Midland Deburr and Finish invests to boost capacity
1 min read
West Midlands based Midland Deburr and Finish, specialists in vibro deburring and barrelling of ferrous and non-ferrous components, has embarked on an expansion programme that will see its production capacity increase by almost a third.
"We have won a lot of new business over the last 18 months and we need to take steps to cope with growing customer demand," explains managing director Chris Arrowsmith. "Over the coming months, we will be investing in new vibro and barrel mass finishing machines, increasing the number we have from 16 to more than 20, giving us far greater capacity."
Utilising vibro deburring and barrelling processes, the Stourbridge-based company provides a wide range of mass finishing services, including radiussing, scale and rust removal, polishing and pre-plate/paint finishes.
The 9-employee firm tackles component sizes ranging from 2 to 700 mm, in batches of one to several thousand. The bulk of the company's orders come from component manufacturers in the automotive sector supplying the likes of Honda, Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover.
The other side of the business – the degreasing of finished components – is also becoming busier. Midland Deburr and Finish claims to be currently the only company in the region able to offer a subcontract degreasing service using equipment that is compliant with the Solvent Emissions Directive (SED). This legislation banned the use of open-top degreasers, traditionally used in-house by many manufacturers.
Midland Deburr and Finish has invested in a state-of-the-art, hermetically sealed degreasing facility, with this now attracting a growing number of orders from companies who need to "clean up" their operations, but don't want to change their processes, and are unable or unwilling to invest in new plant.
The facility is designed to process both small and large batch items ranging in length from 1 to 1,350 mm. As well as vapour degreasing, the unit has an optional spray immersion and wash process, meaning very high levels of cleanliness can be achieved. The top-loading capability allows very large, heavy components to be accommodated. Specialised packing services are also available.
In addition to investing, the company is also interested in working with complementary companies. "We are looking to offer our customers additional, added-value services by acquiring or forging partnerships with finishing businesses who can complement what we do," confirms Mr Arrowsmith.
