designed and manufactured for the oil and gas industry include slide bearings and pipe supports, skidways, seals, seats and valves, sub-sea connector seals and high pressure back up rings. Many of which are designed to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures; the

‘‘

As oil producers strive for HPHT sealing solutions our performance materials and design knowledge is in high demand

Discussing the award, Ralph states: “This project radically changed the way we used and distributed compressed air on site. The team connected three buildings onto one efficient air main and reduced our four compressors to two economical machines, freeing up valuable space while reducing annual running costs by 42 per cent and CO2 by 20 per cent.”

These improvements, alongside the company’s commitment to HSEQ, are well appreciated by the company’s core markets, which includes oil and gas and petrochemical, medical and pharmaceutical, aerospace, automotive, food and beverage and water and environmental.

Although the falling oil price has had a negative affect on a number of organisations, Ralph notes that there has been a maintained level of strong growth in the oil and gas industry: “As oil producers strive for HPHT sealing solutions our performance materials and design knowledge is in high demand. Also in a falling market customers are more receptive to invite our technical team

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 55

Fluorocarbon Company Fluorocarbon, Manchester, UK

components can be used for operations involving sub-sea, construction, platforms and processing plants.

Although Fluorocarbon is currently working within a number of industries, Ralph highlights a particularly challenging project: “A major

56 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

multi national valve company charged our Seals team with replacing a stem seal assembly into an existing gate valve. The brief we had was to manufacture from our NORSOK range of materials, use the same groove dimensions, double the sealing pressure to 20,000 PSI,

incorporate a back up seal, and design to accommodate fitting in the field. The seal exceeded the operating parameters on the first test. However with clever design and material selection the team also managed to reduce the operating torque enabling the customer to fit a smaller actuator saving them serious money.”

Alongside its well established portfolio of Fluoropolymer materials, the company also boasts a comprehensive range of machine tools, from sliding head autos for the small diameters to CNC lathes with 1500 mm+ capacity and CNC milling capability for most jobs. “We operate our machine shops on three shifts and recent reorganisation of the plant has improved our flexibility and reduced lead times which is an increasing priority for our customers,” says Ralph.

“Fluorocarbon operates two sodium ammonia etching plants which are kept busy despite the availability of ‘do it yourself ’ etching products on the market, as there is nothing close to the bond strength achievable when using sodium ammonia etching. We conduct Lap shear tests to confirm the efficiency of our Fluoroetch, as major structures (up to 30,000 tons) have been moved on our Fluoroglide skidways so bond failure is not an option.”

Committed to continuous improvement, the company has coupled the manufacture of Fluoropolymer materials with extensive CNC machining capabilities from small diameters to 1500 mm+, which has resulted in a one-stopshop approach to operations. To further shorten its customer supply chains, Fluorocarbon also works closely with clients throughout the whole process to find savings in the handling, storage and transportation of products.

Having invested in the company and its people, Fluorocarbon is now looking to expand its customer base through strategic expansion, as Ralph concludes: “Achieving profitable growth and strategically managing costs while intelligently navigating current and future opportunities and risks seems like an impossible task. However, we have invested in the company and our people so we are now looking to expand our global reach across different products, services, routes to market and customers.”

Stürtz Maschinenbau

Window of

opportunity

With a long and successful history behind it Stürtz looks forward to a future of continued innovation and quality service offerings

Stürtz Maschinenbau Products: Manufactures machinery for the UPVC fenestration industry Sites: Germany and North America www.stuertz.com

I

n 1946 Willi Stürtz Maschinenbau GmbH was founded in Neustadt/WiedRott, Germany as a specialist machine manufacturer specifically targeting the fenestration industry. By the end of the seventies the company was moving into the development and production of machines for the emerging market of PVC products, and a decade later had made its move in the North American market as Stürtz Welders and Cleaners. Over the coming years, it continued to grow with the foundation of Stürtz Machinery Inc in Ohio. With a leading position established, growth ensued for the company and in 2003 its German shop floor doubled in size to 140,000 square feet, which later expanded again in 2007 to 178,000 square feet. In 2009, its US operations moved to a new facility in Twinsburg, Ohio with a larger manufacturing plant area of 21,000 square feet.

Innovation has always been central to Stürtz’s operation in the market, as it seeks to offer world-leading manufacturing processes to the fenestration industry. This began in 1981 with the development and production of the first electronic corner cleaner, which represented the company’s entry into automation. This continued in the following years and in 1992 Stürtz developed the first CIM structured, modular production line for the manufacture of PVC windows. In 1998 it began the development of a cutting and machining centre and a year later it delivered its first FlexFab automated centre with pass-through welding and cleaning lines to customers in North America. In the same year it also started its quest to realise total production control with the development of control software called PRO OPT. At the turn of the millennium, Stürtz’s

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 57

46 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Stürtz Maschinenbau

Avnet

Avnet can take OEM solutions to the next level and increase your competitive advantage with stable, long product lifecycle platforms, complete factory integration services, customisation services, and global support services. These are all needed by OEMs in order to grow their businesses and keep costs under control.

Avnet offers a wide array of value-added services, customised solutions, and integration capabilities that can be locally focused or scaled to a global business capability, with Tier 1 vendor pricing and support. It has invested in infrastructure and technical staff to assist you in bringing products to market quickly without sacrificing quality with a predictable and timely supply when needed. It is financially positioned to scale its business to the level and needs of its growing customers, suppliers and partners. It can collaborate with you at all levels of design and integration so you can minimise your total cost of ownership and concentrate on your core competencies.

One example of a successful co-operation is its partnership with Stürtz Maschinenbau GmbH, for whom it is managing stock inventory levels.

door products in North America.

Despite a surge of innovation and growth extending the length of Stürtz’s history, in 2012 the company was hit hard by the global economic crash and it filed for insolvency.

However, in 2013 it was brought under new ownership and the company started a process of rebuilding by retaining much of the staff and operational capacity it had worked hard to establish. Since then the company has grown from strength to strength, and to illustrate the

successful comeback Stürtz once again became recipients of the Crystal Achievement Award for innovation in 2013. This was awarded for the company’s SMI-LP-DM90-F automatic double miter saw with in-line fabrication, the latest in the Stürtz’s line of high speed, high production fabrication saws.

The machine offers customers the ability to select two different blade diameters to facilitate a much more flexible and versatile production capability. Flexibility sits at the heart of this innovation as tabletop tooling can be changed quickly and easily, and the blade angle can automatically adjust based on the profile ID and production file information. The machine is offered in two fabrication options: the first uses fixed tools for dedicated product fabrication and the second allows additional flexibility with servo-driven tools that can be used on multiple products. According to Stürtz the linear motordriven feed system, combined with a unique closed loop, absolute measuring system provides the most accurate cut length and fabrication location repeatability available.

Stürtz’s mission statement is to use its

commitment to innovation accelerated. In 2001 it developed a modular cutting and machining concept designed to suit all factory sizes and by 2004 it had built a complete turnkey solutions package to provide a universal automation concept for any sized company. Later on, it enhanced the performance of its corner cleaning applications with the development of ‘motion control’ and ‘jet control’ features. As a result of its innovation drive, in 2007 Stürtz became the recipient of the Crystal Achievement Award for its Compact Sash Line, a prestigious accolade for innovation within the fenestration industry.

Continuing on its journey towards total automation, in 2008 Stürtz introduced its new range of LinearPro automated cutting and machining centres. This won the company another Crystal Achievement Award in 2009 for the most innovative machine in the frame, sash and door fabrication category. In the same year Stürtz enhanced this offering by delivering the SMI-LinearPro 3D-Fab for the fabrication of PVC

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 59

Stürtz Maschinenbau

Wemaro Tools

Wemaro Tools is a world-leading supplier of tools for the manufacturers of windows and doors. Its specialised knowledge is highly valued by its customers; including well-known producers of window machinery Stürtz. Wemaro is very proud of this long-term partnership.

Incorporating all the recent developments in technology, the company’s streamlined production methods enable it to react fast to customer needs. Furthermore, Wemaro tools are tested to the highest quality standards and are continually developed and improved.

60 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

experienced team to strive towards supplying quality machines and services to its customers complete and on time, whilst making a reasonable return on investment for itself and its employees. Teamwork, quality of product and service, and on time delivery sit at the heart of everything the company does and as such it remains keenly aware of its market and its customer’s needs in order to meet and exceed the requirements demanded of it. The level of quality product and service that it delivers to its customers has proven to be signficant as the German company successfully competes at a high level in the US. As part of the rebuild a renewed focus on continued research and development has been central to Stürtz maintaining its leading position in the market. The company now strives to maintain the balance between experienced industry veterans and young fresh thinkers within its work force in order to create working synergies between fresh ideas and experienced knowledge of the applications. This facilitates the consistent and determined drive behind Stürtz’s innovation programme and from this it

will continue to deliver to the market the best solutions.

Accompanying this the company places a unique emphasis on how it works in partnership with its customers, inviting every customer to become part of the Stürtz family to create and develop a complete and tailored solution. By working with its customers from planning to production and maintenance, Stürtz promises to offer a solution designed to optimise operating cycles and increase cost-effectiveness for the end user.

The future for Stürtz looks positive as it looks forward with the same vigour that afforded its success before the economic crash. In September 2015, the company will be attending the annual GlassBuild America Exhibition in Georgia. At the show it will be displaying the latest in its innovation developments with the LinearPro through feed double miter saw, its new welding product line featuring TurboWeld technology, which claims to reduce welding cycle time by 30 per cent, and its latest twin head corner cleaner with new graphical programming and increased simplicity.

Dinex

A game

Danish exhaust systems manufacturer, Dinex, has the ability to respond proactively to the increasing pressures concerning emissions and is well placed to take its systems across the globe

Dinex Products: Manufacture complete exhaust systems for mid- to heavy-duty diesel and gas engines Sites: Head office, Denmark www.dinex.dk

62 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

S

changer

till a family owned business, Dinex was founded in 1982 by Jørgen Dinesen and his wife making aftermarket mufflers for heavy duty, medium sized trucks and vans. Over the years the company has grown in size and competence to now produce complete exhaust systems across 16 countries in four continents around the world.

With innovation at the core of its business, the company is heavily driven by ever changing emissions standards and serves both the aftermarket and OEM industries. Well established in Europe, Dinex has now set its sights on the US and Chinese markets, both of which represent significant growth opportunities.

Talking to Manufacturing Today Europe, vice president and director of operations, Poul Henrik Jørgensen, explains what makes Dinex a strong player within the industry. “A lot of people in the market will focus on one particular product, whilst our proposition is that we are a one-stop supplier, we offer the complete system. It can be a hard business because, particularly with the more complex substrate and catalyst systems where reliability is important, some customers can be

reluctant to change suppliers. However, there is a trend at the moment within the heavy-duty industry where companies are looking to reduce complexity and the number of suppliers. We are in a leading position to respond to this.”

Aside to the breadth of exhaust systems the company offers is its ability to respond to the ever-increasing environmental standards imposed upon the automotive industry. Dinex has R&D facilities in Germany, Finland and Denmark where an experienced workforce, which includes PhD, are focused on innovation to drive the industry towards a more efficient adherence to environmental standards. “Due to implementations of Euro standards we have seen the engine get smaller and smaller as they utilise fuel better,” explains Poul. “At the same time, however, the exhaust system is getting bigger and heavier as we add more substrates and filters. The muffler is getting more complex as environmental standards are imposed and therefore prices are going up. We have developed a game changer. With the Eminizer, we have been able to reduce the size, weight and cost of the exhaust system, whilst still reducing emission

levels.” The development of the Eminizer puts Dinex in a strong position to respond to future Euro standards, which will push emissions levels even lower.

Testament to its ability to innovate and run parallel to emissions standards is a recent contract signed with Ford. A major part of the company’s move towards the complete systems OEM market, the contract represents a significant step in the Dinex’s growth strategy. “The contract is for Ford trucks of Euro 4 and 6 emission standards,” reports Poul. “We have developed a high volume line in Turkey with Ford. They will build trucks in a plant 60km from our plant and we will supply between 12,000 and 20,000 mufflers a year, with the start of production in Summer 2015.”

Another recent contract, which represents a significant step for the company, is a joint venture with Chinese manufacturer, Longda to supply Dongfeng, one of the largest truck suppliers in China. Poul express: “When you look at the numbers they supply, European numbers are next to nothing. As we succeed in the venture it can potentially bring huge volume, and build our reputation. The more substrates and mufflers that we have on the road, the more evidence we have to show that our conservative business has a product which is very quality- and cost-competitive.” The success of this venture could have subsequent benefits for the company’s business in Europe as it grows a more competitive global footprint, and Poul hopes it will provide the company with a good knowledge base to help grow the business in the US as well.

In terms of innovation and market opportunities, Dinex looks well placed to

succeed as the industry drives forward. However, Poul expresses that there are other things that need to be done to support this growth. “We are currently trying to build up more relationships with our suppliers, we see that there are some synergies to be gained,” he says. “By improving these relationships we hope to create a better, more efficient supply chain, and better cost-performance, both of which we can pass on to our customers.”

For the future, the company is focused on

making the most of new opportunities. “Growing with our customers and looking at new markets is where our opportunities are,” explains Poul.

Pre-empting the next Euro standard, the Eminizer should be well placed to draw attention to the company, and the company hopes to get these installed into some OEM contracts to stimulate growth. The Middle East also looks to be a potential opportunity as that market opens up for Dinex. Ultimately, the strategy is to gain a stronger foothold in the US and Chinese markets. Despite being relatively smaller players at the moment, both markets represent huge opportunities and Dinex is already well placed to make the most of these, so growing profits and increasing sales is a target for both.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 63

Spirotech-SRD

A complete Spirotech-SRD Group Ltd is a global leader in the design and manufacture of equipment and machinery for handling and processing materials

Spirotech – SRD Group Ltd Products: Machinery for handling and processing materials Sites: Two Employees: 70+ www.spirotechgroup.co.uk

64 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

O

solution

riginally established in 1979 as a small workshop with a focus on producing screws and replacement flight segments for the agriculture and cement industry, Spirotech witnessed continuous growth throughout the 1980s as founders John Owen and Derek Wheldon noticed a gap in the market for the design and construction of bespoke conveying systems. Taking on a mortgage, the two founders erected a purpose built factory in St Neots; a move that proved highly fruitful as the market for bespoke conveying systems flourished and the company began to export its products across the globe to the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Renowned as one of the biggest and most respected suppliers to the bulk handling sector in the UK by the mid 1990s, Spirotech responded to further demand in the market by relocating

to a 40,000 square foot factory that enabled capacity for future growth. This success resulted in Spirotech being sold to the SRD Group in 2005; a development that introduced products such as silos, pressure vessels and screw conveyors to its scope of supply. Since the merger the level of investment in both organisations has grown to exceed ÂŁ3 million, which has enabled SpirotechSRD Group to remain at the forefront of its market activities on a global scale.

In 2013 the group diversified its services with a maintenance and spares division in York; a development that has allowed Spirotech-SRD to offer service plans for all equipment it produces, as well as spare parts on a 24/7 basis. This division currently includes six fully qualified engineers along with a designer engineer and estimator that are experienced in both mechanical and electrical systems. Proud to go the extra mile, the team goes above and beyond to source obsolete items

or find a suitable replacement and can travel globally to help set up and install bulk handling and conveying systems that are built at the head office near Peterborough, the UK. In addition, the engineers regularly carry out scheduled maintenance programmes that are designed to fit in with the client’s production schedules to ensure minimum disruption to their plant.

“When Spirotech-SRD Ltd started in 1979 it mainly made conveyors, however, over the years we have progressed into making screw conveyors and parts for conveyors for all industries, including ATEX rated machinery. We now also design and

build high quality pressure vessels, pressure piping and associated skid systems for the oil and gas, refrigeration, chemical and food industries,” begins Managing Director of Spirotech-SRD Ltd, David Gadsby.

Having supplied the agricultural industry for 25 years, the group has long-term experience in solving specific challenges as well as moving and storing bulk solids and liquid waste through its screw conveyors, tanks and bulk storage products and site services. Utilising this experience, Spirotech-SRD’s products for the food and beverage industry have been tried, tested and are

today trusted by leading market players; products constructed for this market segment include holding tanks, pressure vessels, pipework and conveyors. Other industries that benefit from the

Nord Drivesystems

Nord Drivesystems is a true global supplier of full-scale, comprehensive drive solutions and is proud to be a supplier to Spirotech SRD. Its portfolio ranges from standard drives to customised solutions for demanding application requirements together with energy-efficient or explosion-protected drives.

It has subsidiaries in 36 countries around the world and an extensive distribution and service network ensure minimal lead times and provide customer-oriented services wherever needed on short notice.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 65

Spirotech-SRD

group’s expertise and commitment to optimum quality and excellence include the highly stringent oil and gas industry, which requires complex and safety critical products and the chemical industry, which requires the latest advanced technology to ensure all products are corrosion and abrasion resistant. For clients requiring the best possible solutions, Spirotech-SRD is the number one choice.

Today the 70 employees at Spirotech-SRD work with major blue-chip customers such as Coca-Cola, Southwest Water and Scottish

66 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Water as well as smaller businesses to deliver its bespoke products for use in the most demanding commercial environments across the globe.

“We carry out the majority of all engineering requirements in-house, which offers clients the benefits of a one-stop-shop service. We are not reliant upon sub-contractors, which enables us to offer a quicker turnaround with no compromise on quality,” says David. “For our clients who need equipment made quickly, we have established the ‘Rapid Build’ programme, which allows us to offer

a design and build service; we have the capacity to nearly double our working time overnight thanks to how our manufacturing systems are set up.”

Operating under one roof, David notes that the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 firm has invested heavily in new equipment over recent years, which has increased production and enhanced quality: “We are also currently progressing with a number of investment programmes that include strategic company takeovers.”

These developments have enabled SpirotechSRD to successfully complete projects such as the design and build of two 40,000 litre stainless steel pressure vessels, which took place under its new ‘Rapid Build’ programme. Working with a five week critical window, the company had each department focused on the projects demands within hours of receiving the order; from purchasing through to design, each area strived to successfully turn the project from a concept to reality.

Another major project for Spirotech-SRD came from a Middle East based blue-chip oil and gas firm, which placed a £5.5 million order for pressurised screw conveyors. Proving the company’s strong reputation for high quality design and manufacturing services to the bulk handling market, the contract consisted of 32 large conveyors that were required for operations in arduous conditions. With high temperatures and high pressures to consider, each conveyor was built to PD550 CAT II, with full third party inspection at Spirotech’s UK manufacturing base.

Although impressed with Spirotech’s technical expertise, the client needed to be sure SpirotechSRD could deliver. As the gap between funding manufacturing costs and receiving payment for the finished products would put a high level of pressure on working capital, the company worked closely with the UK Government, via Natwest, to secure funding and eliminate the possibility of delays. This contract and the steps taken to fund it have proven a useful exercise for Spirotech-SRD as it now has the knowledge, experience and contacts in place to handle projects of this scale.

Despite a deflated market in the UK currently and challenges in the overseas markets anticipated to continue into the second quarter of 2015, the future looks positive for Spirotech-SRD as it continues to deliver high quality solutions to its global customer base, as David concludes: “Throughout 2015 we are developing a cupped flight design for a screw conveyor, which will allow us to offer conveyors that can be vertical without running at an extremely high speed and thus cause potential damage to the product.

Moreover, we will be investing heavily in the service and maintenance section of the business while strategically searching for opportunities to diversify our market sectors.”

Diamond Box

Box

clever

A specialist in manufacturing corrugated packaging; Diamond Box is one of the fast growing cardboard manufacturers in the UK

Diamond Box Ltd Products: Corrugated packaging manufacturer Sites: One, UK Employees: 140 www.diamond-box.co.uk

D

iamond Box is a specialist manufacturer of corrugated packaging – in fact, as the company website states: ‘If it’s made out of cardboard we’ll be your one-stop-shop.’ Founded in 2007 by husband and wife team Kavi and Rani Jundu, Diamond Box has grown and developed into a leading independent supplier of corrugated packaging, thanks to Kavi’s vision, combined with considerable experience in a family based corrugated manufacturing business. He saw an opportunity in the market for a high quality, independent manufacturer of cardboard packaging, particularly for the FMCG sector.

One of the founding principles of Diamond Box was a commitment to establishing strong and enduring relationships with key strategic partners both in custom and supply across the UK. These solid relationships with suppliers enable the business to source the very best quality raw materials. By closely monitoring both international and local markets, combined with customer needs Diamond Box is able to carefully manage the supply and demand cycle to ensure it is able to provide products of high quality with short lead times, at competitive rates, and with consistency and reliability. As Kavi adds: “Customers are the best consultants you can ever have. By listening to what they want from a supplier we have filled the

gap and considerably out grown the market since our inception.”

This strategy is backed up by a commitment to continually invest into the latest manufacturing technology to ensure that the products offered

by Diamond Box are made in the most efficient way and to the highest possible quality standard.

This ethos gives the company both market leading output and productivity, which in turn brings benefits to clients in terms of high quality products delivered on a very competitive pricing policy at shorter lead times.

Kavi’s approach to the business has been extremely successful, and the company has gone from strength to strength, now turning over in excess of £21m and holding the position of the largest independently owned cardboard box manufacturing business in the Midlands, and one of the largest single site sheet plants in the country.

The services on offer from Diamond Box include consultancy, design and manufacture. Its sales team has extensive experience assisting customers in developing solutions. From simple cartons to complex packaging, they can advise on the most economical solutions to meet exact specifications and quality requirements.

If clients also require design assistance, Diamond Box’s design service is there to produce high quality drawings. Its design process matches

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 67

68 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Diamond Box economy of materials, production, transport and storage with quality, strength and fitness for purpose. The team uses the latest in CAD software and sample-making technology - designers are available to liaise directly with clients, to ensure their ultimate needs are understood and translated into the end product.

Once the client is happy to proceed to manufacture, the order is sent to the factory floor of Diamond Box’s high tech facility. This is stocked with an extensive range of machinery, which enables it to offer a broad product offering, ranging from conventional 0201 cases to five colour SRP’s, to small and large format diecutting to complex multipoint cases with self seal tape.

The core machines within the factory are the Emba 170QS and Emba 245 QS, both extremely capable case makers. These state-of-the-art systems enable Diamond Box to produce quality products at high speeds, from the simplest brown box to complex retail-ready packaging. With a wide range of product sizes with up to four-colour printing and speeds of up to 26,400 cases per hour, the conversion plant can satisfy the most challenging of tasks.

In 2013 the production area was the recipient of the substantial investment, with the arrival of a five-colour Bobst High Quality Printer. This enabled Diamond Box to break into new markets, such as the high quality post-print market as well as the value added market.

A Latitude case maker was also commissioned during 2013. This delivered a 50 per cent increase in case making capacity, and this was essential to comfortably accommodate peak demand during the Christmas period. The new machines ensure that lead times are improved for customers as well as bringing a faster turnover for conventional work.

Commenting on the investment, Kavi noted: “We’ve always been highly invested, which has served us and our clients well over the last five years as we’ve grown from a £7 million start up, to today’s £21 million turnover business.”

Alongside the significant investments into its facilities, 2013 was a special year for Diamond Box, as the business’ achievements were acknowledged with several major business awards. These began with the Small to Medium Business of the Year Award at The Express and Star Business Awards 2013, which recognises innovative marketing techniques, first class customer service as well as having a committed workforce.

This was soon followed by two awards at the The Black Country Asian Business Association (BCABA) Awards on 21st June 2013. Diamond Box was crowned Business of the Year and CEO Kavi Jundu was awarded Business Person of the Year. He described it as: ‘An award for an individual that has contributed to the economic development of the Black Country.’

The awards kept coming, with Diamond Box also winning Business of the Year at the English Asian Business Awards 2013 in September the same year.

Business of the Year ‘recognises the enterprise that has come on leaps and bounds over the last year and thus unequivocally dominating its corner of the market.’ Diamond Box emerged victorious amongst four other businesses from across the English Asian community - Kavi commented at the time: “It is such a honour to add another award to Diamond Box’s growing collection, this award is extra special as the nomination process is anonymous and whoever nominated Diamond Box for the award could range from the general public to our own clients.”

It is clear that Diamond Box, under the experienced entrepreneurial eye of Kavi, has grown into a force to be reckoned with in the corrugated packaging market. By continuing to uphold his strategy and approach, the business will continue to be able to offer customers the highest quality products at the most competitive prices whilst ensuring a sustainable and profitable future.

Higgins Balers

When Diamond Box were recently experiencing reliability problems with their automatic baler – a vital part of their manufacturing process – Higgins Balers were called in. Using its group of experienced engineers Higgins Balers serviced and overhauled their press including the hydraulic and tying systems of the machine. By providing the personal and rapid response that they needed, Higgins Balers were able to ensure the recycling part of Diamond Box’s manufacturing continued smoothly.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 69

70 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Faltec Europe

Innovation

station

Hi-Bond Tapes Ltd

Hi-Bond Tapes Ltd have been working with Faltec for the past 12 years supplying them with our foamed acrylic tapes in long length rolls for their automotive extrusions and diecut pieces for their blow moulded parts. We are a specialist technical tape company focused on high performance structural bonding acrylic foam tapes.

Our tapes are being used for a wide range of applications in the automotive industry - we supply product in rolls, spools and precision die-cut formats. The VST range give excellent high strength long term bonding of automotive engineering plastics and metal.

Mitre Plastics

Mitre Plastics, as a key supplier of injection moulded products, are continuing to develop their long association with Faltec Europe by extending the scope of the supply agreement to manufacture a new range of product: extrusion endcaps and associated assembly items for BMW Mini platforms.

A new manufacturing cell was sourced to meet the quality and production requirements for the variety and volume of product, offering a fully-automated, cost-effective solution providing strategic benefit for both companies.

Driven by a ‘passion for improvement’, car parts manufacturer Faltec Europe is focused on cost effectiveness, strong customer relationships and innovation to ensure foundations are strong for future growth

Faltec Europe Ltd Products: Automotive components/parts Sites: UK Employees: 450 www.faltec.co.uk

F

ounded in 1989, Boldon based Faltec Europe Ltd, originally known as Hasimoto Ltd, has grown over the years to become a leading producer of high quality components/parts for the automotive industry. Changing its name to Faltec Europe Ltd in 2012 following an acquisition

by Faltec Group, the manufacturing firm consistently exceeds its customer’s expectations thanks to a dedicated team that strives to go above and beyond to offer an optimum service.

As part of the Kawasaki, Japan, headquartered Faltec Group, each of the subsidiary’s 450 employees in the UK work to the same mission of the group’s 2500 strong global workforce: to continually ‘challenge the norm’ while forming strong partnerships with customers through transparency, innovation and expertise.

Committed to achieving manufacturing strength and cost competitiveness for customers

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 71

46 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Faltec Europe

‘‘

To ensure optimum injection moulding, the company possesses 19 injection moulding machines; these range from 150 tonnes to 2000 tonnes, thus giving Faltec Europe the ability to manufacture a diverse range of products such as small fender moundlings to wheel arches or side sills

in areas such as North America, Europe, South East Asia and China, Faltec Group and its subsidiaries in Thailand, the US and China work closely with the R&D departments of its automanufacturer customers to ensure optimum satisfaction and continuous innovation. Making a daily effort to fulfill its mission statement of ‘Providing valuable, leading-edge products and services to help create a beautiful, prosperous automobile society’, the global business handles six major categories of products: plastic exteriors, moldings & painting, window sashes/ metal products, electrical/electronic components, textiles and chemicals.

Within the plastic exterior division the group supplies these parts for installation on automotive production lines; the majority of this business segment’s clients are auto manufacturers in both Japan and abroad. For metal production services, the company supplies metal sashes for doors on automobiles, roof rails and other components for installation options on automotive production lines. For plastic molding operations, dedicated molding facilities, with two paint lines are employed, the company also combines roll forming, extrusion, molding

and stamping technologies to provide moldings that are installed together with car doors and window glass.

Strongly supported by its Japanese parent company, the UK segment of Faltec Group focuses on painting, co-extrusion and extrusion and injection. For the former of these services the company has two fully functioning paint plants that are capable of processing exterior trim parts up to two metres in length; this includes components such as side sills and radiator grilles. For co-extrusion and extrusion services the company has six SUS + resin coextrusion machines, two SUS + resin extrusion machines, one 3D variable extrusion machine and one TPO extrusion machine. To ensure optimum injection moulding, the company possesses 19 injection moulding machines; these range from 150 tonnes to 2000 tonnes, thus giving Faltec Europe the ability to manufacture a diverse range of products such as small fender moundlings to wheel arches or side sills. These high quality products are supplied to customers including Honda and Nissan as well as other suppliers operating in the automotive industry.

Other machines in operation at Faltec Europe

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 73

Faltec Europe

include over 25 stamping presses in the 3T-110T machine range, nine cold roll forming lines, six flocking machines and two dedicated milling machine cells.

Many of these cutting-edge machines were added to the highly productive factory over the last three years, however, Faltec Group is aware that making high quality products doesn’t only come as a result of state-of-theart technology and machinery. As such, the organisation also believes in meeting or indeed exceeding customer expectations in terms of quality, cost and delivery requirements through setting quality targets and objectives. In fact, the ISO TS16949:2009 and ISO9001:2008 certified firm strives for continuous improvements in regards to its systems, products, technology and customer service to enhance competitiveness on a global scale. On top of this, the group is wholly dedicated to encouraging each employee to become an integral contributor to company goals for growth and success.

