New Year resolution at Threeway
Bull barrows on show at the GLEE show
Tipton-based Threeway Pressings moves into the New Year with production capacity doubled to 1.8m parts per year, new CNC forming equipment installed and a new section rolling service.
The company specialises in the manufacture of precision presswork components in ferrous and non-ferrous metals for the automotive, construction and white goods sectors.
A new 200 tonne Rhodes press has doubled production capacity to 1.8 million parts a year. Modern CNC tube manipulation equipment has been purchased and the company’s welding and robotic welding facilities have been increased by a third. In addition, a new purpose-built storage and distribution facility means stock can be held for customers on a Kanban basis and dispatched and delivered within 48 hours.
Threeway’s diversification strategy has seen it expand its facilities to include section rolling, which has enabled work to be repatriated from China. Its injection moulding plant has also received investment in tooling and machinery to retrieve operations that were previously outsourced. This is facilitating better control of production and stock holding and has already doubled productivity.
The Tipton-based firm’s diversification is giving customers access to a substantial variety of integrated manufacturing solutions under one roof, and is a key factor in the steady rise of Threeway’s turnover and profitability.
The company has also developed its own product range and branching out into garden and leisure products is proving to be a highly successful venture. Bullbarrow Products, a division of Threeway, is the market leader in the manufacture and supply of wheelbarrows for the gardening, hardware and building industries. It now has a portfolio of 57 models – from lightweight, manoeuvrable models, to sturdy, heavy-duty barrows.
Bullbarrow also produces a wide range of garden and leisure accessories including trolleys, flexitubs, children’s sledges and snow shovels. It launched its newest product – the Bullcart, a revolutionary two-wheeled cart that’s easy to push or pull thanks to its low centre of gravity – at Glee 2011, the UK’s top trade show for the garden industry and held annually at the NEC Birmingham.
Spyra-Base, another wholly-owned subsidiary of Threeway, is the UK’s leading manufacturer of ground anchors. With their spiral design, these can be rotated into the ground by hand and used for a variety of garden, DIY and security applications, from securing a parasol or tent to a caravan or boat.
Threeway has this year invested a six-figure sum to bring Spyra-Base’s manufacturing operations to its Midlands base. This has involved investment in new machinery, tooling, and sales and administration resources.
Director Richard Perry commented: “We decided to manufacture all our Spyra-Base products in the UK because we couldn’t find suitable suppliers elsewhere, including China. We have designed and developed our own machinery that will enable us to make the components to the required quality standard enjoyed by all our presswork and injection moulding customers.
“This will also give us greater capacity and flexibility to increase production in response to customer demand. What’s more, our prices will remain competitive when compared to foreign imports.”
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