Unipart secures seven-year contract to provide advanced components for Ford cars

Unipart is now one of only a small number of companies in Europe to produce gasoline fuel rails for Ford and other car manufacturers. The components enable fuel to be injected into the engine under very high pressure to provide greater fuel efficiency and 'cleaner' motoring.

The products are manufactured at the Unipart Powertrain Applications site in Coventry, which employs around 380 people. The facility produces one fuel rail every 45 seconds and around 95% of its output is being shipped to customers in mainland Europe and China.

The new contract will start in 2018 and will result in a production increase of around 50% at the fuel rail facility in Coventry.

An important factor in winning this contract was Unipart’s ability to remove around 15% of the cost from the original design of the fuel rail while maintaining the highest standards of performance and quality.

This was achieved by combining the technology available through Unipart’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), the joint venture with Coventry University, and the productivity benefits achievable through The Unipart Way, Unipart’s proprietary business system for continuous improvement.

Unipart chairman and group chief executive John Neill commented: “China is an important market for our manufacturing business as it’s the largest global market for new car sales with around 21 million being sold and 25 million units being produced.

“Competing on such a global scale requires the highest levels of productivity, use of the most advanced technologies, and the continual development of highly trained, highly engaged people who will go the extra mile for customers.

“One of the key successes across all our businesses worldwide has been our implementation of The Unipart Way, which provides the key to unlocking the creativity of our people in problem solving and continuous improvement to deliver tangible benefits for our customers. It enables our businesses in every sector to reduce cost and increase productivity continually.

“It’s pleasing to see that the combination of The Unipart Way with the advanced technical knowledge that we are developing through research and development at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering is enabling us to win new contracts and get recognition around the world in terms of quality, technical excellence and precision engineering.”

Unipart www.unipart.com