Delving deeper into Faltec Europe’s ambition for further growth, the company’s strategy, available on its website, highlights the

74 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

importance of providing a world-class service with regards to innovation, development, cost, quality and delivery. Moreover, the customerfocused company is dedicated to becoming an integral part of its client’s development, manufacture and supply strategies as well as becoming market leaders in areas such as innovation and cost in its chosen product range.

Additionally, Faltec Europe understands the importance of flexibility in a changing market and is thus committed to constant adaptation in line with the transitions of a global economy; a strategic decision that is key to meeting its customers evolving business requirements.

Following the last three years of investment of over £5m across the plant with future investment plans of a further £5m, Faltec Europe has become a fully established and well respected part of Faltec Group. However, there are further ambitious plans for the subsidiary as the Japanese manufacturing group has forecasted year-on-year growth, which is anticipated to come from diversifying from the traditional automotive market and expanding the UK factory’s workforce. To make this possible, Faltec Europe formed a long-term partnership with north East based manufacturing specialist MTrec Recruitment in December 2014 to find high quality critical engineering, commercial and operational positions.

In addition to supporting its UK factory, Faltec Group also announced the acquisition of Mitsubishi Cable Industries Ltd.’s (MCI) business for automobile and motorbike electronic and electric parts in February 2014. This strategic development has enabled the group to fuse MCI’s extensive on-vehicle communication and sensor technologies with its own on-vehicle camera technology; a technological merger that will result in a stronger position in the smart car market as the group progresses into the brand new intelligent transport system (ITS) field.

With the support of its financially strong parent company, Faltec Europe maintains a competitive edge thanks to its global presence, diverse product and technological range and its ability to support customer demands.

Indeed, by merging a variety of technological capabilities with a team of expert employees, Faltec Europe can deliver satisfaction to both customers and its shareholders. Despite these strengths, the company sees opportunities for growth in markets such as the yellow vehicle sector and has already begun liaising with blue chip organisations such as JCB, Caterpillar and Komatsu. On top of this, Faltec Europe also sees potential growth opportunities in the agricultural vehicle market and will progress with expansion plans into this new business area accordingly.

Svedbergs

Freshperspectives With a refreshed product offering and a focus on improving its manufacturing processes, Svedbergs looks to stay rooted in Sweden as it experiences renewed success

Svedbergs Products: Bathroom furniture Sites: Dalstorp, Sweden Employees: 150 www.svedbergs.se

F

ounded in the 1920’s by Holger Svedberg, Svedbergs of Dalstorp, Sweden, started off manufacturing milk churns for household and farming customers throughout southwest Sweden. In 1962 Holger’s two sons, Sune and Stig, started manufacturing bathroom cabinets and since then the company has grown to build its product range and establish itself as a strong player in the Nordic markets.

“Since the sixties we have developed and increased the range and now our main products are furniture, showers, baths and towel heaters,” explains CEO Fredrik Björkman. “We also do mixers, WC’s and general accessories.”

Still based in Dalstorp, Svedbergs manufactures around 70 per cent of everything it sells with an employee base of 185, supported by sales offices in Norway, Finland and Denmark. Sweden remains the company’s largest market with over 75 per cent of revenue coming from domestic sales but retailers also represent Svedbergs across the Nordic countries, Russia, Baltic’s and the UK. “At present the Finnish market is very tough as it is still going through a recession and the market is weak,”

says Fredrik. “Norway is steady but positive, and Sweden is by far the strongest with a lot of new projects in the house-building sector going on.”

The new-build sector is one that poses a current challenge to the company as it has traditionally always focused on the consumer market for renovations.Yet as Fredrik highlights: “One of our goals is to penetrate this market more to expand the business.”

With such a long and successful history behind it, Svedbergs has built up a strong brand in Sweden. “This is the most important thing for us in the market,” expresses Fredrik. “The brand is what we bring to the market and connected to it are a number of promises – it is a mark of quality, Scandinavian design and functionality.”

Accompanying this branding is a strong focus on service: “It is important that it is easy to do business with us,” he adds. “It works really well for us that we sell through retail channels because our customers know their markets really well. Despite this, we still have to make sure we help them to sell Svedbergs products in a structured and easy way.”

Around two years ago, Svedbergs started to undergo a complete refresh of its product offering, subsequently resulting in 70 per cent of the range being changed. This started with the new Forma furniture range, which has now been followed by the launch of DK, Stil and SiD. “The changes

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 75

46 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Svedbergs Fredrik Björkman

we have made are to update our products and to develop them from the outside-in,” notes Fredrik. “We don’t try to follow current fashions too closely because it will be out of fashion very quickly, which isn’t ideal for a bathroom. So it is important to find the general design trends in the market. To do this we are collaborating with external designers who can help us in developing new product lines as this helps us to get the outside perspective on our products.

So we have had two Danish designers on board for DK and two Swedish for Stil.

We also recently updated our new Forsa shower door range.”

As well as working closely with designers, Fredrik is also keen to point out that Svedbergs looks to establish strong relationships with its suppliers. “We look to work with strong suppliers who will help us with solutions,” he emphasises. “For instance, we work with a company who provide LED lights for our different products and it’s important that we have someone to work with that has the

knowledge for these and is able to ensure that we have the best and right components. As well as this, some of our products have drawers, so we work closely with another supplier who is able develop and deliver high quality components for this.”

Looking to the future Fredrik has a very honest and tuned in outlook. “Currently, we have a lot of different production lines, which are a mixture of semi-automatic and manual processes,” he concludes. “As we move forward we are trying to focus on where we can automate more across the different lines. In some cases we’re going from one person producing one piece of furniture to more of an assembly line strategy, which has helped us improve our productivity. Automating the manufacturing process is going to be a major focus over the next couple of years as we look to increase production capacity and sales. It is difficult to say this, but it’s a fact that if we don’t continue to improve our productivity then it will be moved somewhere cheaper, and we want to prevent that.

It does mean however, that we have to take it very seriously and be open with our employees so that they fully understand what we want to achieve and we can work together to be successful.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 77

Tec Systems

A strong

cell

Expert suppliers of bespoke laser equipment Tec Systems is expanding its portfolio with a standard range of high quality, cost-effective laser systems

Tec Systems Products: Automation and laser systems Sites: One Employees: 20 www.t-e-c-systems.com

78 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

T

aking pride in the diversity and technical complexity of the projects it successfully undertakes, Tec Systems has developed a reputation as the UK’s leading supplier of bespoke laser systems since its inception in 2009. Business sectors that can take advantage of Tec Systems’ expertise include automotive, aerospace, electronics, plastics, food and pharmaceutical, as the company’s 20 strong employee base strives to provide cost-effective, high quality solutions to the most stringent and demanding of industries.

Able to offer a full service from design to automation production, Tec Systems focuses on both form and function whether it is creating small standalone cells or full turnkey systems. Key to the company’s competitive edge is its commitment to technological advancement and how quickly it integrates new technologies and engineering innovations into projects; using this knowledge and experience in market innovations, the company can provide customers with advice and stateof-the-art solutions whether they require lasers, robotics, servo systems, bespoke mechanisms or intelligent vision systems. In addition, Tec Systems also offers customers a full service and spares

package, which includes extended warranty, repair and test service, PLC software support and programme modifications, robot programming and support, spare parts manufacturing and training.

“Our main strength is our broad spectrum of knowledge, which means we can usually find a solution to most issues our customers have,” confirms Tony Jones, Managing Director of Tec Systems. “We are also highly diverse and have long-term experience in using lasers; although we have only been established since 2009, most of the key personnel within the company have been working together in the same industry for 30 years.

Bringing this expertise together has been very positive for us, market conditions have been very good, particularly in the automotive and aerospace sectors, and our turnover is in the region of £4 million per annum.”

Located on a 12,000 square foot site in Barrow Upon Soar, the Midlands based firm is fully prepared to meet the needs of its customers thanks to its cutting edge mechanical design facilities, electrical design facilities, software engineering and build facilities. Indeed, it is here that the company recently worked on a 20 kilowatt laser solution for The Manufacturing

Technology Centre (The MTC), a system that is at the forefront of assembly, fabrication and joining technologies.

Despite the major competition for the pioneering contract, Tec Systems won the high profile venture and went onto prove its manufacturing prowess with the creation of a laser cell that boasts a 20 kilowatt Ytterbium fibre laser with a four way beam switch, an active cell guarding structure, a six axis robot, two multi axis servo driven manipulators and a range of laser heads and optics to cover a wide range of applications. With these ground-breaking features, the cell is able to process complex 3D components up to 5000 kilogrammes and three metres in diameter; MTC can now also fully record and document projects thanks to data monitoring and capture capabilities that have been integrated into the system. Discussing this major project, Tony states: “The 20 kilowatt laser cell is being used for cutting edge research and development, which will result in new laser processes. It is the largest production laser in Europe and looks spectacular.”

By working with all of the major laser source and laser head/optics manufacturers, Tec Systems can provide a wholly custom-made solution

that complies with current legislation. On top of this, by using its expertise, the company can also integrate other equipment, including vision systems and mechanisms, for the automatic loading and unloading of the cell.

Although bespoke automated solutions are at the heart of Tec Systems’ operations, the company

has recently made the strategic decision to launch a range of standard laser cells for the processing of metals, plastics, fabrics, composites and ceramics/ glass. Known as the Hyperion range, these standard laser cells suit a wide range of production requirements and can also be configured to suit each customer’s specific requirements.

Leuze Electronic Ltd

Leuze works closely with TEC Systems on the selection of the most suitable light curtains to suit the application and ensure compliance with current safety standards for both manufacturing cells and individual machines. With its extensive technical and application related know how and a broad product portfolio Leuze is able to solve TEC’s challenges for safe guarding at point of operation and for area and access guarding with solutions that contribute to the increased efficiency of the system.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 79

Tec Systems

“This is a new venture for us as everything we have built traditionally has been one off specials to suit customer specific requirements. This new range of standard laser cells, which we have named the Hyperion range, is an important step for us as it means we can supply customers with systems

80 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

for cutting, drilling, welding, cleaning, ablation and cladding. There are eight different cells to choose from, so instead of paying for a bespoke solution, customers can buy a standard cell that suits 90 per cent of their requirements; we can then modify the system to suit the little bits, which is far

more cost effective,” highlights Tony.

Within this range is the Tec-Hyperion-MG4CF, the latest standard flatbed laser cutting cell, which is suitable for the laser cutting of composite materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP). Using a combination of galvo scanning and conventional high-speed CNC axes, the system can cut at high speed without de-lamination of the material. Having integrated a fibre laser into the base of the machine, Tec-Systems has created a cell that can cut with high quality and faster speeds in comparison to other solutions.

Another new product is the Hyperion MG6-CF, a flatbed cutting system for the cutting of metal sheets up to eight millimetres thick and sheet sizes up to two metres x one metre. Fitted with a three kilowatt fibre laser, this compact machine not only takes up minimum floor space, but is also a more convenient design solution thanks to its efficient wavelength coupling and steerable beam.

The most versitly machine in the range is the Tec-Hyperion-MaR-125-WFY, which is an eight axis laser welding cell with the ability to load and unload products whilst the cell is in operation. The cell is designed to provide the ultimate solution in flexibility and productivity. The combination of a six axis robot and the tilt and turn manipulator gives full eight axis movement allowing clients to process the most complex shapes and 3D geometries As new laser technology continues to enter the market, Tec Systems capitalises on these innovative developments with its strong, long-term knowledge of the industry. However, these rapid progressions also serve as a challenge for the company as it strives to stay ahead of the game by finding uses for these new innovations. “Knowing about these new technologies and finding out what they can be used for is a continual challenge for us. Nevertheless, it is exciting times ahead for us as we focus on the continual development of our standard range of cells, particularly for the automotive and aerospace sectors, and also maintain our number one spot for bespoke solutions. Although our standard range is in its early days the market attention is encouraging, which means we will certainly be adding more staff over the coming years,” Tony concludes.

Essentra

An essential

service

With a strategy of balanced, profitable growth - including a focus on investment in operational excellence - Essentra’s vision is to build a leading global provider of essential components and solutions through its four business units of Distribution, Health & Personal Care Packaging, Filter Products and Specialist Technologies

Essentra Products: Specialist plastic, fibre, foam and packaging components Sites: 70 Employees: 9000 www.essentra.com

O

riginally operating as a manufacturer of filters in Jarrow as part of the Bunzl group in the late 1940s, Essentra has close to doubled its revenue since 2010 alone through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, producing and distributing millions of small but essential components around the world. For more than 60 years Essentra has focused on developing a strong international network, so that today the innovative and quality conscious firm counts a physical presence in 33 countries, with 69 manufacturing sites, 64 sales and distribution operations and five dedicated research and development centres.

“Our history as an independent organisation dates back to 2005 when Bunzl took the strategic decision to operate purely as a distributor, and spun off its manufacturing activities into a separately-listed plc. Today we span three geographies, Europe, the Americas and Asia, and are grouped into four business units, with a targeted range of categories which the company collectively serves with a diverse range of products and solutions; these include pharmaceutical, health and personal care, tobacco, household care, broad industrial and oil

and gas,” explains Essentra’s Corporate Affairs Director Joanna Speed.

To remain at the forefront of the markets in which it operates and to continue to drive growth, Essentra not only consistently invests in its existing manufacturing footprint but also actively seeks external opportunities for expansion. For example, in November 2014 the company announced an agreement to acquire Clondalkin Specialist Packaging Division for $455 million, a move that is consistent with Essentra’s Drive for 2020 strategy of complementing balanced, profitable organic growth with valueadding acquisitions. Indeed, the transaction transformed Essentra’s presence in the growing speciality secondary health and personal care packaging industry, taking the company from a strong European position to become the global number two player in a targeted market category.

Another significant recent investment took place in November 2014, with the official opening of a new 52,000 square foot site in Newport, Wales, as Group Operations Director Alan Richards states: “Following the acquisition of Contego Healthcare Packaging Ltd some 18 months previously, we had ended up with a labels facility in Liverpool and another in

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 81

82 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Essentra Avery Dennison

Innovation in label and packaging materials is a key part of what sets Avery Dennison apart. Its technical specialists collaborate closely with Essentra, using groundbreaking proprietary adhesives and added-value features to jointly create productive and high performance packaging solutions. As a global leader in labelling and packaging technology, Avery Dennison helps label converters meet a wide range of applications. These include everything from mainstream consumer goods through to highly sustainable laminates, specialist pharmaceutical segment materials, and security/anti-counterfeiting products.

Cardiff – neither of them having real scale, and therefore being sub-optimal in terms of our footprint - so we transferred the activities of these two smaller sites to a purpose-built, stateof-the-art facility in Newport. Here we have invested in the latest digital printing capability and produce labels for the food and healthcare sectors including extremely complex multi-layer products. We have also installed a cleanroom for the production of primary packaging foils for use in the healthcare industry, which is certified to the highest standards to ensure that the exacting industry requirements are met - if not exceeded.

Strategically located on the M4 corridor, this is an exciting development for us: a world-class facility, with capabilities that haven’t yet been fully realised and thus scope to support our future growth.”

Essentra’s Newport site is but one example of the investments in its footprint which the company has recently made, including such other strategic locations as India, Dubai, Indonesia, Singapore, the US and Japan.

The ever growing company also takes a forward-thinking approach to using innovative technology, as Alan discusses: “We are currently investing strongly in 3D printing in our Components business, but not for general plastic injection moulding; instead this equipment is used to create prototypes extremely rapidly for our customers who come to us with a new project. It allows us to convert their idea into something physical, get it approved and tooled up for large-scale production in a short amount of time.

“Meanwhile, in our Porous Technologies business, our R&D team constantly aims to push the boundaries in terms of developing innovative products to meet liquid and vapour-handling challenges across a diverse range of endmarkets, from ink release in writing instruments to the absorption of sophisticated wound care

products. We are also doing some significant work with the automotive industry to find new methods of water and diesel filtration in engines: in addition, we have commercialised a patented porous media which can be used to hold, transfer and deliver nicotine or other liquids in e-cigarettes. At the same time, our Pipe Protection Technologies facility in Houston is a market-leader in terms of developing innovative

new pipe and thread protection products for the oil and gas sector. In fact, certain products have now become industry standard, in terms of meeting the stringent regulatory guidelines in place in the US.” By paying close attention to market trends, Essentra’s objective is to gain a reputation with its global customers for its forward-thinking approach and ability to deliver timely solutions.

EnergyQuote JHA

EnergyQuote JHA is Essentra’s chosen energy and carbon consultancy. It assists energy managers globally with a range of solutions delivering robust risk and portfolio management, carbon emission reductions, forecasting, reporting and contract management. It delivers solutions to many of the FTSE 100, Euro top 50 and Fortune 500 companies, and has established itself as a major knowledge hub in the energy world with more than 1000 major users attending its conferences, workshops and seminars each year.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 83

Essentra

Key to this is the company’s organisational structure and market and category-focused business model, as Joanna highlights: “The organisational structure we have in place aims to maximise the growth opportunities available to Essentra not only today, but also tomorrow.

Specifically, our four strategic business units are tasked with identifying those issues or challenges which will likely impact our customers in terms of legislation, product development or even the direction that the consumer is going in. This in turn helps us anticipate what we as an organisation and a trusted supplier should be doing to support them in the trading environment in which they operate.”

One example of this is the work the company has recently been undertaking in China, which Alan believes will affect the rest of the world over the coming years: “Legislation is something we constantly review and try to respond to through innovation. In the defence against counterfeit products in the healthcare sector, China is ahead of most other countries, and is already making each and every single carton identifiable with a unique traceable number. We

84 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

know that legislation in the industry will require uniquely identifiable packaging and are already creating solutions to meet this requirement. As a result, we can go to our customers now and discuss this development, which is something they appreciate.”

With revenue ahead 14 per cent at constant FX (like-for-like +9 per cent) to £866 million and a 19 per cent increase in the full year dividend to 18.3p per share, Essentra not only exceeded its Vision 2015 objectives in 2014, but also over the three years since the strategy was implemented.

This impressive growth stands the company in good stead for the next five-year ‘Drive for 2020’ strategy it outlined in November 2014, as Joanna concludes: “We are a bigger organisation than we were four years ago, so the next five years is really an evolution of our balanced, profitable growth model, to ensure we focus our efforts and resources on those activities which genuinely make a difference to a growing organisation and develop global leading platforms in sizeable end-markets. In this way, we aim to continue to deliver value to our customers and shareholders alike.”

Porvair Filtration Group Axis machine

Award-winning

growth

Porvair Filtration Group (PFG) is an international leader in the development and supply of high performance, innovative materials and solutions for applications in filtration and separation

Porvair Filtration Group Products: Filtration and separation products, systems and materials Sites: Five globally Employees: 400 www.porvairfiltration.com

A

s Tom Liddell, Managing Director explained, PFG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Porvair plc, and its main market sectors are aerospace, energy, life science and industrial process. He gave some more details about how the Group grew into its current market leading position: “The business began with the integration of a number of small acquisitions in the UK, whose histories go back over 30 years.

We also expanded organically and as a company our growth has been achieved for the most part by gaining market share, as opposed to riding growth in our target markets.

“Although we have grown organically in most of our segments, we did have particular increases in demand for our products in the US market, and we have made several strategic acquisitions in the States as part of a clear strategy to grow our footprint in this territory and invest in local manufacturing capacity to service the American market. Today the company manufactures

products in three factories in the UK and two in the US, plus we have a variety of direct and indirect sales channels that allow us to penetrate our increasingly global markets.

“PFG see large potential for sustainable growth in the US market, building on successful demonstration of our technology in similar applications in the UK and Europe. Over the past three years, we have seen organic growth of at least 20 per cent per year. Whilst the business has invested heavily in increased capability in our US factories, the sales success has also increased demand for our products made in the UK. “Furthermore, in addition to growth in the US, we have recently had significant successes in selling our products and technology to the energy sector in Asia. This has increased our cultural experience and built numerous valuable relationships in this geographic territory. In order to secure follow-on business and exploit new opportunities, it is clear that Porvair will need a greater presence in this region. Expanding into

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 85

Porvair Filtration Group

‘‘

Our aim is to recruit excellent people and invest in excellent technology, and I think this last point is illustrated by our recent success in selling filtration systems to the market for coal gasification in Asia

86 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

this territory alongside continuing to develop our business in the US and Europe will be a key part of our three to five year strategy.”

It is apparent that PFG’s approach has been very successful, as it has achieved 25 per cent growth year on year for the last three years – Tom agreed that by merging the skills of smaller businesses the Group has seen big benefits: “Each of our small acquisitions has bought new capabilities to the business that have gained further momentum when considered as part of a larger organisation. Our strategy has been consistent over the medium term and this helps all staff and the market understand our direction and where our strengths are.”

He added: “Our aim is to recruit excellent people and invest in excellent technology, and I think this last point is illustrated by our recent success in selling filtration systems to the market for coal gasification in Asia. This is a challenging application where there are few competitors with comparable experience or technology.

Our growth has been testament to a strategy to invest in technical products; those where the customer’s perception of value is primarily about product performance, not product cost.”

Tom continued with an illustration of this philosophy in action: “A good example is our

investment into our porous plastic materials. By working closely with our customers, PFG have developed technology to allow active sorbent materials to be captured within the structure of our materials. This adds significant advantages to manufacturers of solid phase extraction devices in terms of the reliability of the results.

In this market, such advantages far outweigh any considerations of material cost.”

In order to be able to create groundbreaking products such as these, as well as others including liquid filters, scientific instruments, air gas vent filtration items and life science sample preparation kits, PFG has to operate from state-of-the-art facilities. Indeed the Group’s global strategy is to focus each of its modern factories on a different sector of the market.

“This way, the needs of the particular market are represented in the capability and efficiency of the operation,” explained Tom. “The Aerospace market, for example, has a very different set of demands (with associated costs) to the industrial process market. For a variety of reasons, achieving the perfect alignment of operational capability with market segmentation, whilst maintaining operating efficiency, is not always possible. However, it is a guiding principle for us.”

Left: Posco gas production Below: BioVyon lab process Top right: Sasol TEF Bottom right: Cleanroom

PFG is also very keen to maintain optimum levels of production, and to this end, recently opened a new £3.5 million facility in the UK, which involved the relocation of a number of operations into one site. “The new factory in New Milton, Hampshire, has allowed us to consolidate all of our non-US industrial process business within one site,” noted Tom. “This did not happen without significant disruption and cost, but it will improve our efficiency, by bringing operations closer together and improve our sales and customer service by gathering all industrial process customer needs under one roof. We are confident the business will emerge stronger, and with additional capacity for growth.”

It is thanks to investments like these that PFG has experienced such admirable success, and this was recognised in April 2015, when the company was honoured with the Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade. “Winning the Queen’s award is a great privilege for the business and is a tribute to the hard work of our staff in the UK and US,” Tom emphasised, before explaining why the company had won the Award: “We had seen an increase of 140 per cent in export sales from the Group’s UK operations, and this mostly came from growth in two areas; coal gasification and sales to North America.

“Porvair has been successful in winning and delivering filtration equipment to a number of new gasification plants, including the largest in the world at Jamnagar, India, to be operated

by Reliance Industries Limited. These plants are typically high temperature with highly corrosive process gas and high solids loading, such that the demands on the filtration equipment are exceptional. We anticipate further success in this market and will continue to manufacture the core technology in the UK, where our staff have gained significant experience over many years.”

Nevertheless, this scale of development over a short period of time does raise challenges, and PFG is very aware that growth means rapid change, which has to be carefully managed: “This includes change to business structure, resourcing, capability, business processes and to culture,” said Tom. “Increasing capacity and capability for sustainable demand, whilst managing delivery of exceptional projects is a key challenge for us at the moment. Central to that is managing the demands we put on our employees to ensure

that our shared success does not become overburdensome. Stretching ourselves too thinly could risk damage to our long-term, sustainable business. Managing our investment opportunities is also key for us. Exceptional projects are rewarding, but their benefit in the medium-term is based on sound investments that support our strategy. PFG is working hard to ensure that this period of growth leaves us stronger and with capacity to scale in the years to come.”

It is clear that Tom and the team at PFG are in no way complacent following the company’s award win, and with continued growth, increased market share and new product development all on the agenda going forward, the future looks bright for this ambitious firm. “2015 is a year for consolidation in PFG,” concluded Tom. We have a strong order book and significant projects to deliver, as well as an upgrade of our facilities and integration of new business in America.

The challenge will be to maintain control of these projects whilst building a firm platform for further growth in 2016.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 87

I

HVAC HEPA Filtration

Figure 1: Nuclear power facility

Metal Fiber Media for HEPA Filter

By Aurélie Goux, Bekaert

T

he first HEPA filter was designed for a high demanding nuclear military application – the Manhattan Project.

Subsequently, HEPA filters have been introduced in various high-tech industries, such as aerospace, pharmaceutical processing, hospitals, health care, nuclear fuels, nuclear power, and electronic micro circuitry (semicon) to satisfy the increased stringent demands for air quality. In the nuclear sector, HEPA filters are used in most of the facilities worldwide (Figure 1). Firstly it enables the protection of the health and safety of the plant personnel and public. It also avoids the high cost of decontamination and possible shutdown of a facility due to an accidental airborne release of radioactive material. Following the Fukushima accident in 2011, a more profound focus led to the development and installation of more durable and improved filtration solutions. Safety measures like the retrofitting of filtered containment venting systems (FVCS) to quite a number of reactors were taken.

What is a HEPA filter?

High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) is a type of air filter, which meets a certain stringent standard of efficiency. According to the American Department of Energy a HEPA filter can remove at least 99.97% of a mono dispersed dioctyl phthalate (DOP) aerosol of 0.3µ. The European Norm EN 1822:2009 defines classes of HEPA filters based on their efficiency at the most penetrating particle size (MPPS). The relatively larger and smaller particles are generally easier to separate from the gas flow. HEPA filters are usually made of a structure of randomly arranged fibers. Three specific particle capture mechanisms are involved in HEPA filtration:

88 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

• Diffusion = action of Brownian motion.

It applies to small particles in combination with fine fibers and low velocities and it is independent of the particle density.

• Interception = particles travel along streamlines and are caught because of their size. The ratio of particle to fiber size is important.

• Inertial impaction = particles deviate from the streamlines due to the inertia and impact on the fibers. It applies to large particles, high density, high velocity and small fibers.

The filter performances of a certain structure are influenced by the following parameters: • Characteristics of the filter media itself (porosity, thickness and fiber diameter) • Aerosol to be filtered (particle size distribution, nature (solid or liquid)) • Testing conditions (face velocity, temperature, chemical composition of the gas)

Drawbacks of traditional HEPA The most often used HEPA filters, which are made of glass fibers, have a large number of drawbacks. Typical high efficiency gas filters, including those based on glass fiber, are mechanically weak, fragile and hold a binder. Therefore they may be structurally damaged when subjected to high fluctuations in load, high airflow, high temperature, high humidity and heavy dust loads or combinations of these factors. Other important drawbacks are that they deteriorate from moisture condensation, they do not withstand cleaning by means of back pulsing and they do not withstand high-pressure drops. When spent they need to be disposed,

Figure 2: Bekipor® multi-layered structures

which is a hazardous and costly process. For various applications the filters hould operate at high temperatures and have high strength. The filters should have high efficiency at high flow rates. The filter design should also be as compact as possible to minimise the impact on the overall system design.

Sintered metal fiber media Bekipor® (sintered) metal fiber media are widely used in liquid and gas filtration for various industries such as polymer production, chemical processes, power generation or oil filtration. Filters made out of Bekipor® metal fiber media are cost effective, as they will lead to minimal downtime and maintenance. Bekipor® metal fiber media has the advantage of high corrosion and temperature resistance, high heat dissipation and mechanical resistance. All of the characteristics are highly beneficial in many applications.The multi-layered structure of the media provides superior filtration efficiency, high contaminant (dirt) holding capacity and low pressure drop, which increases the on stream lifetime of the filter element. Unlike alternative materials with binder, fiber migration is not an issue as the fibers are physically bonded together. Moreover, the filter elements can be easily cleaned off-line to be reused. Werner Bergman1 described in 1996 an alternative metallic solution to replace glass fiber HEPA filters for the nuclear industry to solve the previously mentioned drawbacks of glass fiber based media.However improvements to decrease the weight of media as well as increase the permeability were needed. Bekaert took up this task for improvements and designed a specific sintered metal fiber media (Figure 2) for high demanding applications: Bekipor® HA. It is about ten times more permeable than any other metallic HEPA solutions. This specific metal fiber media results in a thinner, lighter and more permeable media able to reach high efficiencies at 3cm/s (corresponding face velocity at which the HEPA media are validated foruse in the nuclear industry). Even more, the efficiency of Bekipor® HA media remains high even at increased face velocities (6cm/s). This enables operating the filter system at double flow rate or to decrease the needed filter surface by half. The Bekipor® HA media – for which a patent application is pending – combines high porosity and permeability with very fine fibers enabling high efficiency filtration at low-pressure drop at the level of the finest sub-micron particles. Featuring a high mechanical strength, thermal stability and chemical resistance, Bekipor® HA is the recommended medium for HEPA applications such as nuclear safety filters or ventilation systems and technical gas purification for the semiconductor industry. Unlike alternative materials, Bekipor® HA medium can be pleated, enabling the reduction of size of the entire system. It is on-line cleanable via back pulsing. Bekipor® HA can provide an all welded metal solution with a longer service lifetime in comparison with glass fiber based filters.

