INSIGHT
types of customer relationships. “The traditional tier one/tier two customers love to engage closely with us right from the start of the design process,” says Andrew. “The BCF team has bags of experience, knows exactly what the customer wants, and we are really good at meeting their needs.” Increasingly in recent years
rota of the company’s machines but for the record they include: drilling and tapping machines, rotary transfer machinery, CNC machining centres as well as two spindle precision lathes and CNC tapping, orbital riveting, projection welding and 15 and 30 tonne presses. For many years one of the many
competences Barton Cold-Form has provided to automotive tier contractors has been high volume assembly work. A key current contract assembles a single automotive component from four parts and supplies it to plants across Europe. “We saw a reduction in this type of activity during the downturn,” says Eric Forgan, “as companies tried to find work for their own people.” Now, though, as activity increases in most market sectors, but uncertainty and tighter working capital make companies cautious about expansion, the flexibility and efficiency Barton provides is increasingly attractive again. Another element of that flexibility can
be found in the longstanding partnerships Barton Cold-Form has maintained with TS 16949 approved manufacturers in Taiwan and elsewhere in Europe. “Around 15 percent of the parts we supply to our customers are factored in,” says Andrew Nuttall. “We do not intend being a distributor but our ability to source product that cannot be produced in-house to complete customers’ requirements is highly valued. We have just started a major contract - actually a company reshoring production from China - for which we produce 75 percent of the parts here in Droitwich and complete the order with factored product. We are completely open with the customer about the arrangements. Most important to them is having a close range supplier that can assure consistent quality and reliable supply.” Barton Cold-Form has two distinct
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Barton Cold-Form has also supported leading logistics providers, which are not necessarily looking for a technical resource but for responsive, reliable manufacturing to specification. That said, interposes Eric Forgan, “it is remarkable how often the ability to conduct an engineer to engineer conversation still matters with these customers. It does no harm that principles can audit one of the most modern and thoroughly equipped production facilities in Europe”. The commercial relationship, though, remains clear. “We work closely with the logistic providers to ensure their customer’s needs are met,” says Eric, “but in no sense will we compete against them.” In the end it is not quality systems - the
company holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 as well as TS 16949 accreditation - or machinery capabilities that differentiate Barton Cold-Form. It is people. The average experience on the production floor is around twenty years, with a high proportion of home grown ability. “In fact,” says Eric Forgan, “our newly appointed production manager started as an apprentice here little more than ten years ago.” Currently Barton has two apprentices with expectations that number will increase during 2012. Central to that knowledge are the
company’s six tool room engineers. Barton Cold-Form designs and produces most of its tooling, especially for critical and complex parts. As a result it is able to provide a remarkable rapid prototyping service – sometimes, Andrew Nuttall smiles, even without senior managers being aware. “It wouldn’t be the first time one of the sales engineers calls in a favour in tooling and production to reappear at the customer in a matter of days with an improved variant on a part.” It is a typical example of the devolved
responsibility that operates throughout the business. An experienced and committed production team clearly do
Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 74 March 2012
take ownership – in the maintenance and cleanliness of individual machines and the plant overall but much more critically in ensuring the accuracy and quality of the parts being produced and supplied. A recent investment in a TESA Scan 52 optical measuring system has enhanced that capability, providing a new level of accuracy, and equally important documentation, in checking ‘first off’ parts. Each machine operator has been trained in the use of the advanced scanning system, which provides accurate and automated measurements of components to specification and feeds directly in PPAP and SPC systems. “It has proven a remarkable investment,” says Eric Forgan, “not just for eliminating the interpretation needed using a traditional shadowgraph or the provision of formal reports for customers but because it represents our first really significant post downturn investment. Our people have been genuinely excited about seeing a new, advanced piece of kit coming into the business.” So having explored some of Barton
Cold-Form’s perhaps previously hidden talents what is the company doing with this capability? More than eighty percent of current sales remain automotive related and around two thirds of total sales are exported. Poland is a major market, in which Barton Cold-Form already has an established sales and technical office, followed by Germany, where the company is currently looking to establish representation. India is also an important market. Sales to distribution are growing and
targeted to grow further. Through Andrew Nuttall’s understanding of distribution Barton Cold-Form is successfully developing new relationships with selected logistics specialists throughout Europe. “What has been important,” he says, “is to help leading distributors understand that our primary competence is in the responsive supply of added value, complex parts – typically in 50,000 to 100,000 piece lots. Although we are perfectly capable of producing substantially higher volumes we have no intention of being a volume producer of standard fasteners. Our strengths are in the depth of technical and engineering knowledge across a wide range of parts forms and a rare capability to respond rapidly and flexibly in developing and producing complex parts. We know we are highly competitive with our counterparts across Europe and can offer important advantages over many of them.” Most significant of all, perhaps, from
a remarkable modern facility Barton Cold-Form offers the capacity as well as capability, to support its customers’ growth in coming years.
www.bartoncoldform.co.uk
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