Manufacturer of oil and gas sector components in difficult to machine metals and alloys has invested in a GBP 1,25 million expansion programme, including five CNC machine tools.
Manufacturer of oil and gas sector components in difficult to machine metals and alloys has invested in a GBP 1,25 million expansion programme, including CNC machine tools.Dundee, Scotland-based precision subcontractor - GA Engineering - is a company on a mission.
The mission, in the words of company managing director Gordon Deuchars is, quite simply, "To be the best in everything we do".
Mission statements are easy to say - but are much more difficult to put into operation.
However, with GA Engineering, fuelled by the drive and determination of Deuchars, there is no difference between the rhetoric and what goes on in practice at the company's 30,000ft2 facility in West Pitkerro - where an extensive GBP 1,250,000 expansion programme has just been completed.
First established in 1992, GA Engineering is today a major player in the oil and gas sector.
The company also provides specialist subcontract manufacturing services to the petrochemical, electronic and medical sectors and other manufacturing processing industries.
The company, throughout its history has made (and continues to make) strategic and pragmatic investments in the latest and most advanced machine tool technologies.
In 2006 alone GA Engineering purchased five Doosan CNC machines from Leamington Spa-based machine tool specialist - Mills Manufacturing Technology.
These consisted of the following.
* Two Puma 400 turning centres with 800mm chuck capacity.
* One Puma 700L lathe with 3.2m bed length capacity.
* Two Mynx 540 box-guide-way constructed vertical machining centres.
Since their installation, all five machines, in the words of Deuchars: "Have never missed a beat.
GA Engineering has an enviable reputation built on quality, reliability and value.
The company manufactures high-precision complex components from one-offs and prototypes through to medium volume batch series production.
Components, especially for the oil and gas sector, are manufactured from hard and difficult machine materials - Inconels, Monel, Duplex Steels, and Exotic Alloys etc.
ContinuedDeuchars: "The company has considerable expertise in machining complex components from difficult-to-machine materials.
This know-how plus the investments we have made in advanced machine tools means that we can provide customers with proven and reliable manufacturing solutions for machining parts from 3mm - 900mm diameter and up to 3.2m in length.
The types of components we manufacture vary considerably.
Typical parts include - valves, seals, rings, housings, pump and centrifuge components and assemblies etc.
for the oil and gas sector.
In addition to component part manufacture - we also design and manufacture (in-house) specialist jigs and fixtures for complex jobs too.
Success and growth in the global and highly-competitive oil and gas sector are never guaranteed.
But without the necessary robust business processes and systems, manufacturing technologies and highly-trained, dedicated staff in place - for many companies it is a definite non-starter.
By contrast GA Engineering has made/is making significant investment in its processes, people, plant and equipment.
The company is accredited to BS EN ISO 9000: 2002 and, over the next 12 months, is introducing 'lean manufacturing' based on Kaizan and Six Sigma principles across its operations.
To ensure that it does not suffer from the continuing manufacturing skills shortage - GA Engineering also operate an in-house modern apprenticeship programme for 16-20 year old trainees.
The substantial refurbishment of the company's facility is impressive.
State of the art offices and work stations, re-vamped production facilities plus world-class customer conference and meeting rooms, not to mention a fully-equipped gym for staff - all provide tangible evidence of a company that is dead-set on achieving its 'best-in-class' ambitions.
Concluded Deuchars: "The old adage that you're only as good as your last job is true.
At GA Engineering we want to make sure that every job we do is as good if not better than the last.
We have embarked on a programme of continuous improvement - and it is delivering real business benefits.
Increased sales turnover (year on year), improved margins and profitability, reduced lead times, improved part quality, higher staff retention, greater customer satisfaction all demonstrate the success of our business strategies.
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