Bekaert & Porvair Filtration Group: “Better together” By pursuing a close cooperation with Porvair Filtration Group, Bekaert has developed metal fiber based media solutions that greatly benefit Porvair and their end-customers.

Working in partnership with Bekaert, advanced materials have been developed for superior filtration performance leading to optimum customer solutions.

The close alignment of our company’s strategies and values has created a strengthened relationship over the past decades.

Bekaert’s Global Product Market Manager, Seppe Geerinck said: “Because of our joint capabilities and experience, both Porvair and Bekaert can be considered as the largest providers of custom-made metal fiber based solutions.”

That’s what we call “Better Together.”

For more information contact: NV Bekaert SA Tel: +32 56 76 65 08 • Email: Aurelie.Goux@bekaert.com Website: www.bekaert.com 1. Werner Bergman, report “Requirements for a Cleanable Steel HEPA Filter Derived From a Systems Analysis” (1996) to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 89

FANUC UK

The future of

manufacturing

Part of the global FANUC organisation, FANUC UK provides groundbreaking industrial automation and robotic solutions

FANUC UK Products: Factory automation and industrial robots Sites: Three Employees: 100+ www.fanuc.eu

90 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

T

he FANUC UK facility provides a single customer support portal for its three core businesses and from this location it continually pushes back the boundaries of innovation in its supply of CNC controllers, lasers, robots, machining centres, EDM and injection moulding machines and fully integrated factory automation systems.

In order to ensure it is able to provide the best possible service and accommodate its future growth strategy, the business will move its UK headquarters to a new ultra-modern facility in 2016. Four times the size of the current premises, the new site will have the ability to expand the FANUC UK workforce by 25 per cent of its original capacity.

As Chris Sumner, managing director of FANUC UK noted, this is a significant milestone for the company as it continues to grow and invest in the engineers of tomorrow. “The new facility will enable us to expand our workforce, provide an excellent working environment with access to the state-of-the-art facilities, and improve services to our customers,” he said.

Indeed, this dedication to the creation of a new generation of engineers is a cause very close to FANUC UK’s heart and in July 2015 the company is showcasing its Training Academy at the Manufacturing and Engineering North East 2015 exhibition (stand B33.) The FANUC Academy provides its customers with the ability to optimise the effectiveness of automation and

Left: The CR-35iA collaborative robot

robotics within their business, by offering the ability to train customer employees at any level, in real-life production environments, teaching the importance of multiple machines and fully automated solutions. Training courses are most commonly held at dedicated FANUC training academies across the globe, or on-site at the customers’ request.

Alongside its Academy stand, as one of the headline sponsors of the event, FANUC UK is also using North East Manufacturing and Engineering as a platform from which to showcase the world’s largest range of robotics and automation products. On FANUC’s B1 stand, a range of products will be on show, including live demonstrations of the D21LiA5 ROBODRILL and the new ROBOCUT C400iA machine.

Robots are also being demonstrated – including the LRMate 200iD - one of FANUC lightest loading and unloading robots in its class, and the M1-iA, a lightweight and compact robot designed for small part handling.

The event promises to be an ideal way for visitors to gain an understanding of what FANUC has to offer in the way of products and services,

as well as a glimpse into its total dedication to innovation and continual product release.

A perfect example of this ethos is the development and launch of the world’s first heavy lifting collaborative robot (the CR-35iA).

Previously the idea of a ‘collaborative robot’ may have been considered science fiction. However, the FANUC CR-35iA is able to work hand-in-

Above: Chris Sumner, magaging director, FANUC

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 91

38 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

FANUC UK

The world’s strongest robot, the M-2000iA/1700L

hand with human employees, thanks to the use of intelligent sensors which automatically stop the robot if it touches a human operator.

This removes the need for external safety devices such as metal fences, a previous requirement for all industrial robots. As Chris highlighted: “Collaborative robot technology opens up a new era for manufacturing in which humans and robots will work even more closely on tasks; increasing productivity and efficiencies across the plant floor.”

The use of intelligent sensors in the CR-35iA is critical to the safety of its human companions working alongside – in order to develop its technology even further, in June 2015 FANUC announced its partnership with Preferred Networks Inc, a Tokyo-based machine-learning venture. The partnership will involve FANUC integrating machine-learning software into its robots to increase their intelligence and give them the ability to learn by themselves without programming.

The artificial intelligence will not only optimise how the work is done but it will make it possible for machines to configure themselves and diagnose efficiencies. As Chris explained: “As industry 4.0 evolves and we enter a next generation of manufacturing, we believe it is essential to continue to drive innovation and improve our robotics and automation with advanced intelligence.”

The news of this partnership came on the back of another announcement - FANUC has developed the strongest robot in the world capable of lifting 1.7 tonnes. The M-2000iA/1700L automates areas of heavy material handling, lowering the risk of damage to production material, reducing running costs, and improving overall cycle times and workflow. While not appearing at Manufacturing and Engineering North East event, it will be showcased in October 2015 at the EMO fair in Milan.

As Chris explained, the M-2000iA/1700L was launched following research into customers’ challenges: “We identified a need to increase the efficiency of the heavy materials handling process for manufacturers, specifically within the automotive industry. As the world’s strongest robot the FANUC M-2000iA/1700L brings us into a new age, redefining factory automation capabilities,” he concluded.

Technorobot Srl

Tecnorobot Srl and Fanuc UK have been collaborating since 1996. From that moment on an exchange of technical suggestions has promoted this collaboration and the development of big projects. Since its foundation, Tecnorobot has developed new types of rails and positioners, created for the EU-market. The focused FANUC requests allowed Tecnorobot to better know the English market, in which these components, integrated with Fanuc products, have had a big success.

Among others, Tecnorobot has built systems for linear movement, which are able to move masses from 200kg to 10,000 kg. Both in the automotive and general industry, these companies have been able to meet all the requests of the customers in terms of performance, reliability and structures.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 93

Farrel

In the

mix

Banbury NST Tangential Rotors

Following major investments

in 2014, Farrel Ltd has slashed production times and enhanced machine reliability to ensure it can meet increased demand from the rubber processing and tyre making industry

Farrel Limited Products: Designer, developer and producer of mixing and compounding machinery Principle sites: UK, US, Italy & Singapore Employees: 179 www.farrel-pomini.com www.hf-mixinggroup.com

94 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

A

t the forefront of innovations since its inception in 1900, Rochdale based Farrel Ltd began as David Bridge and Sons, a company that focused on the niche rubber production market. With the groundbreaking Banbury® mixer invented in 1916 by Fernley H Banbury, an engineer at the Birmingham Iron Foundry in Connecticut, USA, David Bridge and Sons set up license agreements with the foundry and began production and sales of the machine in 1918.

Over the years the company was acquired

by Farrel Corporation and renamed Farrel Ltd. Discussing the company’s further developments, board director of Farrel Ltd Ian Wilson begins: “In 2008 we were sold to our German competitor and the formation of the HF Mixing Group was created in 2010 together with two of our former competitors, Harburg Freudenberger and Pomini. In line with these developments, respective business units were formed to market our batch mixer technology, which includes; tangential BU, Rochdale England; Intermeshing and Systems BU, Freudenberg

Germany; and the Convex BU, Rescaldina Italy.

Furthermore another separate business unit Farrel Pomini, Ansonia USA was established in 2011 to market the continuous mixing equipment of the former Farrel Corporation and Pomini companies, which is focused on thermoplastic compounding applications.”

Elaborating on the benefits of this acquisition, Ian continues: “Farrel Ltd is now a global player that sells to all of the top 100 tyre manufacturers across the world, with the majority of business in the UK related to the automotive business. As part of the HF Mixing Group, we have a number of manufacturing facilities, one in the UK, two in the US and one in Germany. We also have a newer lower cost facility in Slovakia and are setting up service facilities in Asia, India and China. Being in close proximity to our customers means we can deliver a great service and remain competitive as we can focus on volume, production and key competencies at different manufacturing sites.”

As part of the HF Mixing Group, Farrel Ltd focuses on the production of the Banbury Mixer, which will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2016. Highly innovative and beneficial to the tyre industry, the Banbury® mixer has become the accepted standard in tangential mixing technology since its invention and remains the first choice for a diverse range of applications in the tyre industry. Ideally suited to the specific requirements of multi-step applications, the Banbury® mixer boasts good intake and

discharge behaviour, optimal cooling behaviour and superior dispersion and distribution quality; all of which guarantees profitable and efficient masterbatch, remilling and final mixing processes.

Other features of the product includes increased volumes for tangential mixers, greater batch size with different ram profiles , optimised hydraulic cylinder direct (HCD) dust seal system and new single point lubrication system. “The Banbury® mixer is a very strong brand within the rubber and plastic market,” confirms Ian. “It is essentially the Hoover to the vacuum cleaner.”

Having increased the number of machines produced annually from 30 to 45, Farrel Ltd has set the foundations for further growth with major investments in its facilities following funding from the Regional Growth Fund in 2014. The money has enabled the 170 strong firm to spend £1.1 million on state-of-theart machining centre technology, which has drastically reduced production times across a number of processes and thus reduced lead time from 16 to 18 weeks to less than nine.

“The key investment was the 2D CNC Toyoda Machining Centre, however, we also installed another smaller machining centre, Correa, and

Banbury 305N Internal Mixers

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 95

Farrel

acquired new welding equipment. Moreover, we now have a new robot system for our dust seal ring component parts and invested heavily in the assembly area with new overhead cranes.”

These investments will complement Farrel Ltd’s high level of hard surfacing and rotor technology competence and further enable it to deliver new solutions to its global customer base. “We spend a high percentage of our time on research and development projects so we can introduce new mixer sizes into the market on a continuous basis,” says Ian. “For example, we are currently working on a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) project that I initiated two or three years ago, which is 50 per cent government funded by the KTP. We have a KTP engineer in place throughout the duration of the project, which is focused on producing a model to calculate the lubrication requirements of the dust seal assembly up of the mixer; this is one of the most maintenance intensive parts of the machine and is always a frequent topic of discussion with our customers.

We entered this project to develop the theoretical model to determine more precisely what the lubrication requirements are, subject to the application. That way we can look at being more innovative in future designs and extend the working life of the dust seals while also lowering oil consumption.”

In addition to developing new innovations, Farrel Ltd will also look to consolidate its product line and build high volume standard products that will reduce cost and boost competitiveness throughout 2015. “Our growth has been substantial since 2006 when our turnover was in the region of £20 million; it has since increased to £40 million in 2014. Moreover, our head count has increased from 130 to 179 in the past six years. Over the next three to five years our goal is to increase production to 60 machines annually; there is also huge potential for us to be involved in maintenance work on existing machines in operation, should customers choose not to invest in new mixers,” concludes Ian.

96 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Brafe Engineering

Casting

call

O Established in 1966 Brafe Engineering is a leading UK manufacturer of high-specification, specialist alloy castings for valves and pumps

Brafe Engineering Products: Alloy castings for pumps and valves Sites: UK Employees: 117 www.brafe-engineering.co.uk

ffering full traceability and quality assurance the business has seen growth across all of its markets adding more than £500,000 to its turnover in the last 12 months.

Based in East Anglia, UK, the business provides components for end use in power generation, chemical refining, nuclear and petrochemical markets and many more industrial processes.That level of adaptability has allowed Brafe Engineering to meet the rapid changes that its customers face and further assist with future challenges as the markets fluctuate.

Recognising the growth within the nuclear sector and supported by the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), the company has been able to make a number of improvements to its processes in order to better position itself to take advantage of nearly £60bn of investment in civil nuclear new build.

Commenting on the development, Andrew Dalby, managing director, was reported to say: “We’ve been manufacturing and exporting goods to ASME nuclear standards for many years, but this was almost exclusively to overseas markets, with some 95 per cent of our output exported.

“We are only ten miles from Sizewell and combined with the growing UK market opportunity in nuclear new build and decommissioning, it made sense to turn our attention a bit closer to home.”

The changes have not only resulted in an increase in sales, but also an expansion of the workforce with the creation of 16 new jobs, including seven apprenticeship roles. “Our approach is to keep all of manufacturing in England. Whilst others decided to move offshore, we preferred to focus on adding

value and securing the highest quality standards. Our base in Suffolk gives us the best chance of achieving this,” he added. Offering a complete service from consultation and design through to manufacturing, quality control and certification, its modern well-equipped facilities and highly trained staff are capable of achieving a fast turn round of critical and challenging to produce components.

Whilst the business started as a predominantly Aluminium based foundry producing fittings for oil fired central heating, it was through continued investment and technical expertise that it grew to become a leading manufacturer of precision engineered castings worldwide, with expertise in advanced grade alloys including Inconel, Duplex, Monel and Titanium. Using a vast array of alloys with exceptional resistance to cracking, pitting and stress corrosion, its products are suitable for service in conditions of intense abrasion or attrition and at the extremes of high and low temperature. Combined with manufacturing facilities that include a foundry, as well as heat treatment, welding, machining and full testing capabilities, the business is a complete service solution for a range of international customers.

Increases in Brafe’s forward order book have instilled a confidence to invest in the longer-term future, purchasing not only new machines but also an additional furnace to ensure the capacity and flexibility to meet the rise in demand. Maintaining a full range of manual machine tools alongside heavy-duty CNC machining centres, its machine shop is integrated with advanced computer-aided facilities.The core processes within its production are controlled by a computerised system that

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 97

98 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Brafe Engineering

gives complete control at all stages, tested against a series of general, process, melting and quality procedures and work instructions. Its ‘Magma’ computer simulation and flow analysis, combined with the depth of knowledge and experience of its engineering personnel, has enabled the company to optimise casting methods and work towards a dedicated ‘right first time’ approach.

Highly skilled engineers are able to decipher the optimal way of casting, dependant upon shape, size and material grade, and using CNC operated pattern-making equipment combined with the latest CAD/CAM software, designs are methodised to determine the most suitable method of manufacture.

The 3D CAD model, customer’s requirements and CAM systems are used to produce patterns and core boxes, wax tooling and prototype patterns, allowing castings to be produced without the need to manufacture tooling.This provides the opportunity to check a design before committing to the full cost of pattern equipment.These services have been successfully applied many times to the reverse engineering of obsolete parts and the manufacture of special one-off components.

From its specialised silicate sand foundry with induction melting furnaces, the business has the capacity to cast up to 2500kgs gross weight in over 250 advanced alloy grades. Along with the main casting process, it offers the patented ‘Repliwax’ casting option, incorporating a balance of both traditional sand and the latest ceramic casting technologies, which provides the option to cast near net shape production castings, reducing machining time and cost. Having a choice of processes and

techniques is a distinguishing factor that provides the flexibility to adapt to ever changing customer requirements. Offering a number of non-destructive and quality testing processes, its high standards are constantly maintained.

With a purpose-built NORSOK heat treatment

facility, approved and qualified to 1250°C, Brafe Engineering provides the ultimate environment to produce high quality castings. In continual production, Brafe Engineering looks to the future with confidence, taking all opportunities to further improve its production process.

Aerotech Inspection

Aerotech Inspection & NDT has provided for Brafe Engineering’s radiography inspection needs for many years. With two high energy Betatron systems (6MeV & 7.5MeV), along with comprehensive Gamma, X-ray and full NDT capabilities Aerotech is able to perform NDT on Brafe’s high density alloy castings to the highest standards.

Aerotech’s dedicated team work closely with Brafe and their clients to remain flexible and dynamic, always willing to overcome the continually changing demands of today’s manufacturing industry whilst providing confidence in NDT.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 99

Deutz AG

Driving forward into the

future

After more than 150 years of achievement, DEUTZ is now one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers of diesel engines

Deutz AG Products: Engine manufacturer Sites: Nine Employees: ca 3900 www.deutz.com

100 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

W

ith a product range that extends from 25 to 520 kW and a strong expertise as system integrator, the company’s engines from 2.9 to 16.0 litre cubic capacity are suitable for a wide range of applications. DEUTZ provides worldwide sales channels and service network and its strong brand name is a synonym for leading technology and high-quality products.

Christian Krupp, Senior VP Finance, Public and Investor Relations, explained that as DEUTZ originally set its focus on industrial diesel engines, the off-highway sector is its main business.

“Our strongest segments are mobile machinery (e.g. excavators, wheel loaders, telehandlers etc.), agricultural machinery (e.g. tractors) and stationary equipment (e.g. gen sets) as well as automotive and marine applications,” he said. “Our main clients are (among others):

AGCO / Fendt, Terex, JLG and Same DeutzFahr. Furthermore, DEUTZ provides a wide variety of products and services around the engines designed to maximise performance.

From individual application engineering to smart engine retrofits, DEUTZ offers extensive support throughout the lifetime of the engine.”

As one might expect from a manufacturer of industrial engines, environmental considerations are of prime importance, and DEUTZ allocates considerable amounts of research and development resources to emission regulations and fuel efficiency. “Emission regulations are certainly one of the major challenges in our business,” Christian agreed. “After Stage IV was introduced in the European Union (EU) in 2014, we are now looking at Stage V, which is expected to apply to Europe from January 2019. This challenge DEUTZ passed at a very early point in time. On the basis of the EU

Commission’s Stage V proposals, published on 25 September 2014, DEUTZ AG’s diesel particulate filter equipped engines in the 2.9 to 7.8 litre cubic capacity range already meet the limits envisaged for 2019. The definitive regulation is expected at the beginning of 2016.

In anticipation of the fourth emissions standard (EU Stage IV / US EPA Tier 4), DEUTZ had already re-designed substantial parts of its engine range from scratch and had implemented the latest exhaust after treatment technology. In conjunction with a sealed diesel particulate filter (DPF), these engines already conform to Stage V. This means that no expensive modifications

to customer equipment are needed for them to meet the next emissions standard because engine dimensions and design remain the same.

“This head start in experience has resulted in a reliable technology and represents a unique selling proposition within the market.

This will give DEUTZ customers long-term planning certainty. The relevant engines are identified by a special ‘Stage V ready’ logo, ensuring that clear information is available to the market. Irrespective of emission levels, DEUTZ is systematically continuing to enhance

‘‘

This head start in experience has resulted in a reliable technology and represents a unique selling proposition within the market. This will give DEUTZ customers longterm planning certainty www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 101

50 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Deutz AG

Neue Halberg-Guss GmbH

Market Leader for Engine Cylinder blocks in cast iron Neue Halberg-Guss is one of the global market leaders for cast cylinder blocks and heads which are used in industrial applications and is the key supplier to Deutz for most of their model ranges.

Neue Halberg-Guss not only supplies current products, it is also the main development partner for new generation engines within the industry. It prides itself in applying appropriate technologies to assist its customers in the continuously challenging world of more stringent emission regulations and higher desired efficiencies of the modern engine.

By doing so, it not only maximises its competitive advantage, it also increases its market appeal.

In addition to this, Neue Halberg-Guss also supplies engine blocks, crankshafts and aluminum bed plates into the automotive industry.

The product portfolio ranges from three cylinder in-line engine blocks to large capacity V8 blocks.

Besides Deutz the main customers are: BMW, Caterpillar/ Perkins, Daimler, Iveco, JC Bamford, MAN, Scania and Volkswagen/Audi.

‘‘

Right now we have a very comprehensive product portfolio, which fits perfectly into a wide range of applications.

This gives us an excellent position in the market

the performance of its engines to secure its technological leadership.

Fuel consumption and compactness are two especially strong assets of DEUTZ engines. Thanks to our Stage V ready exhaust after treatment, we are now able to give even more attention to specific customer needs and the best possible integration of the engines.”

Christian added: “This shows that in terms of technology, we remain at the leading edge of the market. It was additionally encouraging that our new products not only impressed our existing customers, but also attracted new customers for us across all regions and sectors.”

These customers are served by DEUTZ facilities across the world, including China through a joint venture. The company’s ability to offer optimal supply in all regions in the world is one of its major strengths, and it is also able to provide excellent service products around the engine, in an offer called ‘Engine Plus’. This includes DEUTZ providing customer-specific engineering support and application services to allow for optimum system integration of all hardware components and software functions to help customers integrate DEUTZ engines into target applications. “We see excellent potential growth in our service business,” Christian stated, before continuing: “Right now we have a very comprehensive product portfolio, which fits perfectly into a wide range of applications. This gives us an excellent position in the market. We see a bright opportunity in our state-of-theart exhaust after treatment, particularly the DPF that is necessary to fulfil the Stage V standard. What is particularly relevant is that DEUTZ not only has the technology, but also years of important market experience.

At the point of introduction of Stage V the company will have accumulated ten years of experience with DPFs in the field.”

Overall DEUTZ targets organic growth by developing environmentally friendly and efficient propulsion technologies, and going into the future, the organisation has a clear long-

term vision. “One important task is expanding the customer base, and tied into this is an ambition towards internationalisation, which means expanding our international production, development, procurement and logistic network,” concluded Christian. “Raising our efficiency and profitability will be the major goal we are pursuing over the next 12 months to stay competitive.”

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 103

FANUC UK FANUC UK increases competitiveness of CNC offering for 600 UK 600 UK, a leading manufacturer and distributor of automated machine tools within the UK and 150 countries worldwide, has partnered with FANUC to increase the competitiveness of its Colchester and Harrison CNC lathes.

FANUC identified an opportunity for 600 UK to improve the performance of its current CNC machines, by migrating from the FANUC Series 0i-TD control system to the latest generation of FANUC Controls, the FANUC Series 0i-F, combined with FANUC’s new range Alpha-i & Beta-i Servo motors, Spindle Motors and Amplifiers, giving higher performance and higher specification as standard.

The FANUC Series 0i-TF control system is higher in specification as standard, and provides 600 UK’s CNC machines with more features and functions helping the end user to reduce programming time with its industry standard shop floor programming system: Manual Guide i ((MGi), and Alpha operation modes), while helping to reduce machine downtime further and increase safety features on all of the machines. The FANUC Series 0i-TF Control system also enables 600 UK to reduce hardware content, helping to keep build cost down and increase factory output.

Chris Sumner, managing director, FANUC UK, said: “We’ve been a supplier of 600 UK for over 30 years. The company has sold over 10,000 of our units to date and it’s a great pleasure to continue our work with them.”

Mike Berry, managing director, 600 UK said: “We chose FANUC for its expertise as the leading supplier of world class CNC Control Systems, and for its after-sales support which helps provide our customers around the world with a reliable and effective global network. The upgrades to the products we sell and the backing of such a large global company that is focused on supporting UK businesses and innovation, makes us well placed to grow within the CNC market.”

104 www.modernutilitymanagement.com

600 UK

Clausing surface grinder

Manufacturer of conventional and CNC lathes, 600 UK, launches a range of new products to further establish its leading position within the diverse and ever-changing machine tool market

600 UK Products: Machining tools and accessories Sites: Colchester, Essex & Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire www.600uk.com

Shaping the

future P

art of the 600 Group PLC, which was founded in 1834, 600 UK has long been a leading manufacturer of machine tools and accessories within the UK and Europe.

The company is split into four separate brands: Colchester and Harrison both exist on the CNC and conventional lathe machining side of the business, whilst Pratt Burnerd International produces workholding solutions and Gamet Bearings manufactures machine tool bearings. Gamet’s manufacturing facility is based in Colchester, Essex whilst the other three brands share a factory in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire alongside all sales, marketing and service support.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 105

106 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

600 UK Left: Alpha XC Below: Colchester triumph

Delta Business Solutions

Delta Business Solutions Limited has been providing 600 UK with software solutions for over 20 years. During this time the 600 Group have undergone some considerable changes in processes and also the amalgamation of other companies. Delta has supported 600 UK throughout and its Pyramid 3 ERP system has proven itself as the flexible solution needed to facilitate the control of the many aspects of 600 UK’s business.

Delta prides itself on knowing its customers, enabling them to develop software that supports and enhances the business.

Whatever the future holds Delta’s flexibility, knowledgeable and approachable staff will ensure that 600 UK are fully supported.

EWS

EWS is Germany’s leading manufacturer of static and driven tooling offering a comprehensive range covering virtually every leading CNC lathe.

Static and live tools form the EWS core areas. There is no other manufacturer in the world offering such a variety of products with more than 20,000 different tool holders available.

High quality, DIN 69880/VDI 3425 toolholders are available in all forms – range 16Ø to 80Ø and base mounted tooling (BMT). There is also the Varia modular quick change driven head system for NC lathes and an innovative gear cutting driven head that permits gear hobbing to be performed on a driven tool lathe.

Over its long history 600 UK has become renowned for its engineering excellence and innovation within the global machine tool and laser marking industry. With sales operations in over 150 countries, the group serves all blue chip companies across a wide range of sectors including automotive, metals, electrical engineering, government, defence and training. 600 UK is focused predominantly on the UK and European market, but with the group’s backing is able to take advantage of any opportunity that comes its way. As Managing Director, Mike Berry outlines: “The main benefits of being part of the group are not only that it gives us the financial support and stability, but also allows us to access distribution networks around the world.”

Such is the reputation and experience of 600 UK that it has been the recipient of a number of industry awards. Most recently it became regional winner and national runner up of the 2014 EEF/Aldermore Future Manufacturing Award. “This was awarded to us for business efficiency following the complete restructure and reconfiguration of our main factory in Heckmondwike,” explains Mike.

The new £750,000 factory restructuring of the Heckmonwike site has been part of the company’s focus on improving efficiency and ramping up production in efforts to re-shore its manufacturing processes. The work has involved new facilities throughout the factory including new craneage, heating, more effective relocation of machines into cells, and a total refurbishment of offices and staff facilities. “The work has been carried out to reduce overhead costs significantly and make ourselves a much more efficient production organisation with massive increases in the support structure. The reconfigured offices allows everyone to work together on one site and helps us give customers much better response and feedback,” highlights Mike. “We are

now a much greener and more efficient company, for example our heating costs are now 20 per cent of what they were three years ago.”

With regards to the company’s re-shoring efforts, UK manufacturing now accounts for over 60 per cent of 600 UK’s operations compared to only 25 per cent in 2005. Significantly, re-shoring in this manner has brought with it a number of advantages including flexibility in design and production, reduced delivery times and working capital, increased quality control and consistency, and most importantly from a brand perspective, the customer confidence in UK manufacturing.

With this flexible approach to manufacturing and increased control over the process in place, 600 UK is able to enhance is commitment to its tradition of innovation and this year launched an unprecedented nine new product ranges to the market. Mike points out three in particular: “The Alpha XC is a machine that really helps expand our offering. It is a C-axis extension to our current Alpha manual/CNC lathes, which is meeting what our customers have been demanding and requesting over the last few years and is now available around the world.” The company’s Alpha range is a world leader for the manual/CNC lathe industry.

He continues: “We have also completely upgraded our conventional Triumph and Master machines, which are the benchmark of conventional lathes for the industry with an integrated digital readout, improved guarding and new aesthetics.

“Thirdly is our innovative EziTurn machine, which is machine developed specifically for the

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 107

600 UK

education market to bridge the gap between manual and CNC. At this moment in time for education there is either manual or full CNC, and nothing in between to allow the first step for students to get used to CNC.” As with all the company’s machines, the EziTurn has been developed in response to its customers describing a gap in the market. “We try to listen to our customers as much as possible,” points out Mike. “We do a lot of market research with the end users to find out what they will be needing in the future so we can address these needs.”

The broad product range is a particular strength for 600 UK especially when considering the market it is operating in. “The market is always challenging but there are always opportunities,” says Mike. “The machine tool market has always been cyclical. However, because of our diverse product range from conventional through CNC into workholding, bearings and aftersales support, we have been able to weather the storms towards the back end of the 2000s when the CNC market all but disappeared. Now that it has picked back up again, we are extending our broad product range this year by focusing on other products outside

108 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

of turning, such as milling machines, grinders, drills and saws, which are all needed by industry and education. Our newly launched ‘Clausing’ products will also allow us to tap into new markets and to expand the markets we already have. Geographically we are now starting to re-visit some particular markets where we have been quiet over the last few years to increase our market share there.”

With the backing of such a large global company and a noticeable effort to increase productivity and innovation within the company,

EziTurn

600 UK is well placed to ride the wave currently being experienced within its markets to grow further. Mike concludes by outlining a vision that the company looks to be on course to achieve: “It is to continue supporting and expanding our customer base throughout the UK, Europe and the world, as well as introducing new products to meet the ever-changing demands of our customers.”

