Three Made In The Midlands members recently joined forces to work on a tooling project for the UKs biggest lintel and masonry support company Keystone & IG Masonry Supports ltd.
SSC Laser Cutting (Derby division) has worked with IG Masonry Supports based in Swadlincote for the past 3 years. During this time they have worked with IG on the development of new products. IG Masonry Supports are taking the construction industry by storm with their revolutionary brick on soffit system which radically reduces labour on site. The company recently won the prestigious Commercial Innovation Of The Year 2015 presented by Construction News Awards.
The new brick on soffit system called for some very high tech tooling which SSC Laser involved fellow Made In The Midlands members Threeway Pressings and Pemberton Engineering in. SSC Managing Director, Andy Evans said, the need for the manufacture of specialised press tooling was beyond our expertise, however, we saw the massive potential in the product and didnt want to miss out on the opportunity to carry on working with IG on the project. During a development meeting at IG I suggested that we involved Phil Stanley, the Managing Director of Threeway Pressings in Tipton, who is a highly experienced toolmaker by trade. Threeway Pressings met up with IG and were soon offering solutions to the manufacturing process required to make the brackets.
A third Made In The Midlands member, Pemberton Engineering based in Willenhall was called on to design and manufacture the tooling. Operations Director, Darren Pemberton said, Phil and Andy visited me to explain what was required, we were very confident that we could produce the tooling to give the consistency of product IG required and manufactured the tool within 4 weeks.
IG Masonary Supports are delighted with the outcome of the collaboration of the three companies. Tim Turner, Operations Manager for the IG Swadlincote plant said The 3 Made In The Midlands Members were determined to find a solution to our requirements and we are delighted with the outcome. We look forward to working with them on future projects.
? Picture showing IG Support brackets being pressed at Threeway Pressings in Tipton. Photo from left to right. Tim Turner (Operations Manager IG Support Systems) Andy Evans (Managing Director SSC Laser) Darren Pemberton ( Operations Director Pemberton Engineering) Phil Stanley (Managing Director Threeway Pressings).