SEALS & BEARINGS PARTNERS IN PRECISION
Q&A with Damian Dunne, managing director, The Barden Corporation T
his month super-precision bearing specialist, The Barden Corporation, celebrates the first anniversary of its acquisition by HQW Precision GmbH. Here we speak to managing director, Damian Dunne, about its new ownership and key issues in the industry.
WHAT HAS THE ACQUISITION MEANT FOR YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS?
This has been a really exciting year for us. The Barden Corporation name is synonymous with super-precision bearing systems and has played an important leading role in the industry for over 70 years. We were naturally apprehensive of what new ownership would mean. However, during the last year it has become evident that the new owners want to invest, build and grow the company. We have seen significant investment in our people and processes which is ultimately of benefit to our customers and we have formed a true partnership with HQW Precision.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST NOTABLE CHANGES DURING THE LAST YEAR AND HAVE YOU IMPLEMENTED ANY CHANGES IN YOUR PRODUCTION FACILITIES?
Speed to market is key. In our industry the standard lead time for bespoke precision bearings is between 40 – 60 weeks. It’s our aim to be extremely quick to market with short lead times, so our customers can realise the benefits rapidly. We have worked hard over the last year to reduce this time to just 20 weeks, and our goal is to reduce this even further to 15 weeks by the end of 2020. This has been achieved through substantial investment in stock and new equipment. We have installed new turning and grinding machines, and we are expecting eight more machines to be delivered this year.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING FACTORIES?
Undoubtedly, the biggest challenges in the industry are the skills shortage and the rise of robotics and AI. There simply aren’t enough students studying STEM subjects. While robotics can help address some of the skills shortage
34 JUNE 2020 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
The Barden Corporation
www.bardenbearings.co.uk
on a production line for example, they also need to be managed in new ways, and new skill sets are required for this.
WHAT ARE SOME KEY FUTURE TRENDS? We see energy efficiency and the environment as being a key focus for the next few years as factories seek to improve their carbon footprints and sustainability. One way to increase efficiencies is through reduced machine downtime, and this is where bearing selection can play a major role. Bearings play a critical part in keeping factories moving as they are a central to any mechanical system. In any one facility there will be hundreds or thousands of bearings – as they are found in conveyor systems, machine tools, drive and control systems etc.
Precision bearing systems such as those used in high or low temperature, or high-speed applications, are typically designed with materials and components that are hard wearing and appropriate to these demanding conditions. As a result, they have a longer life time, which ultimately means less downtime and less energy needs to be spent on maintaining them. Another focus for us is developing laser-guided contactless bearing measurement. By measuring every aspect of a bearing to minute detail we can guarantee that it will provide the high specification and quality levels with exceptionally long life that our customers are increasingly demanding. We are sharing resources and working closely with HQW’s R&D team here and as partners in precision we are best placed to respond to our customer’s challenges.
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