Chess Plastics is a British manufacturer of medium to large plastic injection mouldings utilising modern machines and robotics. The company’s history dates back over 50 years ago when it started out as a family-run business before steadily growing into a respected name in the industry.
BP&R
(Left to right) Head of sales - plastics, BP&R, Mandy O'Brien and Glyn Olden, managing director of Chess Plastics.
In this interview, BP&R’s Mandy O’Brien speaks to Glyn Olden, MD of Chess Plastics, discussing the company's expansion into different markets as well as the current pain points of the plastics manufacturing industry.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about the history of Chess Plastics?
Chess Plastics was founded in 1968 by my parents; my father worked for Scammel Lorries and my mother worked for Battenfeld.
Originally, they began by refurbishing used machines in a chapel in Tring, Hertfordshire, then moved into production, starting off with just two machines. The business grew steadily and in the 1980s it moved to a larger, purpose-built 12,000 sq ft factory in Chesham. In 1990, the business moved again to Droitwich to support a major customer’s requirement of having their moulder on the doorstep. My brother, Gareth, and I took over the ownership in 2005 and we have invested in refurbishing the entire factory, replacing all machinery and expanding the site to 52,000 sq ft. Customers demand high-quality products on time and as such, we have implemented real-time monitoring and MRP systems along with BSI accreditation to IATF 16949 & ISO 9001 quality management systems.
Q. Is Chess Plastics still a player in the automotive market?
Currently, about 75% of our business is in non-automotive industries which is a big shift from being nearly exclusively automotive in 2005 when we took over. We've deliberately diversified to avoid relying on a single sector as we had seen the decline of the vacuum cleaner business in the late 1990s followed by the 2007 drop in the automotive sectors. This steered us towards a change in focus which enhanced the business’ growth.
For example, our smallest machine is now 500 tonnes which is a leap from the 400-tonne machines we had in the 1990s. Now, Chess can offer machines up to 1,400 tonnes with eight machines measuring more than 1,000 tonnes and are accredited to the IATF 16949 automotive quality management system.
Q. What are the current challenges that the moulding industry is facing?
One major concern is the lack of young people entering the plastics moulding scene. We've tried running apprenticeship programs to attract new talent and, whilst this has been successful previously, we’ve recognised a considerable decline in applicants, so there’s definitely a skills gap that needs addressing.
Another interesting development is the competition from Chinese machinery manufacturers supplying the UK market. Their machines are often significantly cheaper than European equivalents, and the quality has improved dramatically in recent years. We've had to adapt and prioritise the suitability of the machine for the job at hand, rather than focusing on brand names to keep our manufacturing costs lower.
Q. Do you see a future for trade shows like Interplas?
Certainly. While there are some challenges in attending shows in Europe due to its changing regulations, they are an ideal opportunity to connect with potential customers face-to-face. This is especially important with our overseas customers. The key is to have a broadly developed marketing strategy whilst adapting to the changing landscape, whether that be exploring alternative locations for trade shows or investing more in a strong digital presence. Saying that, we just launched our revamped website a couple of weeks ago which showcases the services that we offer to our customers.