Diversification into electrification and body in white is enabling the in-house machining facility at Grainger and Worrall to boost turnover, contributing up to £8m to the group’s overall figures.
Initially set up to deliver complex, low-tolerance machining support to Grainger and Worrall’s own cylinder heads and engine castings, the facility has since grown to work directly with OEM customers, delivering precision machined parts for customers all over the world.
Key to the success of the centre is the increasing work that Grainger and Worrall is doing with customers at the design for manufacture stage, enabling it to diversify into new areas including electronic drive units (EDUs).
Michael Cooper, executive manager at Grainger and Worrall Machining, explained: “We’re working very closely with our OEM customers to deliver solutions for tomorrow’s vehicle designs. We recognise that while cylinder heads and engine blocks remain an important part of our business, there are opportunities beyond this to machine EDUs and body in white structures.
“For any aluminium casting that needs to be machined to tight tolerances, our techniques do not change. We have developed a unique skillset for machining castings with complex cores and can effectively transfer this capability into other areas.”
This transfer of capability is enabling Grainger and Worrall to successfully extend its scope of work, with the machining facility recently completing projects for customers in the aerospace and defence sectors, in addition to creating a dedicated flexible manufacturing system to supply body nodes to a major OEM. This project saw Grainger and Worrall Machining involved from prototype through to small series supply.
Cooper continued: “We are increasingly being involved in large programmes of work with continued investment in both our employee headcount and capability. The next few years look very exciting as we continue to diversify, branching out into other industries and working on major manufacturing projects all over the world.
“Our message to the industry is to adapt now to the opportunities being presented by electrification and future vehicle designs. The industry has a wealth of experience and skills that can positively be transferred into these new business streams.”