JDR Cable Systems

Providing the vital

connection Established during 1994 through the merging of the UK business Jacques Cable Systems and De Regt Special Cables of the Netherlands, JDR Cable Systems (JDR) incorporates over 75 years of combined industry experience in the design and manufacture of bespoke subsea cable and umbilical products

JDR Cable Systems Products: Subsea power cables, umbilical systems and marine cables Sites: Global locations www.jdrglobal.com

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 109

110 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

JDR Cable Systems

T

oday JDR operates as a privately held UK company. Through its history JDR has enjoyed continued targeted investment, with new facilities opening in Littleport, UK and in Houston, Texas. Following the purchase of the business by Vision Capital and its partners, JDR received further investment to allow the company to expand within the market and reach new clients: “In 2009 JDR opened its main factory in Hartlepool, UK for the manufacture of power cables for the offshore renewable wind energy market and control umbilicals and cables for oil and gas sector,” elaborates Chief

Operating Officer, Richard Turner. “Upon opening the facility, the company received two large contracts for the design and manufacture of interarray subsea power cables for two of the world’s largest wind farm projects at that time.”

JDR has grown into an industry-leader in subsea power cables, umbilical systems and intervention workover control systems and presently offers services in both the offshore oil and gas and in renewable energy applications.

Within each of these market sectors, JDR provides flexible and innovative technologies that enable vital control and power delivery to offshore and subsea assets. JDR’s products and services are an essential element in subsea infrastructure that enables energy to reach end-users in a cost-effective, safe and environmentally responsible way. To facilitate the effective operation of offshore assets, JDR has developed robust technologies that maximise the efficient delivery of power, control and communications. Utilising its world-class design,

engineering and manufacturing capabilities, JDR is able to develop and deliver bespoke, quality systems for subsea installations at ever increasing water depths and distances. JDR approaches projects in partnership with its clients, which enables them to deliver reliable products that meet even the most complex and demanding project requirements.

Furthermore, through its comprehensive knowledge relating to inherent lifecycle and reliability design challenges, JDR has developed an extensive portfolio of products and services to support a broad spectrum of operational oilfield, offshore wind, wave and tidal energy requirements. Its highly regarded engineering expertise allows it to partner with clients throughout the design phase, offering complete dynamic analysis, fatigue analysis and seabed stability analysis capabilities to fully support and prove the suitability of its product designs. JDR is focused on innovations that improve longterm product performance and address future industry requirements, including the company’s medium to high voltage field joint products, which are qualified to the most stringent

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 111

112 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

JDR Cable Systems

international standards and even exceed the current qualification of levels of other commercially available products.

Through the combination of manufacturing excellence and strategic regional bases located in the UK, US, West Africa, Germany, Singapore, Brazil and Thailand, JDR is able to act as a truly global partner. As such, JDR is well known throughout the market and has delivered projects to customers all over the world. Within the offshore oil and gas sector its clients include respected operators such as Saipem, Subsea 7, ConocoPhillips, Shell, Chevron, Technip, Maersk, Exxon Mobil, Total, Statoil, Halliburton, GE and BP to name a few.

During November 2014 for example, JDR won a prestigious order for the manufacture of a 1.55km hybrid steel tube and thermoplastic umbilical to be delivered to a West African deep-water field (Abo 12). The JDR-designed umbilical included a combination of hydraulic control and chemical hoses, low voltage signal cables and a central bundle of steel tube chemical supply lines.

Within the renewables sector, JDR employs a similarly dynamic approach, taking a pioneering role in the development of inter-array cables for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy projects. Indeed the company has led the development of inter-array cable design and manufacture, creating comprehensive product systems that have been delivered to some of the world’s largest renewable energy projects.

These range from the Greater Gabbard and London Array wind farms and Wave Hub marine renewables infrastructure project in the UK to the Meerwind wind farm in Germany.

Mirroring its service offering within the offshore oil and gas market, JDR is able to provide proven experience and expert solutions in the renewables sector that focus on innovations to improve long-term product performance and support the future growth of the industry.

These range from its zero-in-service cable-failure rate to research and development into high-voltage inter-array cabling that will make offshore wind a more competitive source of power and improved installation support. Operationally, JDR offers renewables operators a full turnkey package from the design of inter-array cable systems to manufacture and field service support. The organisation’s experienced subsea power cable engineering team provides in-depth industry knowledge of inter-array cable design and accessories, including pulling grips; hang-offs; connectors and fibre optic splice boxes. Through partnership with its clients during the design phase, JDR is able create some of the most reliable products in the renewables industry. To date, JDR has proven to be a trusted partner to renewables clients globally including, Reef Subsea, Boskalis, Van Oord, Centrica, DONG Energy, E.ON, Vattenfall, RWE and others.

Recently JDR has been awarded two inter-array and service contracts in the European offshore renewables market. E.ON recently selected JDR to supply subsea cabling technology and services for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm. Additionally DONG Energy awarded JDR a contract to supply subsea power cables for the Race Bank offshore wind farm. Furthermore, both companies have collaborated on a comprehensive frame agreement for offshore wind farm cable and accessory supply.

With its on-going projects globally in both the offshore oil and gas and offshore renewables market, JDR will continue to distinguish itself as a market-leader in these sectors. A key strategy going forward is to remain close to clients. Although the oil and gas market has suffered recently due to the global decrease in oil price, JDR has remained highly active and shows no sign of slowing down. Chief Operating Officer, Richard Turner, concludes: “Some areas of the O&G market

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 113

JDR Cable Systems

have certainly slowed down and we have seen some projects being re-assessed or delayed as you would expect, however we are relatively well insulated from this as our renewables side of the business is seeing a great deal of growth and we have been very successful in securing large projects in the UK & German markets.

“It is because of this growth and also because of our firm belief in the near term opportunities we have to grow market share in the subsea umbilical and flying lead markets that we have just announced an ambitious expansion plan for our Hartlepool factory. This multi-million pound investment, supported by the RGF, will bring a considerable increase in the footprint of our facility in Hartlepool with a new building housing a high capacity, high capability horizontal helix machine and sheathing processes with 6000Te of additional indoor carousel storage.

“Hartlepool will become our centre for excellence in Cable and Umbilical manufacturing…probably the best of its kind anywhere in the world. We are ready to serve the current and future needs our customers.”

114 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Bifrangi UK

Forging

ahead

World leading closed die forging specialist Bifrangi UK has a historical reputation worth protecting and its continued commitment to innovation is central to securing its ongoing success

Bifrangi UK Products: World leader in closed die forging Sites: Sheffield and Lincoln, UK www.bifrangi.co.uk

T

wo strands feed into the history of Bifrangi UK. Preceding the Italian company’s acquisition and merging of the Sheffield and Lincoln sites in 2001, is a long history for both that spans over 150 years and reveals a wealth of experience. The Lincoln site started life in 1842 as Clayton and Shuttleworth Ltd manufacturing for the agricultural and rail carriage industries. Following the First World War, when it manufactured planes, the company moved into forgings for the automotive and aerospace industries and was called upon to manufacture crankshafts for the Rolls Royce engines that featured in the iconic Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes of the Second World War. Using this experience the second half of the twentieth century saw the firm move into the commercial vehicle industry and later played a part in the development of jet engines.

The Sheffield site was first established in 1869 as Ambrose Shardlow, a general engineering and machining specialist. At the turn of the century it moved into machining crankshafts and became a principle supplier for Ford UK in the 1920s. Like its current sister company, Shardlows became an important supplier to military vehicles during the Second World War and in the following years this gave it the experience to supply crankshafts for English Electric, Rolls Royce, Dorman, Napier and Paxman engines, which were fitted to many military vehicles and ships.

With this experience behind it, the amalgamation by Bifrangi in 2001 meant that the company was well positioned to serve the global market with forged and machined crankshafts, connecting rods, mining components and axle beams. Today the company is a world leader, serving the agricultural, off road, marine, power

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 115

46 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Bifrangi UK

generation and mining industries and has views to expand through continuous industry leading innovation. Its current customer list includes blue chip names such as John Deere, Cummins, Daimler Chrysler, Caterpillar and Liebherr, amongst many others.

Bifrangi UK’s combined experience means that it can offer an extensive range of services to its clients with an exemplary portfolio of capabilities. With the Lincoln site responsible for the forging side of the business, a 16,000 tonne screw press allows for the forging of components up to two metres in length and 350kg in weight.

This is then supported by true hot straightening methods that have been developed bespoke to check and correct TIR (total indicator reading) at forging temperature. To facilitate the high level of innovative engineering developed at Bifrangi, the company designs and manufactures its own dies and tools using state-of-the-art CAD/CAM software with forging simulation, 3D modelling and full CNC programming features. As a result it is able to carry out gantry and horizontal milling and machining, CNC milling and also die refurbishment with the use of two robotic die welding systems.

Furthermore, Bifrangi’s Sheffield site is specialised in the finished machining of crankshafts up to 3.5 metres and 750kg. This includes turning and drilling, as well as oilway drilling, induction heating, crankshaft grinding, polishing, testing and laser etching. The specialist skills employed and enabled by these capabilities means that Bifrangi’s products meet the highest levels of precision and durability, and serves to prove why the company is a world-class leader in the industry.

Despite this leading position Bifrangi UK is not content with standing still and it is currently looking to expand into new markets such as aerospace, petrochemical and renewable energy. To enable this it is undergoing an extensive £50 million investment programme at the Lincoln site, with the principle investment being a state-of-the-art 32,000 tonne percussion screw press, which will be the first of its kind in the UK and is capable of producing closed die forgings up to one tonne in weight and three metres in length. “Innovation is

the key to our expansion into new markets,” reads the company’s website, and the new press will be central to it achieving this continued innovation, as it will enable the forging of large micro alloy steel-based parts as well as aluminium, super alloys and other exotic material forging. This will also be enhanced by a new research and development/ technical centre.

It is clear why Bifrangi UK is a global leader

in the industry. Not only has a long and diverse history enabled it to establish a strong reputation and unrivalled experience, but also its attitude hasn’t become complacent as it operates in today’s climate. The markets it operates in are all very much defined by continual development and improvement, and therefore innovation has always been and will continue to be central to the company’s successful drive to serve them.

James Durrans & Sons

James Durrans & Sons are proud to be the supplier of Forging Lubricants to Bifrangi UK Limited. As a world leader in the development and production of forging lubricants at our state-of-the-art production and Research and Development facilities in the UK we have worked closely over numerous years with Bifrangi UK Limited to develop the right lubricant for their application.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 117

Väderstad Group

Big in

plants

From its humble beginnings on Rune Stark and Siw Stark’s 30-hectare farm in Herrgarden, Sweden, in 1962, Väderstad has been characterised by its entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and creation of ground-breaking farm machinery that improves the lives of farmers across the globe

Väderstad Group Products: Farm machinery Sites: 12 Employees: 1000+ www.vaderstad.com/uk

118 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

B

eginning as a designer and producer of rigid steel tine harrows, Rune Stark and his team went onto develop a new harrow, launch a cultivator and grow a strong reputation in Sweden, all before the 1970s. Over the following decades Väderstad witnessed incredible growth as it became increasingly innovative in the manufacture of cultivators, planters and drills.

During the 1990s the company launched its first subsidiary in the UK, Väderstad Limited, which was followed by the establishment of subsidiaries in France in 1994, Poland in 1996, Hungary in 1997 and Germany in 1999.

Not only an integral decade for the firm due to strategic expansion, the 1990s also proved to be a key time in the company’s history thanks to the development of two new innovative drilling concepts, Rapid, which originated from the earlier DS-drill, and Concorde, which was based on the highly successful NZ-cultivator. Upon exhibiting prototypes of the two machines, Väderstad

received a positive response from farmers and manufacturing began.

Committed to increasing its global coverage, Väderstad strengthened its presence in Saudi Arabia, with approximately 100 machines sold in the oil kingdom to date, and also established a new subsidiary in Ukraine in 2006. In addition, the company opened its 12th subsidiary in Krasnodar, Russia, an area that contains three per cent of the arable land in Russia but is responsible for 60 per cent of the oil seed production in the country.

Alongside these strategic expansions, Väderstad also acquired 49 per cent of the Canadian company Seed Hawk, a manufacturer of direct seeding technology, in the final quarter of 2006.

In 2013, the company became the complete owner of Seed Hawk and has since focused on developing its presence in North America.

Today managed by the Stark siblings, Christina, Crister, Andreas and Bo, the family business boasts an enviable reputation as a leading innovator and developer of agriculture machinery, as Mattias

Hovnert, sales director at Väderstad discusses: “We are present in a range of markets, Europe is our main market together with Russia. The UK is a very big market for us, and has been for many years; Germany and France are also key markets as well as Poland and Hungary. We also have a presence in Russia, however, because of the current economic situation, this is currently a tough market.

“The reason behind our success lies in our innovation and commitment to designing machines that benefit the farmer, whether that is through speed so he can be much faster on the field, providing multifunctional options or even boosting precision, which ensures a better yield. One example of this dedication is the Rapid Seed Drill product, which is a highly beneficial and a winning concept for farmers.

When this machine first came out farmers were not used to operating in this manner, but through demonstrations and discussions we provided the farmers with confidence and changed the shape

of agriculture operations. Today the Rapid Seed drill is one of the most common drilling machines to be used by farmers in the UK; more than 20,000 machines have been sold throughout the world, it is a true success story,” he continues.

Indeed, since it was tested in the UK in 1992, Rapid has proved itself time and again as a machine with excellent precision and suitable for all conditions minimum tillage and plowed land.

Over the years the machine has been enhanced to meet market requirements and today, thanks to its array of toolbars and drilling systems, Rapid is the right choice for farmers wanting unique depth control functionality, coulter pressure and optimal seed placement regardless of speed.

Moreover, thanks to few moving parts and cushioning on all working parts, the machine has an impressively long life cycle.

And this history of innovation seems to repeat itself, with the new planter from Väderstad: Tempo. With its innovated and patented seed metering system, it takes planting to a new level.

“Double speed and better precision than other machines on the market make the Tempo to a real success,” says Mattias. “In February this year we delivered our 1000th Tempo, and this only after two to three years of production.”

From 2015, Väderstad has installed hydraulic metering onto all of its Rapid models, which is essential in enabling farmers to use Väderstad E-services, connect to a GPS system and use the new technology on the machine to optimum effect. Meanwhile, new tyres allow for lower air pressure and a new following harrow provides customers with better lift clearance and adjustable function. The company has also enhanced cost-effectiveness and time saving thanks to BioDrill on Rapid, which means a ley, catch crop or other small-seeded crop can be precision-drilled at the same time as the main crop.

Since its acquisition of Seed Hawk, the two companies have worked together, merging

their strengths to develop a new concept of airseeder that provides outstanding accuracy of seed and fertilizer placement in the widest of areas. Benefits of this innovative product includes less soil disturbance thanks to wider row distance, low draught requirement due to the ultra narrow knives that give a superior seed placement with low horsepower required; these features ensure cost-effectiveness and efficiency for time conscious customers. “Seed Hawk has the knowledge and experience of these machines, and we can help with our expertise in both mechanical development and software; by integrating our different experiences we have created a product that is a huge success,” says Mattias.

With a lot of investments made in its production facilities and equipment, Väderstad is a very modern producer that can achieve both effective production and high quality. This is true both in Väderstad and at SeedHawk.

“Effectiveness and high quality are important

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 119

Väderstad Group

for us, for our brand and our products,” said Mattias. “Our machines must be reliable and therefore need to be manufactured in a way that support this. Welding robots, 3D-lasercutting and automated materials handling are just a few of the areas where we have invested recently.

Also logistics is important and we have created a complete new logistics centre in order to achieve an effective way of handling material both for internal and external use. Also precision in deliveries is really important for us. All of these factors are part of offering only the highest quality Mattias Hovnert, sales director

120 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

and we have to have the right equipment and processes in order to maintain the top standards for our customers.”

With new innovations ready for launch at the Agritechnica exhibition in November 2015, Väderstad has sown the seeds for future growth in a demanding market that requires optimum solutions, as Mattias concludes: “Research and development is really important to us as it means we can benefit the farmers and remain an attractive supplier on the market for agriculture machines.”

MöllerTech UK

As one door

closes...

MöllerTech UK Ltd is part of the MöllerGroup, a family owned company, which has existed since 1730

MöllerTech UK Ltd Products: Interior parts for the automotive industry Sites: Wales Employees: 450 www.moellergroup.com

W

ith the group headquarters located in Germany, MöllerTech UK has been based in Cwmfelinfach in South Wales since 1998. “We are a tier one supplier providing interior trim, centre console and rear trunk components and assemblies to the automotive sector,” says managing director Clayton Harding. Working with customers that include BMW, Honda and Toyota, the business records a comfortable turnover of approx. £35 million.

“In total we have approx. 2300 employees worldwide with a €300m turnover generated from six automotive plants (two based in Germany, two in the US, one in the UK and one in China), as well as two non-automotive plants alongside our HQ and technical centre also located in Germany.

Additionally we utilise a CAD centre in Romania,” highlights Clayton. Within the UK, the business has a diverse product range supplying all interior and exterior injection moulded parts with and without complex assembly, delivering by manifest or in JIT/JIS concepts.

“In the last two years we have been on a ‘Kaizen’ journey finding a way to provide the best possible condition for our members, working on creating a five star environment where our people are seen as our most valuable asset besides our customer. With a vision to implement a simple ‘one piece flow’ concept in the plant, we have had to challenge every process we have, and break it down to the simplest process condition with simple self-made solutions,” explains Clayton.

As a leading provider of parts to major manufacturers, the company’s understanding of innovation within the plant is no longer in the conventional sense, as Clayton continues: “Our aim for the future is to eliminate the highly complicated, over engineered solutions and replace them with simple machines and equipment that offer the best return on investment. In the past we were heavily influenced by high investment needs of complex ‘Poka-Yoke’ equipment that only took the responsibility of quality away from the member. We need to do this to be able to handle the market volatility; as we need to be profitable when the

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 121

MöllerTech UK

Right: The Kaizen team Far right: Clayton Harding with the EEF award

market is up and profitable when it is down.”

“As we know from the figures, the market has been on a positive trend in the last 12 months, and we have successfully launched the new Mini platform, which has had extremely high volume.

Out of this situation we took advantage to prepare our future, setting very challenging targets through our Kaizen activities to work on every area of the business,” explains Clayton. Following the 2010 implementation of the strategy in two of the German plants, it was in February 2013 that the UK business launched its own Kaizen motion. “We have successfully created a culture of ‘action driven people”, he adds.

“We identified in 2012 that we needed to drastically improve our flexibility, material flow, quality performance and reduce the need for additional investment of a new assembly hall,” continues Clayton. “We have a stable customer base for the next few years and new potential coming forward. As a result, we are not looking at the future in a block strategy but breaking it down year by year to ensure we can adapt to the ever changing needs of the customer. We need to follow the market and we believe the strongest suppliers will be the ones that can react quickly to the market change and be flexible enough to handle the change in the shortest time frame,” he points out.

Recognising that a robust supply chain not only supports the goal of achieving good quality and delivery but also supports the company’s vision, Clayton highlights: “Suppliers no longer have a PPM

buffer and ultimately it is the supplier that pays the price for bad quality. It is for this reason that we have to ensure that not only are our internal processes capable of delivering the required expectation but we must also ensure our suppliers can achieve this. It’s all about ‘quality mind set’ in every aspect of the process including the cultural factors of people, process and part.”

In January 2015 MöllerTech UK was awarded the EEF regional award for business efficiency for South Wales and the West Country, and later awarded the National EEF Future manufacturing award for business efficiency for the whole of the

UK. “As the representative voice of manufacturing in the UK, the EEF award is recognition of what we have achieved through our MöllerTech approach and strategy and is due to the commitment, drive and tenacity of all our employees. We will continue to compress our processes to take the next step of innovation within the plant, focusing on doing things that we have already done better and making them simpler.

What we have achieved to date is only the start of our journey,” concludes Clayton.

KraussMaffei Group

KraussMaffei Group is a global leading supplier of machinery and systems for producing and processing plastics. Products and services cover the whole spectrum of injection and reaction moulding and extrusion technology, giving the company a unique position in the industry. The KraussMaffei Group is innovation powered, supplying its products, processes and services as standard or custom solutions, delivering sustained added value to its customer base. The company markets its offering under the KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands to customers in the automotive, packaging, medical, construction, electrical, electronics and home appliance industries.

KraussMaffei has been headquartered in Munich since 1838.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 123

Drallim

Stretching

out

Drallim prides itself on being an innovative and responsive manufacturer

Drallim Products: Specialist equipment Sites: UK Employees: 60 www.drallim.com

124 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

S

ince its founding in 1958 by engineer Angus Millard, Drallim has worked tirelessly on the development of an ever-growing portfolio of products.

As a specialist equipment manufacturer, the organisation retains its reputation as a leading innovator in design and manufacturing solutions, providing engineering skills, manufactured equipment and custom built designs for the aerospace, industrial and utility markets.

“Encompassed within our business is a wealth of engineering knowledge ranging from mechanical and electrical to electronics and software. We are very much a niche manufacturing company,” says Dave Mooney, managing director.

The legendary rotary selector valve (RSV) on which the company was founded remains a product that continues to be demanded today, spearheading the contracts won through the Industrial Division including the recent manufacture of a complete suite of electro-

pneumatic control panels for a nuclear power station application. Despite being a small business, Drallim has received numerous awards, including Young Manufacturer of the Year, highlighting the drive behind its success.

“We change direction quite frequently so it is important that our employees are highly motivated, and winning awards for numerous aspects of the business opens an opportunity to celebrate our successes. We have got a wide ability in the company that stems from our founder, who left the company entrusted to the employees and it has been our ethos for many years that we wouldn’t survive as a British manufacturing company if we only made one product. It is long-term contracts and developing new products that has seen us through the recessionary periods of the past,” Dave explains.

The RSV – primarily used as a pneumatic valve - is manufactured alongside a range of

other specialist products allowing the Industrial Division to grow to a size where it comfortably responds to any manufacturing demand.

Currently undertaking a complex refurbishment project with National Grid, Drallim calls upon key suppliers such as Eldon, DRN and Chemographic to ensure quality within its production of custom manufactured items.

Maintaining strong relationships has always been at the heart of the division, and a skill that has seen it work with large clients including London Underground and Saudi Aramco. Leading advances in technology, Drallim has also been responsible for the development of the Drallim Anti-Condensation System (DACS), which eliminates wasted energy, thereby lowering operational cost, and has been sold to National Grid and other big users, to which Dave adds: “We have between 20 and 30 products and projects in consideration or at various stages at any one time. Constantly evolving our products and having good relationships with our customers is what has allowed us to develop an agile culture.”

Built on the brand name Cargo Aids, the Aerospace Division produces cargo handling equipment with a modern innovative approach to providing a quality solution, including the under slung cargo hooks for helicopters, which has been the bedrock for the business.

The division has expanded over the years to

incorporate many specialist restraints, from chain lashings to very high strength webbing restraints and specialist ground support equipment for a range of high integrity applications. Its customer base has grown to include British Airways, Rolls Royce, GE, the MoD and a number of nuclear power plants, and the business recently won an important contract to design and develop a cargo hook for a major US company. “It is a new generation of cargo hooks that we have developed inhouse, and we have also sold some variants of this around Europe, and as far away as Japan,” points out Dave, highlighting the company’s global interests.

“It is important to adapt to differing rules depending on where you’re supplying to around the world. Located in the UK, our global markets stretch as far as the US, India, and Japan, providing installation and commissioning services, for any of our products wherever required. We have over many years supplied products to industrial facilities all over the world,” he adds. Dedicated to providing leadingedge test, diagnostic and remote condition monitoring solutions to the power generation, transmission and distribution industry, Drallim also monitors oil field high voltage cables, recently designing a solution for a specific high voltage application for a client in Hong Kong.

Through its Utilities Division, the business also

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 125

Drallim manufactures the compressor desiccator unit, a device for supplying dry air to pressurise telecommunication cables, working in the background, helping to provide a clear signal on copper cables and in waveguides.

“Over the past 12 months we have seen our economy take a sharp improvement from our point of view in terms of customers being more ready to commit to larger, longer term projects, with a significant increase in our orders, resulting in a full order book through to 2016,” points out Dave. With the aerospace sector continuing to grow Dave expresses his confidence and concerns about future opportunities: “We have seen the depression of investment in the energy industry, largely because of the political uncertainties about the future, but in contrast, we see nuclear as an area in which we would like to expand into but it is still uncertain about what the opportunities will be and when they are going to happen. On the more basic industrial side of the business there seems to be a growing trend of bringing things back to the UK, doing less abroad, and therefore optimistically, we are hoping for steady growth and hopefully some unexpected opportunities.”

126 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Mettler Toledo Safeline

Brand

protection

Bakery and confectionary production with the Profile Advantage

Global market leader Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd is on a major drive to improve its operations across all aspects of product, manufacturing and sales

Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd Products: Industrial metal detectors for food and pharmaceutical industries Sites: Manufacturing sites: USA, Germany, UK and China www.mt.com/pi

F

ounded in Salford 26 years ago, and since being bought by precision equipment manufacturing group Mettler-Toledo (MT), Safeline has grown to become a global leader in its market. Manufacturing inline metal detection systems for predominantly the food and pharmaceutical industries, Safeline estimates to have in excess of 80k units currently in continuous operation around the world with a 25 per cent market share. In order to achieve this level of brand reputation and international excellence, the company has undergone a major drive to continuously improve manufacturing processes, innovate technologies and establish an unrivalled regional sales and service network across the globe. “We employ about 300 people in Salford where we design and manufacture the majority of our equipment,” explains Managing Director, Alan Purvis. “We then support 35

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 127

Mettler Toledo Safeline Manufacturing testing

(L to R) Kristian Laskey, MD Safeline X-Ray and Alan Purvis, MD Safeline Metal Detection inspect the latest onboard OEE reporting facility of the Profile range of metal detector systems

‘‘

With large scale urban migration occurring throughout the world more and more people are turning towards mass-produced food,” outlines Alan. “Therefore, there are more mass-producers of food in the world, and we supply the equipment to provide those manufacturers with brand protection

different sales organisations in all the major countries to supply global products with local excellence in service, knowledge and customer relationships.”

With 90 per cent of all sales going to the food industry, market conditions across the globe are positive for Safeline at the moment. “With urban migration occurring throughout the world more and more people are turning towards large scale produced food,” outlines Alan. “Therefore, there are more mass-producers of food in the world, and we supply the equipment to provide those manufacturers with brand protection.” Equally as positive for the company is the increasing regulation on food safety standards (such as BRC, IFS, FSMA to name but a few) imposed on manufacturers by retailers and government bodies. “There are lots of regulatory bodies that are trying to protect people from contaminated food, and the equipment we supply is one of the technologies that can help them do that,” Alan highlights.

The strengths of Safeline centre heavily around the reputation for quality and service established and maintained by the company over its history.

“Over the last 26 years we have consistently provided high performance, robust, marketleading products,” continues Alan. “It is our history of innovation, which has accelerated over the last five years, and the improvements we have brought to performance capability, ease of use

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 129

130 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Mettler Toledo Safeline Welocalize

Managing director Alan Purvis with the Profile Advantage

Welocalize is a global leader in innovative translation and localisation solutions. It specialises in working with global manufacturers. As an example, it has worked with Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd for ten years, translating marketing, software and technical documentation into multiple languages. Welocalize helps manufacturers grow and reach global audiences in 157 languages. Founded in 1997, Welocalize has 13 global offices and 600 employees across the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan and China.

Right: Manufacturing final test of the Profile Advantage Bottom right: Profile detector systems ready for despatch

‘‘

The new product utilises multi-simultaneous frequencies, which has been achieved by updating signal processing so we can now find even smaller metal pieces in an even broader range of challenging products, but with a lot more accuracy and regulation compliance. We invest a lot into the training, skills and continuous improvement of our employees to become more lean focused.

We have run a successful apprenticeship scheme for the last six years, which ensures a constant stream of skill flowing through the company.

Because of this our agility as a company has

improved and therefore our ability to respond to problems, or to avoid them, has increased dramatically over the last couple of years.” On top of this, Safeline’s ability to quickly and effectively train its global sales and support staff ensures that it can deliver the right expertise quickly in fast growing and emerging markets across the world. It also has the full weight of the MT group behind it and its superior B2B marketing abilities.

“Our marketing machine frightens a lot of smaller competitors,” notes Alan.

The food industry is a diverse and wide ranging industry, and Safeline’s products have applications throughout. Therefore, the company has developed a wide range of configurations and, whilst trying to standardise where possible, a lot of bespoke engineering goes into meeting demands. As well as ensuring the best detector performance - reliability, uptime, ease of service and long lifetime are also demanded by its customers. To achieve this, the company invests heavily into continuous improvement across its operations.

“We work very closely with PhD students and senior researchers at the University of Manchester to continuously enhance our technology,” says Alan. The most recent development to come out of this programme of innovation is the Profile Advantage metal detector, which came to market in September 2014 and has achieved significant success, already accounting for a higher than expected percentage

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 131

Mettler Toledo Safeline

Left: The staff celebrating the Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2012

Optimas Components Optimas Components is a specialist supplier of ‘C-Class’ components, sub-assembly, kitting and on-site inventory management services.

Optimas Components supplies Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd with a wide range of plastic fasteners; cable management, including an EMC protective cable gland; cable clips; detectable cable ties and PCB accessory products.

All products are supplied under Optimas Components’ On-Site Inventory Management service, whereby every product has a Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd part number and bar code. Optimas Components regularly visits Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd, checks the stock bins and replenishes inventory as required.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd are then invoiced just for the parts used. This service ensures Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd never runs out of parts.

