Underlining acquisition

The acquisition of the Exhall Grinding & Engineering Company and the creation of a new group headquarters and technical centre by Arrowsmith Engineering are the latest steps on the path to manufacturing and business growth by the ambitious Coventry-based aerospace and automotive component supplier.

At a time when many subcontractors are retrenching, Arrowsmith is utilising government funded initiatives to turn a manufacturing downturn into opportunities for the future.

At the heart of the company's resurgence has been its commitment to the 21st Century Supply Chains (SC21) programme – a scheme championed by the Manufacturing Advisory Service West Midlands (MAS-WM) and its regional partner, the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA) – which is designed to enable aerospace and defence sector companies to increase their competitiveness in global markets.

Arrowsmith has made major strides since it embarked on its journey to continuous improvement three years ago, with enhanced manufacturing, quality control and monitoring procedures. The proof can be seen in the attainment of its first 100% OTIF (On Time In Full) delivery rating in September, making it Pattonair's top supply chain partner for the month. The company was also endorsed as an organisation exhibiting best practice at the latest SC21 dissemination event held at the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford during October.

“SC21 is much more than just a badge,” says Arrowsmith director, Jason Aldridge. “It is a way of working that encompasses all aspects of the business, from up skilling our workforce and investing in equipment, to improving processes and striving to be more effective in everything we do. If implemented throughout the West Midlands, it would help manufacturers not only to safeguard, but to create hundreds of extra jobs in the region.”

The acquisition of Exhall Grinding fits perfectly with the SC21 principles encompassed within Arrowsmith's five year business plan.

“The new company will now operate as a division of Arrowsmith Engineering and we are already working to bring its capabilities into line with our existing ISO9001:2001, AS EN9100 and ISO14001:2004 quality and environmental standards,” adds Mr Aldridge. “The takeover has also accelerated the creation of our new headquarters and expansion of our onsite technical centre.

“The grinding operation's facilities both complement and extend our existing capacity, enabling us to offer a full range of surface, centreless, internal and external grinding services alongside Arrowsmith's established CNC turning, milling and vertical machining centre capabilities. In addition, we can now offer automatic honing, including match grinding, and ‘tub' disk grinding up to 450mm diameter.” Mr Aldridge is also quick to acknowledge the assistance provided by MAS-WM and MAA to his company's progress. “Their help has been backed by financial support through the grant we qualified for as part of the government backed Selective Finance for Investment (SFIE) Scheme. This has contributed towards our engineering re-equipment costs and enabled us to bolster our sales force in both home and overseas markets,” he continues.

“I would also highlight NatWest's help in arranging a business mortgage at a time when high street banks have a poor reputation for investing in SMEs, particularly in the manufacturing sector.”

Commenting on the SC21 programme's influence within the Arrowsmith group, Mr Aldridge affirms: “Companies like ours need to be ‘world-class' if they are going to compete in markets such as the aerospace and motorsports sectors. Arrowsmith is not there yet, but is certainly improving. We have taken the opportunity presented by the recession to devote ourselves to implementing SC21 principles throughout our business – in order to deliver the improved performance, up skilling and efficiencies that will ensure our company's future development and growth.”

Established in 1967, privately owned Arrowsmith Engineering group specialises in the production of precision components in a wide range of materials, including nimonics, titanium, stainless steel, magnesium and machineable plastics, as well as mild steel and aluminium alloys.

The company is a nominated supplier to leading aerospace and motorsport customers including Rolls-Royce and Dunlop Aviation. Arrowsmith's policy of continuous improvement is reflected in its implementation of Total Quality Management, lean manufacturing and 5S projects, as well as SC21 principles and practices throughout the company.

Arrowsmith Engineering
www.arrowsmitheng.co.uk