A polished investment for UK manufacturer

With research suggesting 2013 finished on a positive note for the UK’s manufacturing sector, it would seem the New Year is bringing fresh optimism for the domestic market. Here, BP&R takes a look at one UK company that has made a considerable investment in machinery and equipment to put it at the forefront of high quality engineering for an increasing range of industries.

Rochdale-based Taylor Engineering and Plastics Ltd (TEP), has recently purchased two new, large-scale Krauss Maffei MX moulding machines, which it says signifies the culmination of a three-year investment programme that has seen the addition of new equipment and facilities that will allow the company to strengthen its existing capacity and provide the opportunity to enter new markets.

“We are very diverse in terms of the processes we offer and the industries we support,” said Scott Taylor, Manufacturing Director at TEP. “It is important that we continue to invest in the latest technology to offer the utmost choice and capability for our existing and new customers”.

The company, which operates over five sites in Rochdale, is able to offer a full in-house manufacturing solution for its customers’ products from prototyping to production tool making and moulding to full cosmetic finishing and assembly, plus logistical support. Supporting a wide range of markets including construction, banking, medical and material handling, it offers a variety of processes under one roof.

TEP says the two new machines, a KM 2700-55000 MX and a KM 1300-24500 MX, will allow it to increase its capacity for existing OEM customers, as well as to move into new market sectors. Maximum shot weights of 24 kg on the 2700T and 10kg on the 1300T allows the machines to offer a wide range of capability across a broad range of products. The MX series is characterised by a hydro-mechanical dual-platen clamping unit, which is said to ensure absolute platen parallelism, ensuring best part quality is delivered. Ancillary equipment from Piovan, along with a new 25T crane for tool handling means that this latest moulding cell is perfectly equipped to meet its current and new customer needs.

In addition to the new moulding machines, the company has also invested in a fully automated ABB robotic paint plant that has the capacity to paint components up to 1.5m3. Further investment in an additional 3 sq. metre vertical press for its thermoset division, plus a high capacity dosing unit, has gone to ensure that all areas of the company have seen support in the move to progress product and process development.

The company says its ability to manufacture products in both thermoplastic and thermoset materials using a variety of techniques, coupled with the extensive knowledge and experience of its employees, is what sets it apart from its competition.

“Working with thermoplastic as well as thermoset materials allows us to offer the best solution for a particular product. This could mean an amalgamation of materials to garner the best finish, for reasons including cost, structural needs and weight demands,” commented John Newbold, TEP’s Managing Director. “As a team, we have a broad skill set, so we are able to offer advice from the initial component design stage through to full project completion, with a strong emphasis on process and quality control.”

“We want the UK manufacturing sector to be recognised as having the skills, capacity and inherent level of quality to be able to deliver products to our OEM customers both here and on a global level,” continued Newbold. “This recent investment programme shows our commitment to ensuring that the provision of highly technical moulded components can continue to be found at a local level.”