UK NEWS

Heathrow targets Black Country manufacturers

Black Country manufacturers are being encouraged to tap into the capacity of Heathrow Airport in a bid to boost global opportunities. Bosses at the UK’s busiest airport want to work with Black Country Chamber of Commerce members to understand the challenges businesses face when exporting, and to help them take advantage of the cargo routes available. An exporting roundtable to raise awareness of the opportunities will take place at Wolverhampton-based Zaun Ltd on 7 May. It will give up to 15 local firms the opportunity to provide intelligence on exporting, key international markets and barriers to entry.

Book a place gailarnold@blackcountrychamber.co.uk

Bruderer completes Telford facility

Bruderer, a manufacturer of precision high-speed presses, has reinforced its commitment to the future of UK manufacturing by investing heavily in the construction of a state-of-the-art site in Telford. The company has moved its entire operation from its base in Luton to the modern 10,000 sq m facility.

Described as Bruderer’s ‘centre of manufacturing excellence’, the new building offers a competence centre capable of giving access to live demonstrations of new presses, fully certified pre-owned machines and fully integrated turnkey solutions. The move has also seen Bruderer UK increase its direct workforce to 14 as it looks to drive innovation in the production of pressed components.

More information www.bruderer.co.uk

Cobra Tool sold to YAD Capital

A long-established manufacturing business described by its acquirer as “a true gem” has been sold to YAD Capital Investments in a deal advised on by KBS Corporate. Cobra Tool & Die, based in Portsmouth, was founded in 1983 and has earned an excellent reputation as a manufacturer of all types of mould tools, as well as a provider of tool repair, modification and CNC machining services.

“This isn’t just another deal, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for a business with 42 years of legacy, craftsmanship and loyal customer relationships,” says Anil Daas, founder and CEO of YAD Capital Investments. “Cobra Tool & Die is a trusted name in the south, known for its precision, quality and a team of highly skilled professionals who keep things running like clockwork.”

More information www.kbscorporate.com

Burchills Automotive on road to growth

A Black Country manufacturer that puts the performance and acoustics into exhaust systems is targeting new opportunities after external business support paid off. Turning to the Walsall High-Growth Programme, the management team accessed guidance on streamlining production, working towards sustainable improvements and leadership and development opportunities. Part of the assistance was on navigating the different support programmes in place, which led to a near £30,000 grant from Walsall Council to support the £60,000 purchase of a new tube bending machine.

More information www.walsall-highgrowth.co.uk

Plant ‘wheely’ impressed with FANUC service

Thanks to its service agreement with FANUC, The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company is confident it can reliably deliver the quality craftsmanship that customers have come to expect. Since switching to FANUC for servicing its fleet of 14 robots, the business has discovered the discernible difference that preventative maintenance and thorough servicing can make to production continuity and the ability to guarantee timely fulfilment of orders.

The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company has 14 FANUC robots in total: 11 R-2000iA models and three ARC Mate welding robots. It originally had a contract with a third-party company to service its robot fleet but was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the level and quality of support it was receiving.

“We were concerned that in the event of any of the machines going wrong, the support simply wasn’t there to get us back up and running quickly,” explains Jonathan Thacker, operations director at The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company.

The company approached FANUC to see what it could offer and was pleasantly surprised by the breadth, scope and robustness of its service contracts, which are designed around a preventative maintenance approach. The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company took out a three-year contract under which FANUC engineers perform annual checks of each system. During these visits, they carry out a thorough inspection of robot and controller condition, teach pendant cable, internal harness and robot connectors. They assess the robots for excessive noise and vibration, and check cable connections, cooling fans, power supplies, transformer tappings and emergency stop operation.

“Under this contract, our robots get a full MOT and a thorough clean, and we get an in-depth report stating what needs to be replaced or upgraded,” says Thacker.

More information www.fanuc.eu