SUBCONTRACTING NEWS

Transforming production capabilities with Hanwha

Machined Component Systems (MCS) is a subcontract machining specialist with a reputation for delivering precision components to sectors including automotive, petrochemical, environmental, transport technologies, marine, healthcare and white goods. Founded by Warren Gray’s father, MCS has been under Warren’s leadership for the past decade. During that time, the company has transformed from a traditional engineering firm into a sophisticated manufacturing hub, a move made possible with investment in the latest manufacturing technologies, including three Hanwha sliding-head turning centres from Dugard.

By 2022, MCS faced a critical decision regarding its sliding-head capability.

“We’d had some very good sliding-head machines from another manufacturer over a number of years,” says Warren. “Those machines were beginning to age, so we went out to three or four sliding-head manufacturers with the same suite of parts. We asked them to tender and provide a complete turnkey proposal for those components, and Dugard won.”

The selection process was not simply about specifications or price comparisons; Warren insisted on a comprehensive evaluation that would reveal real-world capabilities.

“Dugard invited us down to Brighton. I took my lead setter and a senior sliding-head machine setter. The three of us spent the whole day reviewing Dugard as a company and looking at the Hanwha machines in action. On the back of the quotation provided, they won our business.”

The company now has three Hanwha machines, the XD20II-V NHY, XD26II-V NHY and XD38II-R NHY. These six-axis turning centres have a diameter capacity from 20 to 38 mm with an ability to turn parts up to 545 mm long.

Warren’s assessment of the partnership is overwhelmingly positive: “The Hanwha machines are very good machine tools and we’re extremely happy.”

More information www.dugard.com

Brandauer Presses on to The Next Chapter

Birmingham-based precision stamping specialist Brandauer has been purchased by its management team with the vision of creating a world leading precision engineering specialist. Current CEO Rowan Crozier, manufacturing director Stuart Berry and non-executive director David Chapman have joined forces to buy the company, with the trio immediately laying out a 10-year plan that will initially drive annual sales to £12m by 2029.

Financed by HSBC, the deal will ensure the company remains in UK ownership and in a strong position to explore opportunities associated with its tooling, stamping, R&D and newly founded consultancy service. More than 20 new jobs could be added to Brandauer’s existing 64-strong team when the vision is realised.

More information www.brandauer.co.uk

First fully UK-built Boxer Mission Module

MTL Advanced, one of the UK’s largest contract manufacturing businesses, has formally handed over the first fully British-manufactured Mission Module for the Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) programme to KNDS UK. Everything was built entirely in the UK, from raw plate material through to final fabrication, and is part of MTL’s base order with KNDS for over 100 modules. The order forms part of more than £40m in contracts awarded by KNDS to MTL Advanced to support the UK’s Boxer MIV programme, which also include over 450 Drive Module armour kits for KNDS’s fabrication line in Stockport.

More information www.mtladv.com

Pre-Met Invests £0.5m in QSP Relocation

Pre-Met has invested £500,000 into relocating the operations and welding technology of Quality Springs & Pressings (QSP) – a business it bought at the start of January. The metal pressings and stamping specialist has upgraded factory-wide electrical supply, freed-up 10,000 ft² of production space and created dedicated welding bays to support new opportunities in defence, aerospace and transportation.


All staff members are now operational at the firm’s Studley Road factory in Redditch, with the management team keen to use the acquisition to capitalise on enhanced wire form and spring manufacturing expertise, as well as embedding robotic welding and assemblies into its overall service offer. Four new jobs have been created, and this number could increase.

More information www.metalpressingsandstampings.co.uk

Zero-finding Nadcap accreditation for AddQual

In a significant milestone for UK-based metrology specialist AddQual, the Derby-based firm has successfully completed its most recent Nadcap audit for 3D Structured Light (3DSL) measurement with zero major and zero minor findings. This rare accomplishment positions AddQual among an elite group of organisations globally that operate at the highest levels of compliance, precision and technical control in the field of advanced metrology.

The Nadcap audit, administered by the Performance Review Institute, is considered the gold standard for process control and quality assurance across aerospace, defence and high-specification engineering. It is designed to evaluate whether technical processes – such as AddQual’s 3DSL inspection capabilities -meet the highest levels of repeatability, traceability and measurement integrity.

“Achieving a zero-finding audit in such a specialist area is rare,” says managing director Ben Anderson. “ We know we’re one of  two UK Nadcap 3DSL-accredited businesses. We also know there are 17 worldwide in total. Passing with no findings is a strong endorsement, not only of our internal systems, but also of the trust we offer our customers in highly demanding industries.”

For AddQual, the achievement is more than a quality badge – it underpins the company’s mission to redefine how manufacturers approach inspection, qualification and problem-solving in high-precision environments. The firm has become known for helping customers make fast, confident decisions under pressure, whether it is qualifying a flight-critical aerospace part, diagnosing a production issue or tracing a dimensional fault to its root cause.

The combination of speed, accuracy and clarity is what differentiates AddQual. Deploying a digital-first model creates a comprehensive, auditable record that simplifies decision-making and reduces ambiguity across engineering, quality and production teams.

More information www.addqual.com