132 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

of the company’s current sales. Improvements in electronics, software and signal processing make the existing range far more advantageous to customers over competitors’.

“Traditionally the technology has used a single optimised frequency to find small metal contaminants in a range of different food or pharmaceutical products,” explains Alan. “The new product however, utilises multi-simultaneous frequencies, which has been achieved by updating signal processing so we can now find even smaller metal pieces in an even broader range of challenging products, but with a lot more accuracy. For instance, a major manufacturer in

Poultry exhibition at Atlanta, 2015, with the Profile Advantage

product inspection division and Alan is keen to point out that they all share the same strategy to achieve future success, particularly as working together they can offer a complete service package to their shared customers. Elsewhere, Safeline’s vision for the future is very much focused on increasing its competitive advantage within the market and to continue its growth through product and manufacturing innovation.

In partnership with the University of Manchester, the company is already working on its next major development, which will be a complete replacement of the company’s range and is due to be rolled out over a three year period from the end of 2016. Ultimately, continued respect for its reputation and dedication to its ever-changing markets will secure the future for MettlerToledo Safeline Ltd, an attitude of continuous improvement flows through the company and it is taking positive steps on the journey to achieve its vision.

America was rejecting about 30-40 products out of 70,000 chickens per day that were not actually contaminated, from a competitor’s machine. We completed a field trial there and the company put seven million chickens through one of our detectors, which only ever rejected genuinely contaminated products. So the Profile Advantage’s change in sensitivity converts into really meaningful productivity, cost reduction and brand protection improvements for the customer.”

Innovation and continuous improvement are not reserved solely for products at Safeline. Alan explains that the company now sources about 15 per cent of its material spend on standard components from China, which has had significant cost saving and supply chain management benefits. The business has also followed this initiative by setting up its own production facility in China to specifically serve the Asian market more responsively. Today, 20 per cent of global sales are manufactured in China, which translates to 80 per cent for the Asian markets. Within the Salford factory, the company has recently invested in a £100k potting machine, which has had major impacts on waste reduction and time efficiency, and was accompanied by a patent pending change in product design and a new optimised production layout. “All sorts of innovation are going on all over the factory but we are far from perfect, we are about halfway through into a journey to become a highly efficient, lean manufacturing company,” he adds.

Safeline is one of four companies in MT’s

ADM-ISOBLOC

ADM-ISOBLOC is a family-owned business in the third generation.

The Senior Alois Aust built the first polymer concrete/artificial marble machine in 1962 worldwide. They offer a modular and flexible system of customised process technology for precise metering, homogeneous mixing, degassing, casting and injection of nearly every type of dry solid aggregates and liquids. ADMISOBLOC’s philosophy is to make customer demands possible.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 133

Continental Sports

A league of its

own

Continental Sports Products: Specialist sports hall and gymnasium equipment Site: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK www.continentalsports.co.uk

134 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Having reached the milestone of its 50th year in operation during December 2014, Continental Sports Limited can look back over a long history that has established it as a market leader in the supply of world-class sports hall equipment

S

ince the company was founded in 1964, Continental Sports has grown to the position of the UK’s leading manufacturer of equipment for gymnastics, trampolining, sports halls, physical education and changing rooms. From its base in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire the business currently employs some 100 members of staff in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of sports hall equipment. The business operates as a fully ISO 9001:2008 accredited company that is able to provide tailor-made solutions from its bespoke

UK manufacturing facility. As such Continental Sports has successfully designed manufactured, and installed numerous sports halls and gymnasia throughout the UK and overseas.

The company was originally established and grown by its founder Stanley Booth and today Continental Sports remains a family-owned business, under the guidance of Stanley’s grandson and present Managing Director Nick Booth. During the course of the past five decades the company’s range of products has developed significantly, expanding from traditional gymnasium and physical education equipment to today also include leading edge product developments in areas of including parkour, dry diving, rebound therapy and trampoline parks.

Its impressive track record has allowed the company to amass a significant wealth of knowledge in the field that allows Continental Sports to assist clients in the design of their sports hall or gymnasium. Furthermore its experienced drawing office technicians can offer clients the most efficient and cost effective layout as well as advise on the provision of a suitable range of best-value products. Within the field of gymnastics,

the reputation of Continental Sports is second to none. Beginning with the start of formal gymnastics within the UK and continuing to the present day, the company has remained at the forefront of gymnastics development. It is the only British manufacturer to have a complete range of equipment, floors and mats that are approved by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) governing body. As such Continental Sports has provided equipment for world championships in gymnastics, trampolining and sports acrobatics,

‘‘

Beginning with the start

of formal gymnastics within the UK and continuing to the present day, the company has remained at the forefront of gymnastics development

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 135

as well as other events including European and national championships.

Within the UK, Continental Sports has designed and installed specialist equipment to major gymnastic centres including the national gymnastics centres at Lilleshall and Inverclyde, as well as the National Gymnastics Performance and Research Centre at Loughborough University.

Furthermore as a leading sports hall and gymnasium maintenance provider, Continental Sports has a contract with many local authorities, sports and leisure centres, gymnastic clubs and other organisations throughout the UK. Additionally its experienced and certified maintenance and installation technicians provide national service support, which is backed up by large stocks of spare parts for both Continental Sports and third party products.

In recognition of the role that the company has played in the development of gymnastics in the UK, British Gymnastics has awarded Continental Sports the status of official 'Competition Apparatus Supplier'. As a result, all major British gymnastic events throughout the UK will exclusively use Continental Sports equipment.

Further to the success it has enjoyed in its traditional applications of gymnastics and sports hall equipment, Continental Sports continues to develop and supply equipment to new and emerging activities. One area in which the company is presently actively engaged in developing is in the growing field of trampoline parks, which have proven to be extremely popular in the US and are generating increasing interest within the UK and Europe. During January 2015 Continental Sports announced that the company was involved in the development of several new trampoline park

136 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Continental Sports

projects in the UK. A trampoline park consists of a large number of trampolines with padding between and around them and incorporates various ‘zones’ that allow for different bouncing activities. In developing these parks, Continental Sports was able to rely on its expansive experience in the manufacture and installation of gymnastics and trampolining equipment to develop a modular system for trampoline park installation.

This equipment includes flat beds, in both small and large sizes to make up the main bouncing area; angled beds that allow participants to literally ‘bounce off the walls’; tracks – long style beds that allow run-ups to basketball goals and for advanced bouncers to practice tumbles; dodgeball – netted zonal areas to play bouncing dodgeball; basketball; padded rest zones; junior zones, with smaller, lower trampolines for younger children; foam dismount pits – foam logs or cubes in huge pits to land in after somersaults or jumps; and fitness zones – an elevated single trampoline in front of an area of flat beds to hold instructor-let fitness classes.

Furthermore the company’s bespoke in-house manufacture enables Continental Sports to deliver

equipment to clients that conforms to the look and feel of their facilities, with colours of padding and beds to suit individual schemes.

As Continental Sports continues to extend its connection with new activities, the company is becomingly increasingly involved with high profile new projects for activities such as parkour and freerunning. During July 2015 it was announced that Continental Sports had completed the installation of a trampoline park system for Oxygen Freejumping at the organisation’s first site in Acton, West London. The park includes Continental Sports’ ModuBlox system for parkour and freerunning in addition to an obstacle course located over an extensive foam filled pit, as well as Continental's in-house developed trampoline park equipment. In the wake of a recently announced partnership between Sebastien Foucan and Oxygen Freejumping, the Acton site will feature the first Foucan Freerunning Academy- just as it has done in the past and continues to do in the field of gymnastics, Continental Sports is at the forefront in assisting the development of new sporting activities in the UK and abroad.

‘‘

The company’s bespoke

in-house manufacture enables Continental Sports to deliver equipment to clients that conforms to the look and feel of their facilities, with colours of padding and beds to suit individual schemes

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 137

Hi-Force The Hi-Force UK manufacturing facilities in Daventry, England

In

demand

Hi-Force is the fastest growing hydraulic tools manufacturer in the world today

Hi-Force Ltd Products: High pressure hydraulic tools Sites: UK, UAE, Azerbaijan, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Africa www.hi-force.com

138 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

O

riginally introduced to the market in the late 1980s, the Hi-Force brand enjoyed two decades of moderate success before a management buyout and restructure in the early 2000s which resulted in the Brown family taking control of the business in 2006. “It was at this point in the company’s history that I relocated back to the UK as Group Managing Director, following a highly successful 14 year stint of setting up and managing Hi-Force’s Middle East operations in Dubai, UAE,” says Managing Director Kevin Brown.

Since then, the company has witnessed ongoing success and prosperity, with almost 190 per cent growth and a tripled workforce since 2009. Key to this incredible growth is Hi-Force’s strategic decision to progress into in-house manufacturing, which meant Hi-Force ended many years of dependency on sub-contractors.

In line with this development, Hi-Force relocated to a brand new, state-of-the-art facility, in 2010, which is in close proximity to its earlier, much smaller, facilities in Daventry, UK. The new site, at over three times the size of the previous facility, has enabled the firm to combine all

manufacturing and production facilities under one roof, alongside its sales, marketing, assembly, training, logistics and administration departments.

“We manufacture our products from within our headquarters and manufacturing facilities, in Daventry, Northamptonshire, where you can see the complete manufacturing process, from raw material being delivered by our steel and aluminium stock holders, to finished, boxed product being shipped out. Having everything on one huge site, spanning over 120,000 square feet, creates huge efficiency gains. For the business, plus allows our customers to see first-hand exactly how the tools, they buy and use, are manufactured, assembled, tested & certified, finished, packed and despatched,” confirms Kevin.

“To further support our business and our customers, 80 per cent of which is exported outside of the UK, we have established Regional Offices & Distribution Centres in Europe, the Middle East, Far East & Africa, with plans in place to open a Regional Office in the Americas, in 2016.

We also receive fantastic support from over 100 strategically placed, authorised and appointed distributors, in over 80 countries, which provide

Top: A batch of TWH54N Hydraulic Wrench Drive Cylinders being assembled Bottom: Part of the recently shipped huge order for Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia, delivered within 14 weeks of order

the key link between Hi-Force and end users of our products,” he adds.

Used in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, refinery and petrochemical, power generation, mining, railways construction, steel and aluminium plants, aerospace, ship building and ship repair, as well as sugar and paper mills, Hi-Force’s hydraulic tools can be relied upon to deliver optimum quality to the most challenging or hazardous of projects. Key to this reliability is the company’s commitment to research and development, which also ensures Hi-Force remains at the forefront of high pressure, hydraulic tool technology. “In the last two years we have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in expanding our technical design and engineering team. We now have five full time design engineers compared to just two at the beginning of 2014, all dedicated to improving product designs and introducing innovative new products to our global customer market,” says Kevin. “We also use the very latest design software and currently have several new products in the pipeline that are due for launch in the coming months.”

CEJN

It Pays Hi-Force to BeSafe. CEJN is delighted to supply Hi-Force with its award winning pneumatic eSafe Safety range. The eSafe range is the biggest development from CEJN and its arrival is setting new standards within the industry by combining safety with performance.

The eSafe range is designed to optimise the delivery of compressed air saving time and money; and to create a safer work place environment by eliminating the hose whip, which is currently the main risk with pneumatic systems. eSafe has the highest flow on the coupling market which ensures maximum energy to the tool and is leak free which can help you achieve your ESOS energy saving targets. Savings of up to 30 per cent can be achieved using the eSafe Safety Range.

It Pays to BeSafe. Can you not afford to be?

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 139

Hi-Force

Although it is too early to discuss these upcoming innovations, Hi-Force has recently launched a new range of 700 Bar, maximum working pressure, electric driven hydraulic torque wrench pumps; available with a choice of electric or air driven motor, the pumps are used with the company’s hydraulic torque wenches. “The innovation comes primarily from the three speed design and operation of these pumps, compared to commonly used two speed versions that are

140 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

offered by our competitors. Not only does the three speed design improve speed of performance, which thus saves operators valuable time, it also enabled Hi-Force to design and manufacture this innovative new product in-house, rather than using sub-contracted and proprietary brand components,” highlights Kevin.

He continues: “We achieved three major successes here: a better more efficient and lighter weight pump, with the added success of a lower manufacturing cost. Previously over 90 per cent of the component parts of our pumps were outsourced; now over 50 per cent of the components are manufactured in-house.

Sales during the first half of 2015 have far exceeded our expectations and our in-house design engineering team are justifiably proud of the success of this project.”

Indeed, playing an integral role in Hi-Force’s accomplishments are its highly motivated and hardworking employees, who are all dedicated to supporting the Brown family in achieving all of its core objectives. “I believe our core strengths to be our people and our high quality products, both of which are absolutely vital to ensure we continue to grow and prosper,” confirms Kevin. “The last ten years have been absolutely amazing for the business, as it has grown from being a small tools supplier to an innovative and market leading manufacturing business.”

As increasingly demanding industries call for higher quality products and Hi-Force remains in demand, it has made massive investments in machinery to ensure customer needs are met or exceeded. “In 2014 we spent over £1 million on three new DMG Mori CNC machines and in 2015 to date over £300,000 has been spent on four Haas CNC machines and associated equipment.

In fact, the purchase of a huge new DMG Mori SL603 lathe machine last year proved pivotal in us recently executing a huge order for the Riyadh Metro Project in Saudi Arabia. The order was in excess of $2 million and, from date of order to date of despatch, was completed in less than 14 weeks. Five 40 ft containers full of hydraulic jacking equipment, manufactured in Daventry, are now en-route to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia! This is a very proud achievement for our business and our employees; we could never have met our customers’ demanding delivery schedule, without having our own in-house manufacturing capability,” enthuses Kevin.

Despite these major successes, Hi-Force has no plans to rest and enjoy the fruits of its labour and instead is looking to further expand in the near future before purchasing more manufacturing machines in 2016. “Whilst we are delighted with the growth we have achieved, since relocating to our current facilities in 2010, the next 12 months will see us re-evaluate our complete manufacturing processes, to better streamline our activities, to further increase efficiency and achieve a key element of our next five year plan,” says Kevin.

“This is split into four key areas: gain market share, increase brand awareness, best in class ROI and cash flow and to be a respected employer. We are now well into the implementation phase, through a wide variety of initiatives to ensure we achieve our ‘must win’ battles and fully realise our vision,” he concludes.

Collins and Hayes Furniture

Back on its

feet

Collins and Hayes Furniture Ltd puts people first as it undergoes a major operational overhaul and modernisation

Collins and Hayes Furniture Ltd Products: Design and manufacture high quality upholstered furniture Sites: East Sussex, UK www.collinsandhayes.co.uk

B

ased in East Sussex, Collins and Hayes Furniture Ltd is a complete design and manufacturer of high quality upholstered furniture supplying the UK retail market. Despite over 140 years experience, the company was not in the best of states when the current Managing Director, Matt O’Flynn, took over in September 2014. It was suffering from margin erosion, market share was reducing and manufacturing processes were out of date.

Since joining, Matt has brought about a major process of modernisation to lift the company back into profitability and into the present day.

To accompany this he demonstrates a genuine commitment to offering his employees the best opportunities and working environment to help bring about a new era of success and results are starting to show.

Historically, Collins and Hayes had a reputation within the market as a designer and innovator of high quality furniture. “It’s not particularly unique in what it offers, but people have always done business with people and along with an interesting and diverse product range, this is where the reputable name has come from,” explains Matt. “What I am looking to do is to re-establish the brand in today’s market as a high quality designer and innovator, and to excite the market with a new product direction.” To do this the company has started to take a number of significant strategic steps and the first has been to improve its marketing approach. “We are making a concerted effort to bring on a lot of new customers to broaden our market reach and we have just sold into John Lewis as a brand, which is the first time we’ve had our name on their floor,” he says. Usually supplying retailers under an ownbrand agreement, to have the Collins and Hayes name in a major retailer is a significant move to rebuild the company’s brand and market position.

To accompany this marketing push the company has also opened up two new trade showrooms, one at the factory and another in the Midlands.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 141

Collins and Hayes Furniture

Lectra

Lectra is proud to be a partner of Collins and Hayes, providing years of support and innovative technology to enable Collins and Hayes to continue manufacturing inspirational upholstered furniture, preserving its heritage and reputation for elegant design and craftsmanship.

Lectra works with furniture manufacturers across the world to add value and improve efficiency at every stage of the process – from design and product development, to fabric and leather cutting.

Lectra’s team of experts have extensive knowledge of industrial best practices in the upholstered furniture market, and its solutions deliver the benefits of tomorrow’s cutting room, today.

With its comprehensive range of professional services, Lectra ensures that companies get the very best results from their operations, proposing a set of proven diagnostics, methodologies and best practices to help companies to improve processes, achieve operational excellence and deliver superior value to their customers.

‘‘

By eliminating processes that slow us down, we are becoming much more nimble to serve the customer requirements better and this gives us a much faster and robust service within the business

Also serving its outward facing business strategy is a complete refresh of the company’s IT systems to bring about a leaner and more responsive operation within the offices. “The IT side is very much focused on delivering a world class customer service,” says Matt. “By eliminating processes that slow us down, we are becoming much more nimble to serve the customer requirements better and this gives us a much faster and robust service within the business.”

Behind the scenes an equal measure of improvement is being driven into the company’s manufacturing processes. “We are aligning our operating areas throughout the business to create a better flow and encouraging an internal customer philosophy so that people look at what they’re doing from a customer’s perspective,” outlines Matt. “It is very much focused on a no-faults-forward and quality first ethos. The company had become quite stuck in its structure, both in terms of personnel and physically. As we

start to restructure the staffing and the layout, we are starting to find the champions within the business bubble back up to the surface.

Continuous improvement is a real mantra of modern manufacturing and we are starting to really benefit from lots of quick wins as people are becoming far more engaged with what’s going on. This has also reignited our customer base to look at what we can do and offer.”

Significant work has also been put into a general refresh of the facilities and implementation of policies across the business, which recently rewarded Collins and Hayes with a passed ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) inspection.

The next stage of updating the manufacturing capabilities for the company will be investing into new machinery such as new CAD and CNC machines. “This will mean bringing some new skills into the business as well, but will take the business to the next stage in terms its product offering to the market,” adds Matt.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 143

144 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Collins and Hayes Furniture

company operates, it is important to Matt that the employees are very much part of it. “I’m really driving the importance of people working together rather than in isolation,” he says as he notes that he is setting up a number of training opportunities. Typifying his exemplary peoplefocused attitude, when asked about his vision for the company he answers: “I want the company to

be an employer of choice and I want my staff to be well paid, because they’re not at the moment, and this isn’t satisfactory.” Change can be implemented, but to make it successful requires the support of people and Collins and Hayes seems to have grasped this as it looks to pull itself back to being a successful and well-regarded brand on the marketplace.

Matt is also keen to express that Collins and Hayes is focused on improving its supply chain, with the addition of a dedicated Supply Chain Manager to help establish strong working relationships that can help improve efficiencies whilst driving quality. “The terms that that we renegotiate with our suppliers will be based on growing as a business and as a customer to them, which will enable us to make better deals in the future. We are not reinventing the wheel, we’re just bringing the company back into line to where it should be.”

Collins and Hayes remains acutely aware that it still has a long way to go to reach the profitable and reputable position it has set a course for.

With so much change going into the way the

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 145

Neumeister Hydraulik

A history of

innovation Neumeister Hydraulik is a producer and supplier of hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic power units

Neumeister Hydraulik Products: Hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic power units Sites: Neuenstadt am Kocher, Southwest Germany www.neumeisterhydraulik.de

146 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

‘‘N

eumeister Hydraulik founder Otto Neumeister was always a step ahead of his time,” reflects Neumeister Hydraulik Managing Director Ali Tolu. “His pioneering spirit has kept the company on the road to success since it was founded in 1929.” Indeed the history of Neumeister Hydraulik begins with the introduction of Otto Neumeister’s grease gun, which was produced from 1934 to 1936.

Soon after innovations for tail-lifts and special cylinders followed during the time of the West German economic miracle in the wake of the Second World War. Today Neumeister Hydraulik continues to specialise in the production and supply of hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic power units, having built on its small-scale operations supplying the agricultural market to eventually serve a broad base of clients. The

company prides itself on employing the very latest technology and advanced automated production processes and is considered to be a market leader in the production of hydraulic cylinders for axle springs in heavy goods vehicles.

From its headquarters in Neuenstadt am Kocher, southwest Germany, Neumeister Hydraulik continues to operate as a familyowned business that employs more than 290 people. The company manages a cutting-edge facility that encompasses some 16,700 square metres of planning, construction and production technologies. From this single location Neumeister Hydraulik is able to manufacture all of the components associated with its hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic power units and valves inhouse. Its manufacturing technologies include machining techniques such as sawing, CNC turning, milling and grinding; various welding methods; electroplating; assembly; and painting.

Furthermore Neumeister Hydraulik employs the latest fully automatic welding robots, which utilise computer-controlled NC turning lathes.

In contrast there are still a number of manual processes in the final assembly stages of manufacture that allow the company to ensure the demand for flawless products. Therefore as a medium-sized company, Neumeister Hydraulik is committed to paving the way for young people into professional life and presently employs 20 apprentices in its training workshop.

The company’s manufacturing processes are supported by computer aided design, with specially trained designers using the latest CAD workstations that enable them to assess how the developed cylinders will stand the test of time during daily use. The combined strength of Neumeister Hydraulik’s manufacturing capability is designed to enable the business to respond to the demanding requirements of its clients and its production processes are continuously refined to this end. “Our production strategy is based on the company’s new Neumeister production system. This production system is currently in development and will be introduced gradually over the coming months. The introduction of an integrated production system and thus the realisation of lean production and

logistics processes will enable the optimisation of production cycles and offer significant advantages,” Ali reveals.

“Specific client projects and requirements often mean that we face major challenges

in terms of technology, functionality, delivery times, quality and price,” he adds. “However these projects give Neumeister Hydraulik the opportunity to enter into dialog with its customers to learn a great deal about their

HME GmbH

HME GmbH Sealing Systems, established in 1980, is a competent supplier of high quality products in sealing technology. Since the company was founded, its focus has been on the development, design and distribution of sealing systems.

HME is dedicated to continually improving its products in order to keep up with the sealing technology market’s ever-changing requirements.

In order to ensure its partners and clients are kept up-to-date with any developments in its sealing profiles and product range, HME offers exemplary customer service, as well as product maintenance options.

Neumeister Hydraulic, a manufacturer of complex hydraulic cylinders for mobile hydraulic applications has relied on the competences of HME GmbH Sealing Systems for decades. HME is proud of this history of co-operation and looks forward to a prosperous future working together.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 147

148 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Neumeister Hydraulik Seidel Stahlrohr

Steel tubing plus know-how. Those who expect the best quality, short delivery times and high flexibility – even in individual desires – is in good hands: The number of our long-standing, friendly customer relations is the living proof of that. The latest technology and an extensive stock are further advantages. In short: Seidel wants to be your best partner in steel tubing.

needs, which allows the company to increase its knowledge base and realise its client’s wishes accordingly. Consistent customer orientation is a vital part of our company’s development.”

Neumeister Hydraulik’s range extends from telescopic cylinders, including single and double-acting cylinders to hydraulic hydraulic power units and equipment such as flow dividers, valves and roof lifting plants. With new products such as its HySafe non-return valve and a four-chamber cylinder for vehicles in public transport, the company continues to set trends in the market. Industries serviced

by Neumeister Hydraulik include vehicle and equipment manufacturers, the concrete industry, producers of ground support equipment, tunnel boring and maritime segments. To date the company has worked with broad range of highly regarded industry players including Goldhofer AG, TII Group (Scheuerle, Kamag, Nicolas), Kässbohrer Transport Technik GmbH, Liebherr, Bauer Group, Hydro Leduc, Faymonville, Terex, Doll Kirow, etc. “We see ourselves as a supplier of ideas. The hydraulic components Neumeister Hydraulik designs are produced to realise the increasing demands of the market, which we view as an opportunity. Sound know-how, years of experience and a desire to always offer our customers the best solution, give rise to leading market and customer-oriented products,” Ali reveals.

“We develop and produce hydraulic cylinders with all associated components, such as hydraulic power units and safety valves for heavy duty

vehicles,” he adds. “Our products are used in modular transporters, tippers, truck-mounted cranes, slag transporters, aircraft tugs, tunnel boring machines and other commercial vehicles.

Safety, reliability and functionality are paramount for products ‘Made by Neumeister’.”

‘Made by Neumeister’ is the term that Neumeister Hydraulik applies to its products and denotes the pride the company takes in supplying the highest levels of quality. As well as supplying standard cylinders ranging from one kg to 12,000 kg, Neumeister Hydraulik is also able to supply bespoke solutions from batch sizes of as little as a single unit. This great flexibility allows the company to work with its clients to provide first-class, innovative solutions.

“We see ourselves as a development partner for our customers, therefore innovations have a very important significance for our company,” Ali says. “With both new and existing products, innovative ideas and product evolution is considered permanent.”

Over the next 12 months Neumeister Hydraulik will work to continue the development and implementation of the Neumeister production system and to increase productivity. In the longer term it is intended that the company will continue the expansion strategy. “The current order situation is very good, with strong customer demand for the increased capacity we have at present,” Ali concludes. “In spite of the challenges in recent

years we are in a very dynamic market and therefore, we follow customer requirements and the competitive landscape very closely. We will continue in the development of new markets and industries with good growth potential and launch innovative new products. Key to this will be the expansion and development of close customer relationships and further investment in the organisation and its staff.”

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 149

European Investment Casters’ Federation (EICF)

Casting the future The European Investment Casters’ Federation is serving a significant purpose in a highly critical and growing industry

European Investment Casters’ Federation (EICF) www.eicf.org

150 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

T

he EICF was formed in 1954 as a forum to bring together the representatives of the European Investment foundries to discuss developments and advances in the industry.

This arrangement existed until 2003 when it was decided to formalise the organisation as a registered company limited by guarantee under the management of David Ford. The Federation’s objectives are to promote the industry, organise conferences, share information on markets and technical advances and to facilitate research and development activities. Today the membership from 19 European countries includes, 46 foundries, 41 suppliers, five research organisations and one university. The Federation represents a highly critical European industry worth an annual three billion dollars.

The industry itself falls under precision manufacturing and serves the aerospace, power generation, medical markets as well as a range of engineering applications. “If you can design it, we can cast it,” highlights David. “The main competitive industry is metal injection moulding.

However, the big advantage of investment casting

is that you can make very intricate internal shapes that are not possible with other methods.” Other advantages of investment casting include the range of materials, including steels, aluminium, titanium, cobalt and nickel base superalloys that can be cast in intricate geometries. In particular, investment casting is used to produce components in superalloys that require temperatures too extreme to be fabricated by any other way. By using directional solidification and single crystal casting it is possible to maximise superalloy properties essential for future gas turbine efficiencies. The process then is irreplaceable when manufacturing components for highly demanding applications in extreme conditions and which require intricate internal structures.

As a result David explains that about 50 per cent of all major parts in an aerospace engine can be investment cast, including casings, and turbine blades and vanes. A booming turbocharger market also benefits from the process to manufacture turbo wheels and a large percentage of medical prosthetics such as joint replacements also rely on investment casting. Considering this importance then it may be surprising that investment casting

David. “We get anything between 80 and 140 engineers each year typically representing 15 – 16 European countries. It gives people the opportunity to network with new ways of thinking and new perspectives from their colleagues – it’s all about sharing best practice. These events are also always accompanied by industry visits and factory tours to really enhance the experience.”

Alongside these workshops the EICF organises international conferences every four years in a European country. “We have about 300 to 400 people at these events from well over 20 different countries all coming together to share their knowledge and foster good international relations in the industry,” notes David. “It has produced quite a fellowship between competitors to help enhance and promote the industry.” The EICF also works closely with the American Investment Casting Institute (ICI) and the Japanese Foundry Society (JFS) to organise four-yearly world conferences, the next of which will be managed by the EICF under its new CEO Dr Carlos Olabe, in Paris, April 2016. The sequence of these conferences ensures that international conferences are held every two years so that the industry has knowledge of the very latest technology in which to compete and satisfy its customers.

The EICF has also set up a research group, comprised of the principal European research

Image courtesy of Precicast SA

is scarcely taught in colleges and universities.

“There are no courses available that are directed specifically at this technology,” explains David.

“There are only a couple of textbooks that have been written and these are out of date.

This is mainly because a lot of the processes are confidential. Therefore, the only way to learn is to move from company to company, which isn’t desirable, or to set up a professional network.”

This is where the EICF comes in, and the principle focus of the Federation since David took over has been to reignite a passion within the industry and to give young engineers the opportunity to gather knowledge and experience.

To do this the Federation organises annual technical workshops for engineers from all over Europe. “Principally, when we run these workshops there are specific themes for each one. For example, the last one which we ran in Sheffield was directed at computer modelling, previous workshops have focused on quality and process control, defect reduction, advances in process materials, measurement and non destructive testing, so each event is tailored for the industry and run by experts from the industry,” outlines

organisations involved with investment casting and able to support the industry with the necessary R&D to maintain its competiveness. By way of example the Federation has initiated projects at the UK National Physical Laboratory to determine the properties of process materials used by the industry, and projects at the University of Birmingham including the use of electrophoresis to manufacture shell moulds. The Federation is also supporting the EU ‘FOUNDENERGY’ project to develop heat exchangers to transfer waste heat from furnaces to organic rankine cycle (ORC) engines via generators to convert the heat into electricity. The project involves the Croatian Centre of Innovation with several European partners and is managed by Tecnalia in Spain which is one of the EICF R&D members.

