High-Tech Engineering first to four consecutive SC21 Silver Awards
Above: High-Tech Engineering in Dunstable.
The award was made to managing director Steve Tickner by Phil Curnock of ADS.
Since signing up to SC21 (July 2006), High-Tech Engineering’s customer base has changed significantly, with 75% of turnover now coming from the aerospace sector (where previously it had no exposure).
High-Tech Engineering is aiming to treble its turnover in the next five years. It is finding that other industry sectors, such as scientific and medical devices, are now recognising the high level quality and delivery performance guaranteed by SC21. They are proactively approaching the company to support their own manufacturing.
The company attributes this success directly to SC21 (21st Century Supply Chains), one of the most important aerospace standards.
SC21 requires companies:
• to embark on a continuous improvement programme,generating, implementing and deploying a Continuous Sustainable Improvement Plan;
• to monitor and document how they are improving their business processes
• all corroborated by customers
An example of a process that High-Tech Engineering has changed is the capture of shop floor data. The company installed a Manufacturing Resource Planner(MRP) system with a link to its shop floor barcode scanning, which captures all manufacturing details by item of equipment. Machinists now have a unique barcode andall production route cards have barcoded production stages.
The machinists log onto the system daily, logging on to an individual machine and onto an operation. All this data is fed back to the MRP enabling management and the sales team to identify, with live data,the stage of the production cycleof every part for every customer.
They can tell what machine a part is on, who the machinist isand when it will be completed. The company can also calculate exact manufacturing times and analyse actual against estimate for all parts. Overall High-Tech Engineering staff have a real understanding of cost of manufacture and capacity planning.
Steve Tickner said: “To be the first company in the UK to achieve four consecutive SC21 silver awards is a huge credit to everyone here. It is delivering real benefits for the company and our customers, who are confident they will receive their orders on the specified day and to a very high quality.
“Actively engaging SC21 has revolutionised the way we operate, and has embedded a culture for improvement throughout the business. It iswithout question one of the best management decisions we have made.”
Phil Curnock from ADS added: “ADS is delighted that High Tech continues to sustain it‘s performance within the SC21 programme.High Tech continuously and relentlesslyfocus on delivering for the customer, and that is reflected in securing their fourth consecutive SC21 silver award. I congratulate them for all their hard work and dedication.”
Chris Spokes, GKN Aerospace Special Products Group Commodity Manager, confirms: “From their approval in 2005, High-Tech Eng. Ltd has an enviable record of 100% supplier performance for Quality and Delivery for the GKN ATS Luton facility, which was recognised within GKN Aerospace Services and subsequently were awarded with the Supplier of the Year award at the Farnborough Air show for sustained continuous improvements on SC21 in July 2010.
“They have always been committed to customer satisfaction and their success on SC21 is testament to the hard work and continued improvements implemented within their organisation. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Steve and the team for this great achievement.”
