pesmedia.com Production Engineering Solutions July 2024 37 SUBCONTRACTING MACHINED COMPONENTS C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Swissmatic-Team-6.pdf 1 17/01/2024 14:44 to acquire them, we have always aimed to improve their capability and capacity, both to nurture and grow a good relationship with their customer base, but also to demonstrate to staff that we are here to stay.” Indeed, R.L. Morris has benefitted from a move to a new facility in Basingstoke since joining CTN, and as well as new machinery it now has a new ERP system to keep track of orders, output, stock and material certifications. Threefold expansion This was not the end of the acquisitions for CTN however. A year later Aspec, a Cambridgeshire-based company that specialises in prototyping, joined the group; then Ingenieur, an aerospace focused supplier in Hampshire in 2021. The most recent company to become a member is TML Precision Engineering, based near Norwich. The expansion of the group now means it has a very wide range of both machining capacity and capability, with each of its constituent parts bringing its own particular expertise to the table. Two sites (Ingenieur and TML) have AS9100 aerospace certification, and the rest of the group is ISO9001 certified. As a whole, CTN machines parts from exotic alloys to plastics for a broad range of industrial sectors. “Running five sites gives us the benefit of larger capacity, but each trading individually means we can build relationships with each customer and have them looked after by a specific site,” Mr Naismith explains. “They are separate companies, retaining their name and reputation, but they are also very much integrated into the CTN Group. We work hard for each business to be aware of the other companies and their capabilities so we can offer total solutions. Both customers and staff immediately see the great synergies for the business as a whole.” The group now has more than 80 CNC machines across its portfolio from a wide range of familiar machine tool brands. Recent purchases, for example, include Mazak Integrex millturns and a Hermle C400 with a 24-pallet loading system. Moreover, CTN can provide fully completed parts through a network of subcontractors for plating, painting and heat treatment. It has also invested in TIG welding to provide additional fabrication. “I think new machinery acquisition is one of the key factors of our success because it’s important to stay abreast of modern manufacturing technology, although there is still a place for every type of machine in the Group. Even if it’s a simple 2-axis lathe, if it can make components simply and cheaply it has a role. “Fundamentally, the business is focused on building a good reputation for quality, on-time delivery and price and I think that’s reflected in the fact that most of the increase in our output has comes from doing more and more work for existing customers.” On the tools Despite heading an evergrowing group, Mr Naismith likes to be hands-on when it comes to the day-to-day running of the business, particularly at G&J CNC where he is primarily based. “At school I liked doing design technology, physics and maths, although I nearly didn’t study engineering at university. I’d also considered economics, but at the last moment I decided on engineering and have never looked back. “It was a good course, tailored to engineering and production. I still use what I learnt every day, although there is nothing like gaining real-life experience of using machine tools. I still do two or three set ups each week myself, particularly if it’s something difficult or with a short lead-time. I feel it’s important for me to continue doing that.” The Group is also looking A typical turned and milled component produced at G&J CNC in Paddock Wood A recent machinery investment by the CTN Group is a Hermle C400 with 24 pallet loading at Ingenieur in Hampshire
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