“The investment casting industry is a very old one, but it is and will remain the only manufacturing process capable of producing complex geometries from materials that cannot be fabricated in any other way,” concludes David as he assures that the Federation’s focus will continue to be trained on further enhancement and promotion within the industry. With growth evident in many of its target markets, the industry is set to expand even more over the coming years and the EICF’s efforts to attract and train fresh talent and keep best practice flowing throughout will be instrumental to it keeping up.

Ecrimesa Group

Ecrimesa Group produces steel and aluminium parts by investment casting, metal injection moulding and machining technologies. Its plants are in the North of Spain where the products are mainly exported to UE countries, the US, and Asian customers.

Ecrimesa has its own tool design and production facilities, heat treatment plant, and metallurgical and R&D laboratory including simulation software. It is also experienced in developing prototypes with fast prototyping technologies.

The group is developing an average of 180 new references per year in different sectors as aerospace and defence, automotive, tools, valves and so on.

With more than 50 years of experience Ecrimesa is very used to collaborating with EICF at many Congresses, not only as an attendee, but also as speakers, and also in different UE programs, and the synergies there are also very positive.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 151

NEW! STELEX* ZR ULTRA fine porosity framed filters

Invest with Foseco STELEX ZR ULTRA fine porosity framed zirconia filters are the latest addition to Foseco’s growing range of products and services for investment casters.

Whether it be reducing energy consumption, enhancing metal cleanliness, driving casting quality or improving yield, Foseco has the solutions to meet today’s challenges.

So, to release your true potential: invest with Foseco.

+ Zirconia filters + Crucible liners + Furnace linings + Ladle linings + Porous plugs + Feeding compounds www.foseco.com

*STELEX is a trademark of the Vesuvius Group, registered in certain countries, used under licence.

Foseco

A positive

forecast With a reputation for bringing cost and quality improvements to the global foundry industries, Foseco looks to improve its offer to the investment casting sector in a market facing increasing pressures

Foseco Products: Multinational manufacturer of consumable products and solutions for the global foundry industry Sites: 650 www.foseco.com

F

ounded in 1932, Foseco is the foundry division of the leading global metal flow engineering group Vesuvius plc. With a focus on continuous innovation, the division acts as a solutions provider applying its expertise and knowledge to help foundries increase efficiency by improving performance, reducing material usage and introducing automation. “Our strengths lie in the skills of our people and application ability,” begins International Marketing Manager, Nick Child. “This relates to a good understanding of the industry, our customers’ processes and that they need to improve their business. It is our ability to define and solve customer problems, to provide supporting products and services and produce more cost effective and higher quality products, which sets us apart. Our ambition is to provide solutions partnering as opposed to just selling products.”

As a division of the globally successful Vesuvius

engineering group, Foseco is not only afforded the financial support of a company that turned over £1.4 billion in 2014, but also the world leading expertise and reputation within the metal flow industry. By applying lean manufacturing across all its sites and taking advantage of an unrivalled and efficient supply chain, the group is able to occupy a leading cost position, which it generously passes on to its array of customers. Within an industry that is becoming increasingly globalised, Vesuvius’ high flexibility to encourage and maintain growth within emerging markets is also crucial to the group’s ability to well-serve the industry. However, perhaps most important to the company’s ongoing success and ability to serve its markets is its commitment to innovation. Maintaining its position as a technology leader is central to the company’s overall strategy and informs everything it does.

Research and development has also been a key part of Foseco’s historic success and growth. As

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 153

Foseco R&D Center, Netherlands

Nick Child, International Marketing Manager

‘‘

We have an expanding portfolio of technologies, which can help the foundryman address many of the key challenges through the optimisation of energy usage, increased metal cleanliness, improved casting quality and higher casting yields 154 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Nick expresses: “Foseco has established a track record for product and process innovations for the foundry industry since the beginning. These include exothermic and insulating feeding systems, filtration of liquid alloys, direct pour technology, solidification simulation software, non-ferrous metal treatment and degassing systems, metal stream inoculation, electrostatic coatings, environmentally friendly binders and insulating ladle lining systems.”

In 2014, the company opened up a dedicated and more centralised R&D Centre in Enschede in the Netherlands to complement existing facilities throughout Europe and the US to focus on bluesky innovation, as the company looks to expand its operations on a global scale.

It is this commitment to innovation that allowed Foseco to enter into the industry of investment casting. “Foseco’s core business for many years has been iron, steel and non-ferrous foundries employing resin bonded sand, green sand and die casting processes,” explains Nick.

“However, following the development of STELEX ceramic foam filters in 1988, Foseco established a business in the investment casting sector with filters, exothermic compounds and insulating ladle linings. Following the acquisition by Vesuvius in 2008, the portfolio expanded to include

furnace linings, crucibles and porous plugs.”

The appeal of the investment casting industry is clear to see for Foseco as its reputation to help companies achieve greater efficiency and quality is crucial in today’s challenging foundry industry.

Nick explains that the investment casting sector is currently healthy as it continues to produce high value and technically advanced castings. As such the sector is currently experiencing strong growth of five to six per cent per annum. However, as the foundry industry in general develops at a rapid rate in the Far East, long standing companies in the West are having to turn to higher quality, higher integrity and more difficult to produce specialist products in order to maintain the high value, high technology offering of their businesses. As such, the investment casting industry is facing pressures from rising quality demands, globalisation, threats from alternative technologies, environmental compliance and increasing energy costs. Foseco prides itself on being able to help its customers overcome these challenges.

“We have an expanding portfolio of technologies, which can help the foundryman address many of the key challenges through the optimisation of energy usage, increased metal cleanliness, improved casting quality and higher

casting yields,” says Nick. “Our engineering capabilities can also assist in the drive to improve process control in key areas, such as melting, transfer and mould filling.”

At this year’s quadrennial GIFA exhibition in Dusseldorf, Foseco launched its latest innovation, which specifically targets the investment casting market. “The STELEX ZR ULTRA finer porosity zirconia ceramic foam filters are the latest addition to the filtration portfolio from Foseco,” explains Nick. “This development allows finer porosity filters

to be used to achieve improved levels of filtration efficiency while maintaining high metal flow rates into the mould. Essentially, we have developed a product based on a traditional concept that allows a higher level of filtration efficiency to be achieved without slowing down the metal flow, which is really important to investment foundries.”

Alongside this latest innovation, the backing of Vesuvius’ vast range of refractory solutions suitable for melting steels and super-alloys gives Foseco the knowledge and experience to suit the specific and

highly demanding needs of the investment casting foundry. The company also offers porous plugs to be deployed in melting furnaces to remove unwanted inclusions and crucibles specifically designed for application in vacuum melting furnaces. A variety of insulating ladle linings to provide temperature control and reduce the need to superheat alloys, thus saving energy and avoiding temperature related defects in the finished casting, are also present in Foseco’s specialist offering. To complete the line-up it has also developed high purity FERRUX exothermic feeding compounds, to optimise yield and avoid expensive shrinkage related defects in high alloy and super alloy casting applications.

As a member of the EICF, Nick is quick to praise the efforts of the federation in an industry that remains vital to the global casting needs, but needs more attention brought to it. “The investment casting industry needs to have a unified approach to further grow the awareness of its business and products, and grow together for further improvement,” he says. “The EICF is a significant mechanism for doing this, and by supplying the technical forums that they do, it is a wonderful exchange of information and therefore we believe the federation is extremely important.”

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 155

Weiss Spindeltechnologie

A wise

choice

WEISS Spindeltechnologie is a state-of-the-art company specialising in high precision spindle units for turning, milling and grinding applications

Weiss Spindeltechnologie GmbH Products: High precision spindle units Sites: Schweinfurt and Maroldsweisach www.weissgmbh.de

156 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

rom its humble beginnings in 1993, WEISS GmbH has developed its expertise in high precision spindle units over the last two decades to become a market leader in its trade. An integral part of the company’s ongoing success took place in 2001, when Siemens AG (Siemens Automation and Drives Group, A&D) acquired majority shares. This development resulted in the company’s name change to WEISS Spindeltechnologie GmbH – a Siemens Company, as well as aggressive expansions into strategic areas across the globe; this included the UK in 2002, Brazil in 2004, China in 2006, India in 2007, Italy in 2008 and the expansion of its production plant in Maroldsweisach in 2012.

“We are producers of most customised motor spindles for all manner of cutting technologies; by focusing on providing tailored solutions for the

machine tool industries evolving requirements we have become one of the technology leaders in this field. Not only do we manufacture the spindles, here in our production facility in Germany, we also offer a global service to ensure our customers can receive maintenance, repairs or new bearings in close proximity to their location. As such, our operations are under two business segments, GSS – Global Spindle Solutions, which is our spindle solutions brand, and SWSS, Siemens WEISS Spindle Service, our spindle service brand. For the former, we have branches in the US, the UK and China; however, for the latter we have many co-operations with service providers across the world. Most recently we have been in negotiations with two new service providers in Russia,” explains Claus-Peter Lehnert, CEO of WEISS Spindeltechnologie GmbH.

Reachable from anywhere in the world, WEISS Spindeltechnologie’s highly efficient and dedicated personnel are available to provide customers with a high quality service. With more than 3000 repairs per year on its own spindles and those from third parties, the company’s maintenance and repair service is constantly expanding its knowledge to all spindle times in the global market. The spindles serviced from other manufacturers leave the company’s branches in such a high quality condition that WEISS Spindeltechnologie can give a warranty on replaced parts for a period of 12 months. Wear out parts, meanwhile, are given a warranty of six months.

With the market remaining moderately stable for those operating within the machine tool industry, the company is in demand for its spindle units for turning, milling and grinding applications

that are more than 90 per cent tailor-made to suit customer requirements. However, to meet the needs of its clients in places such as China, Brazil and Russia, the company has had to overcome national laws and regulations by setting up partnerships and co-operations, as Claus notes: “The situation is that we sell spindles to German and European machine tool builders, which are then sold across the globe. Eventually spindles will need a repair or servicing due to damage and so on, but it is extremely difficult to export back to Germany; for this reason we must be based in these countries. Because Russia is such an expansive area, we will have two service providers to ensure we can provide a quick, efficient and high quality service to our customers.” In line with these expansion plans, WEISS Spindeltechnologie successfully displayed a range of its spindles to potential customers at the

Metalloobrabotka exhibition in Moscow.

Although the majority of the company’s products are tailor-made spindles, the company has also developed some standard items over the last 12 months. For example, in March 2015 the company showcased its hybrid range of spindles that have been developed for the Asian market at the Timtos 2015 exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan.

At its new size of 132, the launched spindle has an A63 interface and delivers a torque of up to 140 Nm and boast a maximum speed of 3000 min-1. Especially designed for machines that process steel components and are capable of heavy cutting, the hybrid series is an economic alternative to indirect spindle drive solutions.

The hybrid spindle is also available in manufactured size 80, with the BT30 tool interface, which has a performance of up to 11.5 kW and reaches torques of up to 21 Nm as well

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 157

Weiss Spindeltechnologie

as speeds of up to 24000 min-1. Meanwhile, the larger model at a size of 100 is fitted with the BT40 interface, has a performance of 18.kW, reaches torques of up to 54Nm and speeds of up to 20,000 min-1.

Alongside this innovative range, WEISS Spindeltechnologie also exhibited the results of its collaborative development work with a modular geared spindle, a product that boasts an output torque of up to 1900 Nm, which means speeds of up to 12,500 min-1 are possible. Primarily used

158 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

in portal milling machines that process hard-tomachine materials, the spindle is highly suitable for manufacturers of large systems in the sector of energy technology.

With passion and a pioneering spirit, WEISS Spindeltechnologie is certain to continue its trend of stable growth as it remains dedicated to the task of finding innovative, custom-made solutions to its global client base. One way the company will reach this target is through its internal ‘Fit for the Future’ programme, an

essential development that will shorten delivery times for repairs and increase productivity, as Claus concludes: “We will invest in productive and improved processes throughout the company, while also focusing on the development of the machine tool industry’s request for big data; this will enable us to offer solutions that will ensure their machines are fit for the future. To do this we will be involved in automated spindle tests and use big data technology to learn more about spindle behaviour.”

CG Drives & Automation

Expert

service

CG is a $2 billion engineering conglomerate with an impressive and diverse portfolio of products, solutions and services

CG Drives & Automation Products: Power systems, industrial systems and consumer products Sites: India, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, France, the UK and the US www.cgglobal.com

A

world-leading corporation, CG has developed an unrivalled reputation since its inception in India in 1937 for its ability to provide end-to-end solutions that help its customers to use electrical power effectively, which thus increases industrial productivity with sustainability. A pioneer in the management and application of electrical energy for nearly 80 years, CG has garnered a unique and diverse portfolio that includes transformers, switchgear, network protection & control gear, project engineering, circuit breakers, consumer appliances and turnkey solutions in all of these areas. To ensure structure, the portfolio has been divided into three SBUs – power systems, industrial systems and consumer products.

Following decades of steady growth, in 2005 the company made the strategic decision to embark upon an ambitious globalisation strategy

through both organic and inorganic growth; a move that resulted in leading international firms such as Pauwels, Ganz, Sonomatra, PTS and MSE coming under its corporate umbrella. As a result of these strategic developments, CG now boasts manufacturing bases in Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, France, the UK and the US as well as its 20 plus manufacturing locations in India.

To ensure a united global focus, and customer confidence in receiving consistent ‘One World Quality’ products and solutions in all areas of the world, all CG facilities operate in the same manner and with the same focus on safety and quality. Thanks to this well-structured business model, CG is well-positioned to provide customers with optimum quality, technology driven, value-added solutions, which it does by leveraging a wide product portfolio with a focus on continuing to enhance the entire value-chain’s

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 159

POWER ELECTRONIC SOLUTIONS Today’s state-of-the-art power electronics converters require the design engineer to employ a bundling approach utilising power semiconductor components like but not limited to IGBTs, heat sinks, capacitors, and protection devices. Pushing the converters to their peak performance is of the utmost importance; manufacturability and cost are two other elements that need to be factored into the equation. The use of laminated bus bar ties the total system together and achieves the lowest possible system inductance, yielding maximum device performance and efficiency. On-state and commutation losses must be dissipated. High switching frequency will lead to increased commutation losses if parasitic inductance isn’t minimised.

The bus bar is a key component for reducing stray inductance and cooling devices are paramount for keeping the power semiconductor junction under control.

Bus bars reduce system costs, improve reliability, increase capacitance, and eliminate wiring errors. They also lower LAMINATED (WATER COOLED) BUS BAR SOLUTIONS

BATTERY l Li-ion battery packs

CAPACITOR BANK l DC-link capacitors l Ultracapacitors

POWER CONVERSION l On-board converter l Sub-station converter l Inverter l Rectifier

POWER SUPPLY l Power supply units l UPS l Power amplfier

DRIVES l LV drive l MV drive

WATER COOLED LAMINATED

BUSBARS SOLUTIONS

inductance and lower impedance. Plus, the physical structure of bus bars offers unique features in mechanical design. For example, complete power distribution subsystems can also act as structural members of a total system. Multilayer bus bars offer a structural integrity that wiring methods just can’t match.

Indeed, thermal considerations often exceed conventional means of heat dissipation whenever high frequency or high current densities enter into play. The ‘skin effect’ created by the high frequency of the AC voltage and the high current densities reached because of space reduction make it essential to add water-cooling to the system to maintain a constant temperature and avoid overheating.

Moreover, the water cooled laminated busbar also contributes to cool surrounding connected components such as IGBTs or capacitors, but can also act as an heating device with warm water to avoid breaking these components in environments where ambient temperature is very low.

THERMAL MANAGEMENT Mersen integrates its extensive cooling expertise and patented heat sink technology into semiconductor applications to make them more efficient, reliable and profitable.

Mersen’s engineering team will help you find innovative solutions and can also simulate your application. Its unique knowledge of air, phase change and liquid cooled heat sinks enables Mersen to help you find the right thermal protection solution for your application.

Participation in thermal research groups and design work on several demanding thermal applications all over the globe, means it can offer the widest variety of adapted competitive designs.

CG Drives & Automation

Mersen

The relationship between CG Drives & Automation and Mersen goes back to the year 2005 where CG was still called Emotron and Mersen Le Carbone Lorraine. First enquiries were handled by the offices in The Netherlands and when all engineering was finalised the first orders came in from Emotron in The Netherlands and later CG Sweden.

Since then the order package of CG increased and so did Mersen in its growth in offering more solutions for power electronics applications. Nowadays Mersen is proud to say that CG is still one of its main customers with a considerable order portfolio for heatsinks and busbars. All of this based on mutual respect and very important, a friendly business relationship.

quality, delivery and services.

Today the massively successful conglomerate employs more than 8000 employees on a global scale and has a worldwide marketing network of over 150 representatives, which ensures the entire range of CG’s products, solutions and services are easily available. Proud to be a part of the $4 billion Avantha Group, previously Thapar Group, a well-established Indian industrial conglomerate under the helm of chairman Mr Gautam Thapar, CG maintains its parent company’s core values of performance excellence, leading edge knowledge, nurturing growth, a focus on customers and intellectual honesty.

To remain competitive, CG has invested aggressively in research and development, product certifications, product quality, the enhancement of productivity and operational excellence. These efforts have not gone unnoticed, with CG’s Global R&D centre, based in India, being recognised for its innovation and receiving the prestigious ‘National Award for Best R&D Efforts’ in 2008. One reason for this award is CG’s strategy to align R&D with

its global vision to create platform technologies, shrinking product development cycle time and enhance its intellectual property capital.

Looking at CG’s three business segements in further detail, the company’s power systems division, which includes transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, network protection & control gear, vacuum interrupters; design, execution and servicing of turnkey T&D as well as substation projects and solutions such as complete end-toend renewable projects, is the largest business for CG and is firmly established across the globe.

In fact, the high value, high turnover business contributes to approximately 70 per cent of CG’s consolidated revenue. It has facilities in different areas of Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Ireland, Indonesia, India, France, the UK and the US. Due to the incredible developments within this business segment, CG today is amongst the top ten transformer manufacturers in the world and one of the few organisations that designs and manufactures a diverse range of power and distribution transformers, alongside reactors

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 161

162 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

CG Drives & Automation

HMS Industrial Networks

HMS Industrial Networks multi-network connectivity for drives with Anybus As a manufacturer of drives, you need to make your products compatible with all fieldbuses and industrial Ethernet networks.

But developing and maintaining connectivity to all networks is both time-consuming and resource-demanding. Why not do like CG Drives has done for more than 15 years and use Anybus technology in your drives to get rid of the issues with connectivity and let you focus on your core business?

from 160kVA to 600MVA and 11kV to 765kV Class, conforming to IEC, ANSI, IS, BS and other international standards.

In June 2015, CG was announced as the top Indian company in power equipment for the second time by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), a commercial data and analytics provider, at the ‘Dun & Bradstreet Corporate Awards 2015’. Held in Mumbai, the event recognised CG for its strong performance in the power equipment sector and reaffirmed the company’s position as the preferred choice for customers.

Meanwhile, the company’s Industrial Systems business segment focuses on providing solutions through the supply of power conversion equipment of a wide range of high and low tension rotating machines (motors and alternators), inverters & converters, stampings, railway transportation and signalling equipment. This strategic business area boasts a strong market presence and a leading market position in most segments in India. Moreover, overseas markets can be serviced thanks to its facilities in Hungary and exports from India. Products within Industrial Systems include motors ranging from 20W to 25MW and generators ranging from 1KVA to 70MVA. CG is also the largest manufacturer of low-tension motors in India and offers a range of motors in various standard and customised configurations so the exact demands of the industry can be met.

Among the business divisions within the Industrial Systems segment is Drives & Automation, which enables CG to provide total drive technology solutions to its customers. With a team of experts on hand to offer an ideally packaged solution that is tailor-made to meet each of the clients’ unique needs, the company thus provides customers with a comprehensive range of benefits from a single source that ensures guaranteed solutions. Products available to customers include industrial drives, softstarters, shaft power motors, heat exchanger drives, industrial & railway SCADA,

traction drives & controls, applications, drive solutions and OEM solutions to industries including water and wastewater, power generation, process industry, mining and sawmills.

The third and final segment, Consumer Products, is one of CG’s fastest growing business areas. CG manufactures and markets a broad range of products such as fans, light sources and

luminaires, pumps and household appliances; the latter of which includes geysers, mixer grinders, toasters, electric lanterns and irons. Within this product range, the company’s fans and lighting brands have been accredited with ‘superbrand’ status and CG also has the largest number of fivestar energy efficient rated products in this segment in India. Although predominantly focused on India, CG is also a leading fan exporter to countries such as the US, Italy, Ghana, South Africa, Fiji, Singapore, the UAE, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, the UK, France, Oman and Sudan.

Continuing its 78-year legacy, CG remains committed to enabling customers to use electrical power efficiently through increasing productivity in a sustainable manner. To do this, the company will focus on its long-term strategy of continuously investing in its capabilities as well as providing innovative, technology-driven, high-quality solutions, services and products to its global market. By remaining true to its values and being adaptable to change, CG is certain to remain an industry leader in the areas in which it operates.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 163

Collini

Surface

solutions As it continues serving the market with a robust reputation, leading surface treatment company Collini is establishing strong manufacturing processes to keep up with growing demand

Collini GmbH Products: Provider of surface treatment solutions for metal and plastic Sites: 12 www.collini.eu

164 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

W

ith 115 years of history behind it, it is no wonder that family-owned Collini GmbH is a leader in the European surface treatment industry. Through a series of acquisitions and successful organic growth, the company now operates from 12 sites in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Romania and Russia, employs 1400 people and last year turned over a record 181 million euros in sales.

Split into three divisions Collini specialises in electroplating, hot-dip galvanising and powder coating to offer a wide range of surface solutions.

This is then enhanced by a heavily customer orientated service to innovate and develop new solutions to improve customers’ products.

Indicating the sheer volume of Collini’s operations and recent success are a number of facts. Last year the company used 4000 tonnes of

zinc, 600 tonnes of nickel, 1000 tonnes of copper, 200 tonnes of powder and paint, and 200kg of gold to facilitate a broad range of applications.

As such, it delivered 200 million kilograms of parts to over 6000 customers and its trucks distributed products over a distance of five million kilometres.

The company’s stated goal reads: “The ultimate satisfaction of the specific needs of our customers. We do not sell products; we offer complete and target-orientated applications.”

By understanding its customers’ needs, Collini heavily focuses on assisting and challenging its customers to help improve their competitiveness in their respective markets. With a commitment to continuous improvement it also ensures to learn and adapt to further its lead in surface technology. To facilitate this development Collini operates around a set of core values: diversity of people, partnership, product innovation, social responsibility and ownership.

Innovation is a key part of Collini’s operations and CEO, Johannes Collini highlights his personal commitment to ensuring this is driven by the company: “I see my task to develop visions,

formulate clear objectives and to take the right measures to achieve them,” he says. “When we develop new solutions, the company relies on the co-operation of universities in Kiev, Moscow and Copenhagen, as well as a research centre in Wiener Neustadt.”

One example that particularly demonstrates the level of highly technical innovation delivered

by Collini has recently gained a very high profile.

The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft, which dropped the Philae Lander on to a comet

in November 2014 after over ten years of travel, incorporated surface technology provided by Collini. Several components of the probe’s ‘Rosina’ spectrometer were made from a special titanium alloy and coated in gold by Collini.

The gold coating on the surface provided the functional qualities demanded by the extremities of space travel in terms of conductivity and protection against thermal radiation. During the development of this specialist coating, Collini’s product underwent numerous tests to guarantee

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 165

Collini

Deuring Safety, in addition to reliability, is among the most important requirements we have to meet as a supplier of Collini. We have been enjoying the trust of Collini for generations and have always placed long-term success ahead of short-term yield even in difficult times. The metalworking industry in particular has created the necessary employment in the region in recent years despite the difficult economic environment. Companies like Collini are the engine of growth for the domestic economy and their suppliers, as Collini successfully participates in international markets and guarantees improvement and growth in the region.

a successful mission in extreme temperatures under a vacuum.

To achieve this level of flexibility and also keep up with growing demand in the market, the company has also invested in innovating its manufacturing processes. As such in Collini’s Biel factory, which processes electrical applications on four reel-to-reel plating lines, the company has implemented a five-day factory process on its journey to become a leaner company with shorter lead times. The five-day factory process ensures that products are processed and delivered in five days from the point of order. “We try to solve problems and not just offer products. We want to co-operate with our customers on a different level in order to be the best in this area,” explains Head of Plant Maintenance at Biel, Ivan Stojanovic. “The challenge here is that in order to implement the five day factory we need to think like a world leader and consistently process products in an optimised way.”

This supports a programme of continuous improvement across the whole of Collini’s manufacturing capabilities, which includes over 60 automatic coating lines. By striving for lean

manufacturing in all aspects the company is able to eliminate processes and adapt to invent new ways of meeting its customers’ requirements.

“Already today we are able to improve the throughput time considerably to provide optimum support for the customer’s site, to think innovatively and then offer to the customer according to their precise need. We guarantee our customers more than just high quality coating,” said Ivan.

With such a comprehensive product and service offering, Collini delivers a highly regarded solutions package to the global market. Since 1990, turnover has increased seven-fold from 25 million and employee levels have risen from 400 to 1400 in order to keep up with the company’s success. With a number of awards under its belt, such as the VN Economic Prize, awarded by the Vorarlberg state in 2015, and a reputable apprenticeship scheme in place, Collini’s growth and success looks set to continue. To achieve this the company continues its dedicated focus on driving innovation into the market, working towards a lean manufacturing process and delivering high quality products to its customers.

www.modernutilitymanagement.com 167

168 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Dams International

Part of the

furniture

Dams International is proud of its long-established history in the UK office furniture sector

Dams International Products: Manufacturer and wholesaler of office furniture Sites: Three sites in Merseyside, UK Employees: 250 www.dams.com

A

family owned company based in Merseyside in the UK, Dams Furniture Ltd was established in 2009. However the Dams brand itself dates back to 1967, giving the business nearly five decades of experience in the office furniture market, which clients can draw upon when looking for the perfect solution.

As a result of this background in the industry, Dams has evolved into a truly one-stop-shop resource for all office furniture needs, whether that is desking, seating, storage, receptions, tables, screens or accessories. The company has also developed its product range, in order to also be able to meet the needs of clients looking for furniture solutions for café & bistros, home offices or student accommodation.

The jewels in the crown of 250 employee strong Dam’s operation are its facilities. Its

75,000s² ft manufacturing factory, 125,000² ft warehouse and distribution facility and 35,000² ft seating and upholstery factory are the focus of major ongoing investments that are designed to keep them up-to-date, as well as to enable Dams to bring back some of its previously outsourced operations to the UK. In fact, the upholstery department was launched as recently as 2013, after a significant investment in the most modern upholstery technology. This enables Dams to offer unlimited fabric choices and a growing range of designs, using fabrics from recognised brands such as Camira and Bradbury.

“The upholstery factory operates two manufacturing lines; one for batch production and one cellular production for the bespoke customer fabric orders,” confirms Chris Scott, managing director at Dams International.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 169

Dams International

“When we set up the new upholstery in early 2013, a key part of the investment was to underpin excellent quality. To ensure this on the range of operator chairs, we purchased a C-Gex drawstring machine, which is a patented product from France that removed the manual upholstery demand by automating the process.

The end result is a fast production process and the same quality finish every time.” On the back of this investment, the company has launched a five day fast-track made-to-order solution.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing side of the business, which takes melamine-faced chipboard (MFC) and turns it into quality office furniture through a number of key production processes, also features the latest cutting edge machinery.

This wooden panel production space covers over 75,000² ft and employs 130 staff producing over 50,000 panels per week making it one of the largest in the UK. Proud to deliver cost-effective optimum quality products to the market, Dams maintains its competitive edge through continuous investment in all areas of the business, as Chris notes: “Our key investments over the last 12 months include a biesse double-sided combination edge bander for the wood factory, bar code scanning in the factory, a new warehouse management system for the warehouse and additional vehicles to enhance

170 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

transportation services. Over the next 12 months our focus will be on investing in the reconfiguration of a large proportion of warehouse racking and adding a CNC router with edge banding technology to the wood factory.”

In addition to a commitment to quality, Dams maintains its leading market position is by offering immediate dispatch on many of its product lines. This is achieved through its a modern warehouse and distribution centre, which features over 10,000 pallet locations and around 100,000 items in stock at any time. “The wholesale approach means we can supply direct from stock. On an average day we will process over 500 orders, with just over 50 per cent being delivered the following day,” says Chris.

In March 2015, Dams increased its stock holding by over 25 per cent to a massive £3.5 million in preparation for summer, and as part of this process it has been steadily integrating a new warehouse management system (WMS) into its 125,000sq ft warehouse in Merseyside. “The roll out of a new WMS in the distribution centre follows the implementation of the technology in the upholstery wood factory,” says Chris. “This development will allow for full visibility from order creation to order allocation as well as providing us with a full audit history in support of our quality control procedures.”

