One of industry's leading press and springs suppliers, European Springs & Pressings, is celebrating its 70th birthday this year and its managing director says diversification has been the key to its success.
Michael Gibbs says European Springs & Pressings have existed for so long because of its willingness to work across multiple sectors of the industry.
He noted: “One of our key objectives is that we don’t specialise and it’s this alternative way of thinking that seems to push the company forward no matter what is going on in the world.”
Among the sectors in which the company sells its goods are rich and varies from aerospace to agricultural, lighting to medical, and construction to automotive. Facilities across their 7,000sqm sites include heavy coiling, high speed stamping and assembly. It claims it can produce 3 million components an hour. 70 years ago, they could produce just 30 an hour.
Michael also thinks European Springs & Pressings has survived for so long, because of the staff and its strong relationships with customers: “The team; their adaptation to new challenges, diversifying into new markets, growing with new & advanced technologies embodies a culture that puts the customer first. Our customers cover every sector of every industry and we find the design solutions to their issues, securing peak output for all parties involved.”
Stuart McSheehy, MD of the company’s London factory said the transformation of the springs and pressings industry has radically changed since its founding. He said the factory floor had moved “from oily, heavy metal and noisy expectations to glossy, fast and cleaner, efficient technologies. The face of manufacturing springs and pressings might have changed but our dedication to engineering solutions with a very personal service to achieve the very best quality hasn’t.”
Many of the company’s employees have been with the firm for more than half of its existence. Gibbs says the staff’s loyalty to the firm, and the experiences that have come with that loyalty have been invaluable.
He says: “The unique engineering skills that come with a legacy of working in the same field of expertise for that length of time, and with which is then passed on to apprentices and newer recruits, creates a knowledge bank of learning that can’t be valued enough.”
European Springs & Pressings were founded in South London 70 years ago by a Mr H Moore. It has since expanded into three manufacturing sites; one in Beckenham and two in Cornwall. It also has a logistics and distribution office in Huddersfield, which was established last year.
In 2007, the firm was brought by the Swedish-located Lesjofors Group, a company that was founded in 1675. European Springs & Pressings turned over £19m last year. Since then, their Redruth operation has been working with the French-based Robot Studio to design springs that are fit for the Robotic Revolution.
Reporting by Harry Wise