BRAINTREE COMPANY INVESTS IN PEOPLE AND PRODUCTION

HepcoMotion® is a highly successful British company that exports its linear motion products across the world. Bearings and other turned parts are critical elements of these systems and to ensure consistent quality and supply, the company makes its own.

Braintree Precision Components – BPC – is the HepcoMotion® Group company responsible for this activity and it is now reaping the benefit of substantial new investment in both its manufacturing technology and workforce. The company’s factory is on the Springwood Industrial Estate in Braintree.

BPC is an acknowledged expert in its field with ISO 9001 quality accreditation in its own right. Using the latest manufacturing technology, it produces more than 80,000 components per month for HepcoMotion® linear motion systems. The application scope of the end products is vast, from micron-accurate positioning through to arduous handling.

The first six months of the year for the Group has been confirmed as its best ever in its 42 years of trading. And this growth has prompted investment of more than £1.5 million in capital equipment to absorb increased demand. Both BPC in Braintree and the HepcoMotion® manufacturing site in Tiverton will share this budget.

The manufacture of journals and rings at BPC will be supported by new lathes. Additional boring and grinding machines will also be commissioned in the coming months.

Over the years the HepcoMotion® Group has augmented its skilled workforce through the National Apprenticeship Scheme and 2011 is no exception in that regard. What is significant, however, is the size of this year’s intake. Not since 1998, has the company committed to six new apprentices but that is the number that has just been recruited.

Of the six, two have been assigned to BPC. “The scheme has proved a highly successful method of both overcoming a national skills shortage and ensuring our young engineers receive the training that is attuned to our specific design and production needs,” confirmed Group Training Manager, Bob Gregory.

In addition to the two new apprentices Billy Livermore and Adam Hearn, BPC is also pleased to welcome new additions to its management team. David Ford has been appointed General Manager, replacing Brian Weavers who retired earlier this year following 21 years of service. Also new to the company is Kenneth Mendes who takes on the vital role of Quality Manager.

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