With £30 million turnover for the year ending 2014, and sales of £37 million anticipated for 2015, the future looks positive for Dams International as it continues to invest across all areas of the business to ensure ongoing growth.

“We are planning to continue our organic growth of office furniture as well as looking at some vertical markets. This strategy was kicked off in February 2015 with the acquisition of Morris Contract Furniture, which is involved in the manufacture and supply of hospitality furniture,” says Chris.

This acquisition included stock, online presence and its extensive catalogue of unique and innovative designs. Morris Contract Furniture will become a sub-brand of Dams

International and aligned to its existing business model, which means it will now only supply furniture through the reseller channel, including office dealers, interior designers, architects, fit out contractors and catering suppliers.

“Throughout 2015 we will be rolling the Morris Contract Furniture brand into accommodation, education, acoustics and corporate interiors as well as the existing hospitality market. Meanwhile, for the overall business, the next 24 months are planned out in relation to Cap Ex; we know where to invest and when to maintain the current growth plan,” concludes Chris.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 171

R. Stahl (P) Ltd

Futureproof By responding to the changing certification standards and testing norms, the Indian subsidiary of the German group R. STAHL is establishing itself as a leading , trendsetting manufacturer of the modern, explosion protection technology-based equipment.

R. Stahl (P) Ltd Products: Explosion-proof electrical equipment Sites: Main production locations: Germany, the Netherlands and Norway International sales companies include the US, Great Britain, China and India Employees in R. STAHL India: 400 www.rstahl.net

172 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

I

t being currently 137 years old, with over 80 years of experience in the explosion protection technology industry and a global footprint, the Germany-based company R. STAHL has built a name that has become synonymous with explosion protection expertise.

Operating under ISO 9001:2008 certification for the QMS, ATEX and IEC Ex approvals for all its manufacturing facilities, the company manufactures world-class components for gas and dust explosive environments ranging from light fittings and junction boxes to control panels and signalling products, and above all, system solutions. In 2000 the company set up its Indian arm, R. STAHL (P) Ltd, which, backed up by comprehensive support from the parent company, has become a centre for manufacturing excellence for the group’s worldwide operations.

Managing director of R. STAHL in India, Joerg Fitzek outlines the company’s main industries and markets: “From India, we mainly cater to the market needs of the EMEA countries, as well as Asia and a small part of the Americas, mainly through other subsidiaries and distributors of R. STAHL. However, we do serve industries in India

as well, including the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, fertilisers and chemicals, off shore and marine, and OEMs.” Sixty per cent of the company’s revenue share comes from exports, whilst the remaining 40 is attributed to sales within India. However, Joerg suggests that business within India has been thwarted by a couple of issues that appear to be changing: “One major drawback of the Indian industry is its price sensitive nature and lack of awareness around the advantages of the globally accepted IEC Ex certification,” he says. “They are still dwelling in the era of the IS/IEC standards and local Indian certification, and therefore still source the equipment from the Indian manufacturers whose products may not necessarily meet the requirements laid down by the new standards.

Despite this there is a lot happening in India at the moment in terms of industrial growth, especially within the pharmaceutical, power, railway, infrastructure, shipping, mining and steel industries.

So this could improve the situation.”

The strengths of the business centre predominantly around the level of quality afforded to its products and services. “We have a complete

service backup team in place,” explains Joerg. “This assures a quick response to RFQ’s, competitive pricing and reasonable delivery time. We ensure that all our products undergo very stringent quality tests within the Indian facility, and we invite all decision makers from our customers to make a factory visit, so they have the confidence that they are sourcing from a reliable and trustworthy, longstanding manufacturer.”

In 2013, the company in India moved to a new site situated in a developed industrial area near Chennai, which includes a spacious, welldesigned manufacturing facility equipped with

state-of-the-art CNC machines, and the first Silicone foaming machine in India. This combined with new leadership under Joerg and a refocusing of the business attitude has enabled R. STAHL to streamline the business and create a much more productive environment. The site has also enabled the company to develop its research and development team with a new laboratory and associated utilities.

“After this move, we could now follow our company’s policy of lean manufacturing much more effectively, because of an improved production layout,” says Joerg. The improvements made have

Managing director of R. STAHL in India, Joerg Fitzek

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 173

R. Stahl (P) Ltd

led R. STAHL to being the first manufacturer in India to produce in accordance with the latest amended IEC regulations. The shift also brought with it a renewed attention to personnel within the Indian business. Attributing it to part of the business’s current success Joerg notes: “We have an HR policy which promises good growth opportunities for our talented personnel around the globe, because of this our employees are perpetually on a learning curve.”

With a strong R&D department behind it, and an improved production line the company is able to demonstrate its ability to innovate and meet the demands of an ever-changing market, and this can be seen in its latest development in lighting. “LED lights by virtue of their self-generated thermal energy pose a challenge to the manufacturer particularly when the installation is in a hazardous area,” highlights Joerg. “Proper heat dissipation and management of the emitted thermal energy and electronics are key to succeeding in the design.

After several years of dedication from our R&D department, the experts in Germany have come up with a design that is proven to deliver a service life of up to 80,000 hours. The lighting is available for use in both zone 1 and 2 applications.”

As the company looks forward, R. STAHL has a positive outlook. “Projects in the oil and gas offshore and pharmaceutical sectors are shaping up well and we hope to clinch some major project orders in the coming months,” emphasises Joerg.

“In the coming year we foresee and are confident in achieving 40 per cent growth as we also develop our product offering further. Over the next five years we have a vision to grow by five times as more and more industries around the globe are switching over to IEC Ex certified products for their plants. We are already working on enhancing our capacity to keep pace with the growing needs of the market, as we also work to become one of the busiest manufacturing facilities in the R. STAHL organisation.”

174 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Baxi

A quality

installation

As a market leader in the UK boiler industry, Baxi places quality of product and service as paramount to its continued success

Baxi Products: Boiler manufacturer Employees: UK - approx 1500 employees www.baxi.co.uk

W

ith a strong heritage dating back to 1866 when Richard Baxendale founded the company, Baxi has grown to become a global company supplying boilers to consumer and industrial markets. Employing around 6500 people worldwide, the company has manufacturing sites across Europe and sales offices across Europe, the Americas, Russia and China. Based in the UK, Baxi sits under the umbrella of Dutch based BDR Thermea, and operates three brands: Baxi, Potterton and Main Heating in the UK, with1500 employees spread across two manufacturing sites, customer contact centre, sales offices and training centres. At the heart of Baxi is its commitment to quality of product and service, and the core value is to make it easy for its customers throughout the supply chain. Continued focus on this value has earned the company an award winning reputation.

“We make sure that everything is of the

highest quality,” confirms managing director, Paul Hardy. “We spend a lot of time making sure that quality is at the forefront of everything that we do. We don’t just test our boiler within the factory; we also monitor all of our equipment out in the field. This means we have the lowest failure rate record in the industry.” This strength of product quality is reinforced in the operations and manufacturing process employed by Baxi.

“We don’t just assemble our boilers like our competition, we’re actually the only boiler manufacturer to still have a foundry,” highlights Paul. “So we manufacture heat exchangers, which are basically the engines within the boilers.

We also export heat exchangers to our sister companies in the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey.

“Manufacturing this way brings us both cost savings and quality benefits, as we are able to manufacture in large quantities to satisfy our sister companys’ demands throughout Europe, and it can drive efficiencies through the factory.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 175

Baxi Preston factory

Crucible in the foundry

176 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

Aside from this, black belt six sigma operatives and the employment of lean manufacturing support the Baxi production facility. “In this programme we examine all of our processes within the factory to ensure that quality is maintained throughout,” he continues.

Supporting the quality of product is the company’s quality of service. “We have a very strong customer service department called Baxi Customer Support,” explains Paul. “We have 250 engineers out on the road ensuring that all our customers get the best aftercare with our products. The customer is at the heart of everything we do. We do a lot of customer insight, so our marketing team will have extended programmes where we are constantly asking for feedback from our installers, our supply chain and, most importantly, from our customers.” By offering such a service the company works to meet the vision of its strap line: ‘We make it easy.’

Testifying to the company’s commitment to product and service is the wealth of awards Baxi has won and been nominated for in recent years.

Most notable amongst awards for customer service, green manufacturing and supply chain partnerships is the Queen’s award for Enterprise in Innovation, which the company won in 2012.

“We developed and manufactured the first domestic combined heat and power boiler that was available to the UK market,” outlines Paul. The awards not only give recognition to the company on a public stage, but also serve to realise the efforts it puts into ensuring high expectations are being met.

One significant pressure ever present on boiler manufacturers is the constant focus on energy legislation and this will come into another stage of fruition in September 2015, when the new ErP (Energy-related Products) Directive is implemented. “We’ve known about this legislation that’s been driven from Europe for the last three years, so as an organisation our R&D departments have been working non-stop to ensure that we understand the legislation and that its requirements are met,” explains Paul. “We’ve had to make changes to the products to make sure newly regulated

Baxi EcoBlue Heat Advance, external and internal views

components can be incorporated. As a result we have just been through one of our biggest field test processes ever to make sure that all the changes were right. This process then culminates in us launching our new range of ErP compliant boilers from the first of June.” Abiding by its commitment to service, this change in regulation has also prompted the company to train not only its own internal engineers, but also external installers through a number of regional training centres. “We have undergone a massive training programme to make sure that everyone understands the new regulations,” he adds.

The future is defined by both its own development and by playing a leading role within the industry as it moves forward. Paul sees the need to continue building the brand reputation within the market place, as well as looking ahead at an industry that is becoming increasingly aware of data. “There is a lot of emphasis at the moment on looking at connectivity in our boilers so that it is easier for consumers to manage their heating systems and gas consumption,” he says. Aside from this, Paul also explains the importance to increase communication with the Government: “As a market leader we try to help

the Government shape its future energy policies.

We engage with our local MP and other industry and Government organisations on a regular basis so they can understand and represent us in parliament and help the Government with their challenges in the future.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 177

A can-do attitude F Celebrating its centennial year in 2017, family firm Ferrum AG has become the global leader in the can seaming machine sector

Ferrum AG Products: Metal forming and sealing technology Site: Switzerland, US & India Employees: 420 www.ferrum.net

178 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

ounded in 1917 as a foundry for machinery and special parts used in tintechnics facilities, Swiss firm Ferrum AG was taken over by entrepreneur Rudolf Werder in 1925 and has since grown from a young business with two business units - metal castings and machinery for the canning industry - to a 400 strong organisation with five companies of different sizes under its helm. “Our five different business units are foundry, manufacturing, centrifuge technology (pharma and salt winning sectors), canning and washing technology,” affirms Roger Küng, chief sales director of Ferrum AG’s washing machine sector.

“When the company was established, its main activity was the foundry and the manufacture of machinery and equipment for the canning industry. The division washing technology has been taken over in 1933 by the company Kienast and Lange. The washing technology was added as a 3rd division for Ferrum, producing washing machines, centrifuges and smoothness for large

laundries. Following this development, two more divisions were added: manufacturing and the centrifuge technology; the latter of which is used in the chemical, fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries.”

A firm believer that diversification is a successful core strategy, Ferrum AG is able to ride the waves of change as its markets have varied cyclic characteristics. For example, one market sector’s economic slump can be absorbed by the successes of other markets. Moreover, as Ferrum AG’s business units operate in small niche markets, they all boast significant market shares and are well positioned to maintain and expand these. “We supply a huge variety of industrial sectors with products and services that form the base for countless end user products. The widely diversified product range reduces the financial risks. Benefits of this include worldwide activities on every continent, a high level of self-financing and economic independence; all of which ensure that the company will continue to enjoy a strong

Ferrum

position with excellent prospects in the future.”

With offices in Rupperswill and Schafisheim, Switzerland, as well as Houston, Texas, the US, and Mumbai India, Ferrum AG has developed into a respected, financially solid company with a product and service portfolio that is tailored to the latest market requirements. Due to these strengths, the company has become the world number one in the can seaming machine sector and stands among the global leaders in centrifuge technology for chemicals, pharmaceuticals and raw materials. In addition, it is amongst the leading companies in Switzerland for car wash technology and textile washing technology and runs one of the bestequipped foundries in its home country. “Our canning technology is produced in Switzerland and exported worldwide; this is due to the strong reputation we have gained for experience and reliability over the last 98 years. Our canning machines can close 3000 tins in one minute. We also deliver, service, supply and install machines and spare parts across the globe,” says Roger. With well-trained and highly experienced Ferrum AG service employees working in 15 countries such as Europe, Asia, Russia and North America, the innovative firm is able to deploy products, services and staff to over 70 countries.

Proud to deliver Swiss quality and functionality in all areas of operation, the company’s canning technology sector has witnessed strong growth due to high quality machines with optimum productivity. In fact, a single can seamer can seam up to 150,000 beverage cans an hour on a nonstop, 24/7 basis. Moreover, to meet the special regulations for food processing technology, the company uses special vacuum seamer machines to seam wet products, such as corn, which increases the shelf life of the product.

Meanwhile, Ferrum AG’s washing technology business segment is the only division within the

company to not produce its own machines; instead, washing machines, dryers and ironers are directly imported from Belgium from the Alliance International. “The industrial ironing tables, small ironers and clothing distribution systems come from Sidi Mondial, GMP and LCT from the Netherlands, while installation and servicing comes from the Ferrum AG team,” says Roger.

“The market for laundry equipment in Switzerland is highly competitive. Many strong suppliers have very good quality machines on the market. The service takes more and more importance. Here lies the strength of Ferrum

washing technology. We are trying to stand out from the employees through an excellent service.

The importance of maintaining the service and supply of spare parts and equipment is very important. The customer expects a quick solution in case of problems or breakdowns. Replacement is only necessary, when the machine cannot be repaired. In these situations delivered must be quickly. We have very good experience with our suppliers, which is one of the main reasons why the business is going well.”

Benefiting from activities worldwide on every continent, a high level of self-financing and economic independence, Ferrum AG is certain to progress as an organisation with a strong market position, a broad product portfolio and excellent opportunities for growth. “We have a variety of interesting projects coming up in the future and, with this work load, are confident about the future.

Within the washing technology segment, we are looking to expand the business by 2018 and have more machines on the market; to reach this target we require good co-operation with suppliers and a strong connection with business partners,” concludes Roger.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 179

Plextek Consulting

Driving

innovation Serving a diverse range of market sectors, technology consultants Plextek Consulting has built a successful reputation throughout the UK based on strong relationships

Plextek Consulting.

Services: One of Europe’s largest independent technology consultancies Sites: Great Chesterford, UK Employees: 100+ www.plextek.com

180 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded in 1989, Plextek Consulting has developed over the years to become a leading design and manufacturing consultancy group with major clients operating within defence and security, medical, automotive, wireless communications and autonomous systems sectors. As the trusted partner of choice for more than 300 commercial clients, government agencies and start-up companies, the company serves customers such as the MoD, Thales, QinetiQ, BAE Systems, Ofcom

and TDK. CEO, Simon Cassia reflects on one project that raised the company to a new level, both in terms of its size and experience: “Plextek Consulting won against a significant tier one competitor for its first design and manufacturing contract with a US corporation by providing a pioneering solution where innovation enabled a very attractive business model. By the time the customer had built its own engineering and manufacturing capability six years later, we had manufactured five million complex, in-vehicle devices. The experience gained in the relationship provided a great springboard from which to offer the same service to other customers, and Plextek now performs this dual technical design service/manufacturing role for several companies.”

Central to the company’s culture is its ability to innovate, taking an idea from concept to market. Supported by a strong network of suppliers, commercial partners and research organisations, Plextek Consulting is able to offer an appealing and competitive service to all of its markets.

Commenting on the strengths of the business, Simon says: “It

Bottom left: Monitor with Essex interface and next generation telecell Right: PneumaScan instrument

is simply innovation and real world manufacturing experience. We innovate in two key areas: technology and business model. It is the execution of the solution through manufacturing experience that has gained the company its reputation for onfunction, on-time and on-budget delivery.”

One significant industry for Plextek is security and defence. Over the last three years the company has won 19 MoD innovation projects, putting it in a leading position within the UK. It has also received its second Raytheon SpaRK (SME Partnerships Advancing Raytheon Knowledge) award. “Plextek Consulting has found Raytheon’s approach to innovation very refreshing,” notes Simon. “Like several other companies, including the UK MoD, Raytheon holds R&D competitions to link into the latest thinking in the industry. These are high risk and potentially high reward projects, therefore Raytheon can be confident that we have the capability to progress the innovation all the way through to manufacture and in-service support.”

The synergies gained from joining forces with major companies on a collaborative innovation and R&D model are highly significant in the everchanging technological landscape. Commenting on the importance of such relationships Richard Daniel, CEO of Raytheon UK says: “We believe that building collaborative R&D relationships with this community will enable us to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers across our sectors. In exchange they will gain access to challenging markets, paths to exploitation and relationships with primes, which include guidance and networking.”

Raytheon’s most recent award to Plextek was for addressing the need for a technology to provide dismounted soldiers with a reliable estimate of their position in a GPS-denied environment. “The technology involved integrating inertial sensors within soldiers’ boots. The sensors within a group of dismounted soldiers are able to communicate and share information with each other, improving the overall positional accuracy of each soldier.” The system was developed from the company’s work on precise navigation and timing, which was initially demonstrated by unmanned underwater vehicles, as part of the company’s unveiling in October 2014 of five new unmanned technology developments. Amongst other systems introduced were electronically steerable antennas for small UAS, selective video compression and video technology for remotely piloted systems, which improve the communication reliability of video feeds, and counter-UAS and local airspace monitoring solutions.

Outside the defence industry, Plextek is playing an instrumental role in improving automotive safety in accordance with the rise of connected

vehicles.

“No such awareness exists for what is arguably a dangerous threat: attacks on the networks and systems inside vehicles,” highlights Simon. “It is clear that cyber security on these systems needs to be absolute, or the risk to occupants and pedestrians could be extreme. We have recognised this weakness and have been instrumental in the creation of a new consortium focused on cyber security for connected vehicles. Its members are looking to define the threats, classify the security needs and then consider how to solve those needs.”

Over the past years, Plextek has been able to maintain its strong reputation and competitive position in the market, despite challenging economic conditions. “The diversity of our activities has ensured the company is extremely resilient and it has emerged from the most recent economic turbulence as a much stronger organisation,” concludes Simon. “As we look forward, going into 2016, our defence and medical divisions will be building on existing

client engagements and focus on the scaling up of project sizes. We will also start executing a number of product designs as part of new relationships in which Plextek will be the manufacturing and supply partner. Ultimately, with technology and product innovation as the bedrock of our business, the aim in the next five years shall be to develop our client relationships that will lead to scalability, both in terms of capability through partner collaboration and in revenue through manufacturing and supply.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 181

Polar Manufacturing

A bespoke

service With a busy 2015 ahead of it, Polar Manufacturing has revamped its website and invested in new equipment to ensure ongoing success

Polar Manufacturing Products: Leading designer and manufacturer of specialist carbon fibre and composite material Sites: Norfolk, UK Employees: 25 www.polar-manufacturing.com

182 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded in 2011, Polar Manufacturing is the result of Mike Harris making the strategic decision to enter the market with a full consultancy, design and manufacture service for carbon fibre and composite products. A design engineer with nearly two decades of experience in composites, Mike was keen to ensure this turnkey service took place in-house as a one-stop-shop solution, as opposed to outsourcing. With this in mind, a purpose-built facility was established in Wymondham, Norfolk, where Mike developed a highly trained ensemble around him, which enabled the innovative firm to grow quickly.

Since its inception Polar Manufacturing has accumulated an impressive customer base, including a number of blue chip companies such as Bentley, Lotus, McLaren and Ariel Motor Co. in both the UK and abroad. In line with this progression, the company has expanded its headquarters, with additional space being

created and more staff being resourced to handle demand. To ensure quality, safety and efficiency levels, as well as the company’s key philosophies of precision, hard work and integrity, are consistently maintained, all new employees are trained by existing senior staff members.

Able to bring its customers ideas to life, Polar Manufacturing designs and manufactures high quality carbon fibre and composite products from start to finish. Using its many years of experience within the automotive and defence sector, the company has expanded into the production of parts for a comprehensive range of products such as lightweight casings through bespoke designs to precision engineered luxury items.

In 2014 the company was contracted by London based Cinimod Studio to be the main developer of Emergence for Caviar House & Prunier, a stunning new lighting sculpture to be placed in Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 International Departures lounge. With tooling design beginning

in late January 2014, Polar Manufacturing worked to a tight schedule to ensure the project was completed in just 11 weeks. Parts of the sculpture were produced during February and March, with both companies working together for a further three weeks to erect the structure at Heathrow in time for Easter 2014.

Looking to capture the movement of a school of fish underwater, the two companies created visually striking light patterns through the use of ultra-modern interactive digital lighting. Originally meant to be comprised of a large amount of steel, the final result of Emergence was that of a sculpture comprised of 500 individual components of carbon fibre. In March 2015 Emergence was named Special Project of the Year at the 2015 Lighting Design Awards in London, with judges describing the sculpture as ‘simply beautiful’.

As demand continues to increase for Polar Manufacturing’s optimum quality services, the company has strengthened its marketability to potential new customers through a revamp of its website that gives viewers a clear and thorough insight into its skills and expertise in a visually pleasing manner. Each process undertaken at the company’s facilities is described under its ‘What We Do’ section, while a ‘Projects’ link allows viewers to see its strong capabilities in delivering superior solutions to major customers. Another notable improvement on the company’s website is the addition of a new video, which takes viewers behind the scenes at Polar Manufacturing’s facility and shows the level of detail put into producing rear wings for the high performance British sports car, Ariel Atom.

Alongside the revamp of its website, the company has also invested in a new 1.2 x 3.1 m long, 90 psi pressure autoclave at its manufacturing and production facilities. The pressurised heated chamber, or oven where the lamination is cured, is the second to be delivered at the facility and will allow extra capacity and meet ongoing demand in the laminating segment of the business.

Using the approved pre-preg kit, and with instruction from the lay-up manual, the fabric is placed into the mould before the layers are built up. Although core materials such as foam or Nomex are used to ensure a thicker laminate without sacrificing high strength and low weight benefits, a variety of materials are available for use to make up a part; options include carbon, glass or amarid fibres. Once all materials are placed in the mould, it is packaged in a vacuum bag for the curing process inside the autoclave. Each handcrafted component made by Polar Manufacturing has a serial number attached at the lamination stage to ensure absolute traceability.

Recently, Polar Manufacturing expanded its capabilities in lamination when it was approached

by Lotus Cars to aid in the manufacture of rear clam shells for the Lotus Exige. Acting quickly, Polar Manufacturing set up operations to build the glass

reinforced plastic (GRP) components within two weeks and established its ability to manufacture two clam shells per day through the utilisation of a split shift from one mould tool. Now able to deliver the more cost-efficient wet-lay lamination process as well as the high-end pre-preg option, the company has further enhanced its capabilities

to support its customers diverse requirements.

Ready and willing to take customers through the entire design and construction process, Polar Manufacturing is certain to flourish in composites sector as it continues to offer the best materials, a superior service and expertise under a high quality one-stop-shop solution.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 183

Tronrud Engineering

Production

partner

A forward-thinking approach means Tronrud Engineering embraces innovative new technology

Tronrud Engineering AS Products: Supplier of specialist machinery Sites: Norway, Singapore and India Employees: 100 www.tronrud.no

184 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

T

ronrud Engineering was established in 1977 by Ola Tronrud, and today the company maintains its position as a supplier of specialist machinery and automation solutions to a wide range of industries. “We assist our customers with the development of profitable industrial products and technical solutions,” begins sales and marketing director Kurt Parkstad. “Our talented staff works closely with the customer throughout the project process, from idea through to design and construction to commissioning. More than thousand projects have been completed since the company was founded,” he continues.

The development, production and delivery of innovative customised products and services provide its customers both increased profit and advantage, recognised for its good design and high quality. With the aim of being a co-operative partner, participating in all stages of the delivery, the company has built many years experience in prototype manufacturing engineering, ensuring its competency in various consultant assignments.

Working across a range of industries, its projects have included an automatic assembly line for brake house fittings within the automotive sector, to ball welding on vanes for jet engines and trolleys for moving helicopters and large offshore equipment. Keeping all aspects of its business

including R&D, M&E engineering, machining and welding in-house allows the business to effectively operate across a broad spectrum of work.

Innovation and creativity plays a more important and increasing part in today’s business, and as the reforming rate increases in all industries, Tronrud has to continue to be innovative in order to keep up with the global competition, and furthermore to stay ahead.

As one of the first enterprises in Norway to introduce 3D computer assisted design, its construction department has through many years acquired a special competence in 3D drawing. “The demand for effectiveness in production and the optimal utilisation of manmachine is becoming more and more important.

At the same time innovation and R&D remain vitally important in the development of the company. Most of this work is done in close cooperation with customers and R&D centres in Norway. Tronrud Engineering put a lot of effort and resources in new development projects,” says Kurt. Most notably it was one of the first company in Norway to begin commercial production with 3D-printer in metal.

Being at the forefront of manufacturing has also led to contracts within the sustainable industries, as Kurt points out: “We have been

able to develop automatic manufacturing equipment for various sectors of the PV industry.

We offer a wide range of flexible production modules which can be combined to form fullyautomatic production lines within wafer or cell manufacturing, or smaller stand-alone systems.

We have also worked on a Cathode ray tube cutter in co-operation with Repant developing a deposit automat for empty bottles and crates.”

With its welding department consisting of a full range of skilled personnel, the business is able to execute both internal and external production assignments, welding in the vast majority of materials including steel, stainless steel and aluminum in a welding hall equipped with friendly environmental suction systems and wide entrances for loading and unloading.

Other processes include water jet cutting and a machining department with 19 CNC controlled milling machines and turning tables where the company can process most kind of materials. With drawings transferred directly from its designers to the machines, high accuracy and short programming time is ensured. With quality being fundamental, the necessity of a strong supply chain and a talented workforce is great, as Kurt explains: “Our highly skilled employees, experience and good relations with the clients give us the strength to remain competitive in today’s environment. And of course; good and reliable products, so our supplier’s quality is very important for the quality of the final product delivered by Tronrud Engineering. A close follow up of the supply chain is of utmost importance for our success and our client success.”

Tronrud’s commitment to quality is highlighted by the company’s ISO certification, which it successfully achieved within months of applying.

The procedures for safety and quality that this certification highlights are particularly essential for the work the company carries out in its role as a supplier to the oil and gas industry. Working within that industry, Tronrud has been involved

in projects such as manufacturing an automobile transport trolley for heavy equipment to be used in EX environment offshore, as well as the assembly of BoltSafe sensors; a concept ensuring that the correct residual pre-tension is applied to threaded joints in offshore cranes and bridges.

“We are very optimistic about the coming years in most part of our business segments,” says Kurt. “Because we are involved in several market areas, the impact of the downsizing in the

oil and gas industry has not been too negative,” he adds. As the company looks ahead with the strategic vision to grow in the existing markets as well as expand into new markets and new products, the future is looking very positive.

As part of Eggemoen Aviation & Technology Park – with 600 acres of land and access to an airfield and railroad, the company benefits from being part of the new cluster area for industrial development and innovation.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 185

Teknos

Global

coverage

Through long-term dedication to research and development and an eye for developing market trends, Teknos has become one of Europe’s leading suppliers of industrial coatings

Teknos Products: Paints and industrial coatings Sites: Seven www.teknosonline.co.uk

186 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

S

ince its foundation in 1948, third generation family company Teknos has become a strong global player in the paint and coatings manufacture market, with production facilities in seven countries, sales organisations in 17 countries and exports to more than 20 countries via a network of dealers.

Operating in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Russia and China, the Finnish company employs approximately 1200 staff, with 190 employees dedicated to research and development.

Proud of its strong technical knowledge and ongoing investment in R&D, the company boasts a group turnover of 295 million euros and is well on its way to becoming the preferred paint partner for its diverse customer base.

“Teknos operates within the metal, mineral and powder coatings, the industrial wood, and the decorative coatings business segments. Over the past four years alone we have witnessed significant growth in all areas of the company, which has averaged at around seven per cent each. Our customers are diverse; in the metal segment it is companies operating within the agricultural, construction, machinery and energy sectors, while our customers in the industrial sector tend of be in joinery. Our decorative segment tends to be around 50/50 between consumers and professionals,” explains Paula Salastie, CEO of Teknos.

Having painted Hubtex special fork-lifts since the 1980s,Teknos has been a long-term reliable partner to the leading manufacturer of customised industrial trucks, side loaders and special equipment, with the two organisations working on a number of highly

successful projects together. For example,Teknos developed the paint Teknodur Antislip 9204-01 to meet Hubtex’s demand for increased safety on accessible machinery parts.The two component, high solids polyurethane paint has a rough surface for slip-resistant coating of accessible machinery parts and constructions; it also has a low solvent content and conforms to VOC for low-emission processing, is quick drying and offers weather resistance.

