Helander Precision Engineering selected for SiG

The company applied as part of its strategy to grow its aerospace activities into a key strategic market, alongside nuclear and oil and gas. With SiG’s support, Helander now plans to expand its turnover in aerospace, with a strategy to secure 100 local jobs by taking turnover to £22 million by 2022.

Owned by the Calder Group, Helander specialises in highly skilled milling, turning and assembly of complex finished parts from advanced materials, and has leading OEM and first tier approvals from companies such as Rolls Royce, Roxel, Moog, Ultra Electronics and Penny and Giles on high profile programmes such as the Airbus A350 and Joint Strike Fighter.

Helander’s initial priorities on the SiG programme will be to develop a robust supply chain, build a customer-focussed business development and new product introduction strategy, design a new factory layout to increase efficiency and to introduce an effective management control and reporting system that supports performance improvement.

To enhance productivity and workforce skills, SiG’s manufacturing experts will train Helander’s staff in business improvement techniques and help them to introduce lean manufacturing cells which can then be rolled out as best practice across the organisation.

Says Helander managing director Bill Nash: “We are investing in the SiG programme because it gives us access to world-class training, coaching and guidance. We believe that the SiG programme can act as a catapult to propel Helander to higher levels of quality, service and cost performance and this will drive our ambitious growth strategy to expand our aerospace customer base.”

Adds SiG chief Andy Page: “We are delighted to welcome Helander Precision Engineering onto our programme. Having suffered from the downturn in oil and gas, they are determined to take the growth opportunities on offer for expansion in aerospace.”