INSIGHT
A fastener factory - who’d believe it?
Funny thing about Barton Cold-Form. It has long possessed an impeccable reputation but very few people could really tell you what it did. Time, then, to call in at an impressive modern building outside Droitwich, at first sight difficult to associate with fastener production, and discover more about a business that holds its own with the best in its field.
I
t is eighty years since Cyril Field formed his company in the back room of the Barton Arms pub. The Barton Rivet Company was duly named in
recognition of the landlord’s support and began production in an old chapel in Constitution Hill, Birmingham. Cyril Field proved a prolific inventor, with many patents to his name including the Fixt-nut used extensively in the automotive industry for over 50 years. In 1959, renamed Barton Cold-Form,
the company moved to Droitwich, better known for its history of salt production and spa waters than fastener manufacturing. In 1973, Michael Field became managing director and was responsible for many of the standards of production and quality integrity that continue to prevail in the business, even though it has subsequently undergone a series of thorough technological upgrades. In 1999 the established management
team led by current managing director Eric Forgan continued to drive the business forward - until the constraints of a multi-level, multi-shop factory, even augmented by a separate warehouse 500 metres away, began seriously impinging on its efficiency and potential. Much of the growth had come from a close and discrete relationship with technically and commercially demanding automotive tier manufacturers – which goes a long way to explaining why few outside those relationships were really aware of Barton’s capabilities. At the end of 2007 Barton Cold-Form
relocated little more than a kilometre, to a brand new 5,100 square metre facility, designed meticulously to provide exponential improvements in efficiency and growth potential. In 2008, as Barton Cold-Form felt the full brunt of the automotive demand ‘switch-off’ a new investor stepped into to secure the long- term prospects of the business. As Eric Forgan will tell you, the new
Barton Cold-Form factory is not actually significantly larger than its predecessor. In terms of the productivity and growth potential it delivers, though, there is a massive difference. The old site was an amalgam of four production shops,
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are not going to have any. I don’t think he believed us but eventually accepted we wanted a decent floor that could be kept clean and properly lined – which is exactly how it has worked out.” The plant layout is designed on a
functional flow basis, from a long bank of heading machines, to a fully automatic wash plant, and then on to thread rolling, secondary operations, assembly, inspection and packaging. “Maintaining efficiency here is a
dream,” says Eric Forgan, “particularly because of the visibility of work in progress. There may come a time when we need to consider a more cellular structure
Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 74 March 2012
Cold-Form operates nine thread rolling machines but is looking to augment these with a pointer and a SEMS thread roller. Sales director, Andrew Nuttall sees growing demand for integral washer products. “We are seeing more frequent enquiries and really only need sufficient assured volume to justify investing in the machine.” Barton’s secondary operation
capabilities are one of its most significant differentiators. “We have a multitude of different machines and capabilities,” says Eric Forgan, “particularly for very tight tolerance parts.” Barton Cold-Form’s new website,
www.coldform.it, includes a full
on three different levels, all with low ceilings and limited extraction and noise suppression systems. Add to that a warehouse 500 metres up the road and the consequent continual fork truck traffic between and as Eric puts it “it was never going to go anywhere”. The one benefit, though, he readily
acknowledges is a legacy of excellence in progress tracking and general manufacturing practice, owed in no small part to the expectations of Michael Field. As a result, when the business moved
to the custom designed new factory, “the disciplines were already instilled – the operators knew to keep machinery clean, tools in the right places and just do everything in a sensible, efficient way.” It led to a curious discussion with the architect of the new building, Eric recalls. “He kept on saying what are you going to do about oil on the floor? We just said we
but at present we have an operation running well within its ultimate capacity so the functional approach works fine.” Barton Cold-Form currently operates
nineteen cold forming machines, ranging from relatively simple but accurate single die, 2 blow machines handling from 3mm to 6mm diameter wire. 6mm to 10mm diameter ranges are primarily produced on Nakishamada 2 die, 2 blow high-speed headers. From 8mm to 12mm Sacma multidie machines, ranging up to a five die SP260, take over. Barton Cold-Form capabilities culminate in a Nedschroef five stage parts former with a wire capacity up to 19.5mm and cut off length of 70mm, which has proven its worth producing complex male and female components. The automated wash plant ensures
all parts moving through thread rolling and secondary operations are thoroughly decontaminated. Currently Barton
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