Another recent innovation for the company is Teknos FR Façade, a fire-retardent coating system for interior and exterior use. Suitable for timber cladding, panels, ceilings and boards,Teknos FR Façade allows wood to be used in projects where it was previously forbidden due to safety regulations. During a fire the paint swells to form a protective foam layer, which partially uses energy and partially insulates the underlying wood. Should the fire continue, the wood turns to charcoal but does not ignite.

With customer requirements and the development of environmentally friendly products that are durable and easy to use at the epicentre of Teknos’ activities, the ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 certified company’s core drive is to manufacture and deliver paint products and related services in a way that ensures customer satisfaction while also maintaining safety, a lower burden on the environment and profitability.

To make its operating policy a reality, the company strives to develop knowledge and enhance competence in all areas of operation, while also providing guidance to customers and meeting their performance and application requirements by selecting the optimum product for their unique

needs. Moreover,Teknos is continuously developing low-solvent and water borne technology and reducing its environmental impact through efficiently using raw materials and further developing its manufacturing processes. “We have invested a great deal in environmentally friendly products and have also invested in our interior wood site to further enhance our service offering,” says Paula. “In addition to this, we have recently acquired a Swedish company, Wedevåg Färg AB, which is in the interior wood industry.This investment will be beneficial for our strategy to create a stronger imprint in the interior wood market.”

Signed on 15th November 2012, the acquisition of Wedevåg Färg includes the company’s total business in industrial wood and metal coatings, as well as all production and R&D facilities in Vedevåg Sweden. Strongly focused on high quality, water based interior wood coatings, Wedevåg Färg will significantly strengthen Teknos’ position in industrial wood coatings, while also providing the company with a much wider sale platform. Since the acquisition,Teknos has focused on integrating the organisation into its business and also developing its strategic plan to develop a centre of excellence for interior wood in Vedevåg.

At the end of 2013 Teknos made two new acquisitions, when it bought Burcharths Farve & Lakfabrik A/S in Denmark, and a 40 per cent share of its toll manufacturing partners factory in Changzhou China. By creating the joint venture, Teknos has also reinforced its R&D, technical service and procurement capabilities. Burcharths is a Danish company whose main business is serving metal wet paint customers with advanced water based solutions. One of Burcharths’ main customer groups is the vehicle industry. Burcharths’ production has been integrated into Teknos’ Denmark Vamdrup production unit. After this acquisition of Burcharths, Teknos became one of the biggest paint producers in Denmark.

Not a company to rest on its laurels,Teknos’ most recent development has been the completion of its paint plant in St Petersburg, Russia, which

was inaugurated on 9th June 2015. Employing approximately 100 people, the plant produces water-based and solvent-based paints for the metal and woodworking industries, architectural paints and coatings and powder coatings; it has capacity to product up to five to ten million litres of paint, with the option to increase this up to 20 million litres.

“We previously had two smaller plants in Russia as we have worked in the country since the mid 1980s, however this new plant is universal, which means we can produce a comprehensive range of coatings and powders.This will definitely have a positive impact

for us in this area, particularly with regards to the economic climate at the moment. All projects have slightly slowed down in Russia, but it has always been a country that has rapid growth and rapid dips, so whenever the country is ready to go forward, we are ready.”

Already in an enviable market position,Teknos is keen to continue broadening its network portfolio, developing new and innovative products and finding new opportunities for growth in strategic markets.

By focusing on these key areas, the business can be confident its trend for success will continue.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 187

Analog Devices (Ireland)

Leading

diversity

With the technology to manufacture silicon semi-conductor chips behind it, ADI is achieving unrivalled global success by diversifying and innovating for a massive range of applications

Analog Devices (Ireland) Products: Manufactures silicon semi-conductor products Sites: Five worldwide www.analog.com

188 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

A

nalog Devices Inc (ADI) has been manufacturing silicon chip semiconductor products now for 50 years. With 9000 people driving it forward, the global company supplies an extremely varied range of products to over 100,000 customers worldwide for a number of different markets and applications. As a result, in 2014 ADI turned over $2.9 billion in sales revenue and initial results from the first half of 2015 suggest that it is only going up. Based in Limerick, the Irish plant of the company was established in 1976 and employs about 1100 people to drive its manufacturing, design, sales and marketing divisions, and forms one of the three main global ADI operations sites alongside the global HQ near Boston and manufacturing facility in the Philippines.

“The analogue market is a very complex specialty in the overall electronics market,” explains Manufacturing Operations VP in Ireland, Denis Doyle. “We manufacture products that interface between the real physical world, by taking measurements, and the digital world, by converting those measurements into digital signals, and vice versa.” From Ireland and across its global supply chain operations, ADI serves over 100,000 different customers with around 20,000 different

types of product and processes 750,000 orders every year. Its main markets are the industrial, communications, automotive, healthcare and consumer segments, within which a huge number of applications and divisions are also served. This diverse spread of markets is an advantage for ADI to stably survive any economic fluctuations, as often a blip in one market is offset by a peak in another. “One of our claims to fame is that our products are used in virtually every base station in the world, so every mobile text, call or data usage goes through one of our semi-conductor chips or radios,” says Denis as he points out the immense scale of the company’s applications. ADI’s devices have also been pioneering in the automotive industry introducing MEMS accelerometers for airbag deployment and other devices for various safety and infotainment features being developed within the industry. This market has grown from zero to 20 per cent of the company’s sales in a matter of years.

Over the years the Limerick site has evolved and diversified its manufacturing operations to facilitate changes within the market as large scale, volume driven foundries set up in the Far East as competition. Denis explains that the separate divisions in the company operate autonomously, so

the design team can choose what manufacturing technologies can be used, effectively putting its internal manufacturing plant in competition with such foundries. However, as Denis notes: “A lot of these foundry services in the Far East are taking on the mainstream designs, because they have a scale that we can’t match here. Therefore, internal manufacturing has become extremely specialised and focused on so-called “More than Moore” technologies. We run 150 flows to make maximum use of our equipment with a run of 2000 products on our books, which are almost all made-to-order products. Volumes can vary then from 100,000 chips a year to several million. It’s a very different type of operation from the foundry services and is very much in line with the business of being application driven and supplying many elements of the signal chain.” An additional feature of ADI product offerings is the commitment to manufacture these products for many years and well into the future, which is a requirement of many of the markets ADI serves.

ADI places great emphasis on diversifying as much as possible into new markets with the existing technology and products it already has.

“The underlying DNA of the company is to invent new technology and then apply it to as many markets as possible,” says Denis. However, what makes ADI unique in this approach is its ability to look beyond the immediate opportunities its capabilities can serve. “We have continued to reinvent ourselves with specialised technologies that aren’t available off-the-shelf elsewhere,” continues Denis. Where this has been particularly successful is in using its existing semi-conductor production technology and expertise to manufacture a completely different type of product. For example, over the last few years ADI has been producing micron-level isolators and transformers to isolate high voltage signals. Similarly as Denis puts it: “We have cracked the longstanding nut of making MEMS switches, a very small switch for high frequency RF.” Using gold, which can run at very high frequencies, ADI is producing miniature switches to be used in RF instrumentation and test equipment and other applications. To do this,

the plant has also had to set up an isolated clean room to prevent contamination with its silicon chip processes.

This diversification becomes particularly significant with the Internet of Things on the horizon. Within this, many applications will be developing their own ecosystems to connect more and more processes, all of which will require signal processing and microelectronics and can be facilitated by the existing technology already developed by ADI. The future for ADI is very much defined by this continued focus on diversification and the next strategic step will be as a systems provider

in addition to components. “The strategic view is to provide our customers with a more integrated signal chain as they also move up by developing and supplying more of the electronic ecosystems,” explains Denis, who sees huge growth opportunities for this across all its core markets.

“The key for us is to continue innovating. For manufacturing, it is important to use a lot of your core competencies and skills that you already have and look at where else you can take that.

This is what we have done and this is what makes our manufacturing capabilities very unique and successful here.”

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 189

Beatson Clark

Containing

growth

As a leading glass container manufacturer in the UK, Beatson Clark presents a unique offering to achieve success in both established and emerging industries

Beatson Clark Products: Manufactures glass container solutions Sites: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK www.beatsonclark.co.uk

190 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded in 1751 in Rotherham, Beatson Clark has amassed a significant history of experience in manufacturing glass containers. Originally serving the pharmaceutical markets, the company then branched out into food and beverages during the 70s and 80s. Today, the food and beverage markets constitute the majority of Beatson Clark’s revenue, yet it still remains the UK’s leading manufacturer of glass containers for the pharmaceutical industry. In 2014 the company turned over £44 million as it produced 514 million units, and a continued focus on innovation and investment is key to securing this as it moves forward.

At the heart of the company is a strong manufacturing operation that undergoes a programme of constant investment to keep it up-to-date. The facility holds eight machines for forming both white flint and amber glass with the capabilities to produce containers from ten millilitres to one litre. Supporting this is an award winning design service with expertise in 3D CAD systems and a team that works closely with the customer to come up with 30 new designs every year. With a complete service for packaging solutions including embossing, which can be applied to an unrivalled minimum production run of 150,000, Beatson Clark offers a comprehensive

service for specifically tailored products.

Such a service arises from the Yorkshire-based company’s historical commitment to driving innovation and value into the market. At the Pro2Pac show in 2015, Beatson Clark was awarded the Gold Excellence Award for customisation service at low volume production and embossing is a major part of this. Speaking in a recent press release, Marketing Manager Charlotte Taylor explains: “Embossing is a really popular option at the moment, allowing brands to really make a statement with a unique bottle design, and our new design software means that we can sculpt the embossing, making it more defined as well as easier to manufacture.”

As a result of offering low volume customisation a particular growth opportunity has been recognised by Beatson Clark in the emerging microbrewery industry, especially in the US. In April 2015, the company headed to BrewExpo in Oregon, the largest brewing conference and trade show in the US, which attracts nearly 500 brewers every year. With such a major concentration of market focus, the show made the perfect opportunity for Beatson Clark to showcase its

low volume offerings. “One of our fastest growing customer sectors is brewing,” highlighted Jonathan Clark, Export Manager at Beatson Clark at the time. “Breweries are often surprised to find they can have customised beer bottles at such low volumes and outlay, and the craft beer sector is a perfect fit for our small production runs and flexible approach.” To enhance its position within the brewery sector, the company already has such names as Brooklyn Brewery, Meantime Brewing Company and Frederic Robinson from both sides of the Atlantic, in its customer portfolio.

Indicating the company’s continued success outside of the brewing sector is a recently announced contract to manufacture bespoke bottles for Manchester-based The Flava People’s JIM BEAM® Original Bourbon Source. The unique design features the words ‘Jim Beam’ embossed on the shoulders and has been modelled on the 1940s American Stillhouse Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky, to enhance the brand. “Our customer was looking for a unique, signature bottle that would stand out on the shelf and have a weighty, premium look and feel while at the same time communicating the well known Jim Beam brand.

This is just the kind of challenge we relish,” commented Charlotte. “Our in-house design team worked closely with The Flava People and we’re please to say they’re really happy with the end result, which stands out partly because it looks more like a flask style spirit bottle than a sauce bottle.”

With its successes continuing, Beatson Clark is constantly undergoing a programme of investment to keep up with growing demand and changing

trends. Over the last few years the company has invested over £10 million into its machinery and technology and is currently in the middle of an additional £10 million programme to continue this.

Recent investments include the complete rebuild of the white flint furnace, installation of new visionbased inspection equipment, a new on line capping machine and the complete rebuild of its amber furnace. Amber glass is a particularly popular option at the moment as the small brewery industry expands. The new furnace will help to improve the quality of the glass, increase capacity and provide greater efficiency with reduced CO2 emissions to keep up with Government targets. “The furnace and the major maintenance work that has been undertaken will enable us to continue to produce quality amber glass for our customers for years to come,” expresses the company’s Furnace Manager Dean Duke.

It is Beatson Clark’s careful balance of production volume and customisation that makes it able to offer such a unique and unrivalled service to the market.

Through continued investment into its production capacities and expert design services, the company is able to provide a tailored package to suit the individual needs of all its clients, both large and small. By operating in markets where this level of customisation is key to establishing a robust brand, Beatson Clark is well positioned to capitalise and secure a successful future.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 191

Pohjanmaan Kaluste

Sofa so

good

Pohjanmaan produces furniture that is designed with excellence down to its finest details

Pohjanmaan Kaluste Oy Products: Traditional handcrafted tailor-made furniture Sites: Finland, Belgium, France and the US www.pohjanmaan.com

192 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

F

ounded by Pentti Viitala, a father of six who sold his cows, acquired a lorry and began to upholster sofas in the hen house of the family farm in 1964, Pohjanmaan Kaluste Oy has developed its expertise and services to become one of the leading furniture manufacturers in the Nordic region. A key moment in Pohjanmaan’s history took place in 1987, when a large investment was placed on creating the foundation for the company’s current Kurikka factory; in the same year, Timo Viitala, son of Pentti, was named managing director and the number of employees expanded to 50. “Since our inception we have been growing quite a lot and now have more than 400 employees working for the company in three factories,” says Harri Pakka, CEO of Pohjanmaan Kaluste Oy. “The reason for our success is that we have selected a different route from many competitors; we are not the cheapest brand in the market because we concentrate on manufacturing high quality furniture, both inside and outside.”

Seeing an opportunity in the market for high quality, environmentally friendly products that are made from natural and recycable raw materials from nearby areas, Pohjanmaan launched its Luonto brand in 2010. “In the domestic market we are known as Pohjanmaan, while in the export market we operate under the name

Luonto, which means nature. Five years ago we decided to unlock the doors in the US market and opened an office there; since then we have focused on building a network and have been showing our products in High Point Market, which is the biggest furniture show in the world. So far things have been developing positively and in the long run we are boasting a strong footprint in the US; we need the right people and the right customers and a good size company to ensure we can deliver on what we promise. We are happy with the situation we have at the moment and will continue with our steady approach to growth in the export market,” says Harri.

Luonto focuses on creating hand-made, individual, custom-built, bench-made products for the export market, most notably the US where it has been based since 2011. Launching the world’s first fully ecological sofa collection in the same year it was established, Luonto’s product range was exported to 15 countries and generated huge interest. “In 2010 we developed the first 100 per cent green sofa; it was established in our domestic market. Since then the concept has been developed so that nowadays consumer can choose how green they want to be by choosing materials inside to outside. Some companies say they are green, but this is only the top layer of the product, our products can be green through and through.”

following their ideas on how to furnish their homes.”

Committed to delivering customer satisfaction through optimum quality in all areas of operation, the company makes ongoing investments in new machinery. Over the last three years alone more than two million euros has been invested in Pohjanmaan’s dining set factories, with renewals of all surface treatment departments’ facilities and machinery. In addition, the company has invested in the handwork side of the sofa segment and acquired further machinery for its table and chair factory.

Having opened sales in Belgium and France in 2013, Pohjanmaan has witnessed strong growth in its domestic market and is keen to further strengthen its footprint in these already established areas over the coming years. “We don’t have any plans to change our strategy; our concept is something that we will deliver for decades to come,” says Harri. “Ultimately, we will continue to bring out new prototypes every week and gain positive experiences in new markets.”

Certified to ISO standards 9001 and 14001, Pohjanmaan is immensely proud of the products it makes and the service it delivers to customers.

“We feel strongly that we are in the service business, while the product is more or less a tool,” says Harri. “Our goal is to make life easy for the sales people who sell our products by delivering exactly what is ordered and dealing with any problems immediately. By keeping our promises and remaining flexible to the needs of customers, retailers will be satisfied and will come back to us again and again.”

Indeed, the core strengths of Pohjanmaan include its flexibility and diverse portfolio, which means customers can choose the comfort and materials they want or even bring their own fabric in for a customised solution.

“Approximately 97 per cent of what we make is consumer request based; everything we make is based on orders, which means we have the flexibility to offer minor changes or colour changes. This is something our competitors who focus on mass production can not deliver,” highlights Harri. “There are thousands of possibilities for leather or fabrics within our sofa range. Meanwhile, we can also deliver customised solutions to our tables and chairs line as well. For surface treatment within this business segment we have nine different colours available and can change the length of tables as part of a special order. We really believe we serve our customers to the best of our ability when it comes to

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 193

ZincOx Resources Sampling EAFD deliveries

Heavy

metal

Zinc Oide concentrate loading

Following ten years of research and development, ZincOX Resources Plc has developed an energy efficient solution to recovering zinc from electric arc furnace dust (EAFD)

ZincOx Resources Plc Products: Zinc metal and zinc oxide Sites: Worldwide Employees: 79 worldwide including contracted staff www.zincox.com

194 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

W

ith a long term objective to operate a network of recycling plants in close proximity to each of the key steel recycling regions in the world, ZincOx has selected an existing iron making technology that has been optimised to ensure high level of zinc and iron recovery without generating any waste.

A technically, economically and environmentally superior solution to the issue of EAFD (a hazardous waste generated by the recycling of steel scrap) ZincOx’s game-changing process is currently in operation at its flagship recycling plant in Korea.

Discussing the background behind the company’s recycling strategy, Chief Executive Officer at ZincOx Andrew Woollett says: “The biggest use for zinc is in galvanizing steel, which protects it from rusting, when that object reaches the end of its life it is recycled for its steel. However, when it is remelted, zinc, which

is a relatively volatile element, boils off and is collected in special filters as a dust with other base metals before the furnace gasses are evacuated into the atmosphere. Known as EAFD, this dust contains approximately 25 per cent zinc, 35 per cent iron and 30 per cent oxygen; the rest is made up of relatively small amount of carbon magnesium, aluminum and silica, among other chemical compounds.

“We take this dust, which at 25 per cent zinc is a high-grade source, from the steel mill and provide a complete service in treating it; this includes the management and transportation of the dust to our central site. So far around 18 mills supply to us in Korea from eight different companies, including the biggest steel recyclers in Korea such as Hyundai and Dongkuk.”

The process starts when EAFD is brought to the site in sealed bulk carrier trucks and transferred pneumatically into silos from which it is blended and mixed with pulverized coal

Safety checks at Korean recycling plant

produce approximately 83,000 tpa of high grade zinc concentrate (HZO) and 79,000 tpa of a low quality intermediate iron (ZHBI); The high grade concentrate, at 64.5 per cent zinc, is suitable for sale to zinc smelters.

“Having dedicated years to the development of this game-changing process, our innovative technology has been built for the first time in Korea, approximately 12 kilometres from Pohang, a major steel area in the south east of the country. Our plant recovers the high quality zinc, which is then sold to Korea Zinc, the third largest zinc metal producer in the world, which is based only 60 kilometres away. Meanwhile, the low quality iron product, notwithstanding the initial enthusiasm shown by the Korean steel industry, has yet to make any sales contracts but we are running some tests and are hopeful that by the end of this exercise there will indeed be customers able to take this material,” says Andrew.

With record production from the KRP in

the first quarter of 2015, ZincOx has seen throughput at the plant increase by 17 per cent, with the amount of EAFD treated rising to 36,783 tonnes from 31,379 tonnes in the final quarter of 2014. The plant is currently operating at about 90 per cent of its target throughput per day, and is generating revenue and confidence for the company and its shareholders.

Exciting additional potential can be realised as a result of the exceptional quality of the zinc concentrate. “Our zinc intermediate concentrate is better than we could have possibly imagined before we built the plant. We have found a way to cheaply upgrade it to a zinc oxide chemical of industrial quality that doubles our revenue per tonne of zinc,” says Andrew. The additional processes for upgrading zinc concentrate and a melter means the EAFD is fully recycled on one site. ZincOx calls this its ‘Full Cycle’ approach.

“Unfortunately we cannot take advantage of this in Korea as the concentrate is contracted to Korea Zinc until 2027. Nevertheless, as we will roll this technology out across the globe we will be able to use the Full Cycle approach. It is our goal to develop a network of recycling plants over the next three to five years, particularly in the Far East, where a network and full synergy can be created between four or five different sites,” he concludes.

ZHBI (Iron product)

and a binding agent; the mixture is then turned into briquettes that are heated to harden the mixture and remove water. The hard briquettes are fed into the rotating annular hearth of the furnace before being evacuated after rotating approximately 320 degrees, a process that takes approximately 15 minutes. While there, the zinc and other volatile elements are removed as gasses, while the iron is reduced to metal that is mixed with other residual slag components before it is put through a hot briquetting process to form a hard stable iron product. The offgas is cooled to allow filtration for the recovery of zinc, lead and other oxides as a fine white dust that is stored in a silo before it is packaged in sealed bulk carrier trucks and sent to a zinc smelter.

Beginning production in Korea in April 2012, ZincOx’s first recycling plant (KRP) cost $112 million and has been fully financed by equity (55 per cent) and debt (45 per cent).

Once operating at full capacity it is anticipated to

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 195

Riedhammer

Built to last Not only does Riedhammer demonstrate the quality and world-leading nature of German engineering, but also an exemplary commitment to innovation at the forefront of the industry

Riedhammer GmbH Products: World leading manufacturer of kiln plants Sites: Germany and Japan www.riedhammer.de

196 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

O

riginally founded in 1924

by Ludwig Riedhammer, Riedhammer GmbH has undergone extensive growth and development to reach the world leading position it occupies today. A constant focus on technological innovation and energy reduction has enabled the company to supply over 8000 kiln plants so far to a range of industry sectors across the world. Major markets for the German based company are in anode and cathode baking for the aluminium industry, electrodes for the steel industry, technical ceramics, sanitaryware, refractories and tableware. From a service point of view Riedhammer then offers revamp and modernisation services, general servicing and technical support, control systems and a used machine and spare parts business.

Since 2003, Riedhammer has been apart

of the Sacmi Group, a multinational group of manufacturing companies for the ceramics, packaging, food and automation industries, which now owns a 90 per cent share in the business.

Sharing a dedicated commitment to research and development and technical innovation means that not only does Riedhammer have the stable backing of another large global company, but also that a number of natural synergies exist.

Illustrating Riedhammer’s focus on innovation are the 200 patents it holds for its products and the continued offering of turnkey and bespoke solutions to provide evermore efficient kiln plants to the individual needs of its customers.

Amongst its solutions for achieving improved energy efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions are the re-use of waste air and gas flows, waste gas cleaning with integrated combustion air preheating, modernisation of older plants,

state-of-the-art firing technology and optimised measuring control technology. By utilising these solutions throughout its product offering, Riedhammer has become the industry leader in setting standards for efficient energy use, top process stability and plant safety.

Through its own long history and the acquisition of two of the oldest and most traditional kiln engineering companies Mendheim and Kerabedarf, Riedhammer has been able to establish a reputation based on unrivalled experience and expertise. Not only is its approach to innovation a key indicator of this but the company also stands to be the world’s only independent manufacturer with the capabilities to supply both types of state-of-theart baking furnaces in the highly technical carbon market: the open top and closed type furnaces.

With 90 per cent of the company’s business attributed to export markets, Riedhammer has maintained a strong performance throughout the world and a look at 2015 alone serves to prove this. In February this year, Riedhammer received an order from one of the world’s largest manufacturers of refractory materials in the United States for a tunnel kiln and chamber

kiln. Both are designed to operate at a max firing temperature of 1650 degrees Celsius and both represent the work Riedhammer puts into achieving cost effectiveness and energy efficiency. The tunnel kiln, for instance, utilises the company’s lightweight system, which has very high energy efficiency and a short build time to fire highly sensitive refractory shaped parts.

Innovation is present within the chamber kiln as well, which is used to produce small batches under different firing conditions and to test new products. The Riedhammer special pulse system allows different firing programmes to be run with a high degree of precision.

Continuing the year’s success is another order in May, this time for two turnkey production lines for foam glass gravel to go into production in March 2016. Significantly, the order represents repeat business for Riedhammer as the Finnish client previously received two similar plants in 2011. Innovative collaboration with the customer will lead to further increases in efficiency and enhance the plant operator’s competitive advantage. In addition to this June has seen two significant orders. One for an ultra-modern fast-firing kiln, complete with special full fibre

lining for flexible operation and preheated combustion air capabilities for the highest energy efficiency to facilitate the glost-firing of porcelain. This is for the oldest porcelain factory in Portugal. Second is a new shuttle kiln for the glost-firing of stone cookware for a customer in South Korea. This kiln uses unique technology to enable cost-effective firing in oxidising processes and a reduction of atmosphere with the best temperature compensation.

With such a wide product offering spanning multiple sectors across the globe it would appear that Riedhammer’s future is positive.

However, it would be naïve to assume that this will be the case without the focus on serving the industry that the company so plainly demonstrates. As it moves forward it is undoubtable that Riedhammer will continue its unrelenting drive to innovate and push the industry forward whilst at the same time bringing energy consumption and costs down.

It is this very commitment that has afforded it the success of leading the world market in the manufacture of complete kiln systems, and it is the same approach that will be key to achieving it long into the future.

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 197

Hermann Bantleon

Sure

performance Over the course of nearly a century Hermann Bantleon has earned a reputation based on strong customer relationships and continues to occupy a leading position in the lubricants market today

Hermann Bantleon GmbH Products: Complete lubrication services Sites: Two in Germany, worldwide partner network www.bantleon.de

198 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

H

ermann Bantleon was founded in 1918 as a manufacturer of leather, hoof and cart grease, vegetable oil and washing powder. In the 1950s the company became a member of the AVIA group. This was also a signal for future rapid growth and success was set as it began to produce more specialised greases, corrosion inhibitors, formwork and separation oils, and cutting and grinding oils for the metal processing industry. In the time since, Bantleon has continued to grow and expand its portfolio and is now a successful global manufacturer of high performance lubricants, cleaning and anti-corrosion fluids for a vast range of applications in the automotive and metalworking industries. With years of experience and expert knowledge behind it, the company has become increasingly known as a complete integrated services provider and problem solver as it works closely with its

customers to develop high quality and bespoke solutions for complex production and fabrication processes.

To get to where it has today, innovation has played a major role in Bantleon’s journey and the company releases a lot of new products every year. “A dynamic law situation requires a high level of innovation and development expertise,” says the Bantleon Managing Director, Heribert Großmann. “The knowledge we have and our experience means that we are able to react quickly to new market developments both on a national and international level.”

With ongoing investments into research and development Bantleon builds key variables such as law, occupational safety and environmental protection into its product development in the pursuit for the highest quality. As a result the company’s current portfolio not only serves its core markets of the automotive and metal industries, but has also developed solutions for

various machining processes like turning, drilling, milling or grinding from many sectors. Over the next 12 months the company will be focused on implementing the innovative formaldehyde-free coolant range of solutions within its markets.

Customer and market orientation has always been key to Bantleon to achieving a constant stream of innovation and development and the company can trace some customer and supplier relationships back over 60 years. As Heribert says: “Long-term and sustainable relationships are an important part of the company’s philosophy.”

Aside from the fluid segment of the business, and in line with Bantleon’s drive to become a complete integrated systems supplier and solutions provider, the company also has expertise in filtering and containment. Using its tank engineering expertise Bantleon is able to offer consulting services and solutions for the storage and dosing of lubricants with full

safety and compliance in mind. This is also accompanied by supplying all required filters in the process chain. It then enhances this offering with full support and maintenance services. In addition, the company’s energy management division acts as a systems provider for heat and energy. Fuels such as heating oil, natural gas and pellets demonstrate Bantleon’s versatility in this field.

Based in Ulm, Germany, and also operating out of Crimmitschau, Bantleon is then able to serve a global market through an expansive and dedicated partner network. “We deliver to our customers and partners worldwide with products made in Germany,” highlights Heribert.

“Our research and development team has around 25 people working together. Then we have a new fully automated production facility for water-miscible coolants to ensure the highest level of quality. According to branch experts this is amongst the most modern equipment in this

www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com 199

Hermann Bantleon

Bantleon Managing Director, Heribert Großmann

200 www.manufacturingtoday-europe.com

kind of facility. The company has invested about 17 million to 20 million euros in the last ten years in its facilities. The major projects have been the construction of a new logistics centre, a new coolants production plant and new tank storages.

We are constantly investing and modernising our equipment and facilities, for example at the moment we are beginning to construct a new training and office building called the Bantleon Forum for knowledge and dialogue.”

Across all of its operations, sustainability and social responsibility have been integral parts of Bantleon for many years. “We are gearing up to the so-called magic triangle of sustainability in as many business environments as possible,” outlines Heribert. “We were aspiring towards a sustainable strategic orientation long before the publication of the new DIN ISO 26000, and we want to integrate this into our existing management system in order to strengthen the consistency of all business processes. This is also an additional message to our employees and business partners: not only do we want to demonstrate social responsibility, but also to report actively on it. The bare intention is good, but the action is decisive.”

Over the next 12 months Bantleon will very much be focused on continuing to operate in the reputable way it has done successfully for so many years. In more detail one particular focus will be on implementing the GHS Labelling system (Globally Harmonised System of Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals) to help ensure that best practice and health and safety standards are promoted within the international market.

Through a constant and committed drive for innovation and customer-focused development, Bantleon has established a strong leading position in the lubricants industry. This is accompanied by a deeply ingrained philosophy of having the most up-to-date and automated production processes to ensure quality alongside traditional service and long-standing customer and supplier relationships.

These values have defined Bantleon’s journey to its current success, and will continue to define its path as it moves forward. With more ideas in the pipeline and continued investment into its facilities, the next few years look set to award the German company with a new period of growth and secured market position.