All change

First of all, as I hope you've noticed, we've decided to give our monthly newsletters a bit of a facelift!

Two new important aspects of the new format are my Editor's Blog, which can be found at http://blog.pesmag.co.uk, and a new initiative we're launching called eLibrary – a multi-platform search-based online resource dedicated to hosting educational, informative and/or commercial material on behalf of our clients.

Onto the issue itself. Our cover story this month is all about a real British success story – Brompton Bicycle.

This is a company that operates from West London, has a turnover of around £22 million and exports 80% of its products. Importantly it manufactures nearly everything it uses in its bikes at its Brentford facility. It's an interesting story and demonstrates that it is still possible to manufacture your own products profitably in the UK.

Moving on – I was thinking the other day that it must be quite difficult for decision makers within manufacturing companies when it comes to investing in new capital equipment.

Let's take machine tools for example: I would imagine it's pretty hard to buy a 'bad' machine these days. The companies that grace the pages of PES all produce excellent products and, at least on paper, there's probably not much between them. The same could be said I would think about all kinds of products whether it's inspection equipment, tooling, CAD/CAM software, sheetmetal processing equipment or cutting oils and coolants. There's certainly plenty of choice.

So when it comes to buying new equipment, what constitutes inclusion on your shortlist? What are the real world influencing factors that help you make the right procurement decisions?

Are you a consumer where price is the primary consideration – or perhaps its availability and short leadtimes that's the deal clincher for you? Is it more functional characteristics like build quality, accuracy and precision? Do you like to build close relationships with your suppliers so that they effectively become partners? Is it the levels of support and service offered? Do you like to stick with the same supplier because it's what you know and like? Perhaps it's a combination of some or all of the above?

Please do let me know by leaving a comment below!