Forward thinking is essential for companies who not only want to survive Brexit, but who want to capitalise and thrive.
We are delighted to announce our successful acquisition of premises at Drury Lane, in Oldham (Greater Manchester). Our £6 million-pound investment allows us to utilise 110,000 sq. ft. premises on a 6.5-acre site. Our planned relocation will see the group occupy structures twice the size of all our three existing sites combined. It also guarantees that all of our future expansion plans can be accommodated.
In addition, we are investing £2m into state-of-the-art new machinery. Although we already use cutting-edge technology, this huge investment will significantly boost and improve the group’s existing profiling and processing capabilities.
With so much tension over Brexit, we are often asked, what is our secret to success?
Leadership
One of the greatest assets the P.P. Group possesses is strong leadership. From this has come our continual investment in people, in training, including high quality apprenticeships and an emphasis on the traditional principles of ‘working your way to the top’. Our senior management knows every aspect of the business and this leads to a mutual drive for success – we draw on this strength. P.P. Group is also committed to continual investment in technology and equipment, to allow our highly-trained staff to stay ahead and be free to discover innovative techniques. We are fortunate to have a highly skilled team of fabricators, welders, CAD technicians and motivated senior management, which creates a traditional, highly satisfying ethos; all of this is far more likely to weather the tricky negotiations our nation now faces.
Technology & Equipment
In addition to existing advanced profiling, processing, fabrication and welding machinery, the group’s new £2m investment will equip us with the following state-of-the-art machinery, to boost and improve capabilities:
- 2 x Four Headed ‘Kerf Oxy-Fuel’ Flame Cutting Machines, with maximum cutting length of 18000 mm and maximum cutting width of 3500 mm and cutting thickness of up to 300 mm
- 1 x ‘Kerf UltraSharp’ Plasma Cutting Machine, with maximum cutting length of 12000 mm and maximum cutting width of 3500 mm and cutting thickness of up to 40 mm
- 1 x Twin Headed ‘Water Jet Sweden’ Bevel Water Jet Cutting Machine, with maximum cutting length of 6000 mm and maximum cutting width of 4000 mm and cutting thickness of up to 200 mm
- 1 x ‘Bystronic BySprint Fiber’ Laser Cutting Machine, with maximum cutting length of 6500 mm and maximum cutting width of 2000 mm and cutting thickness of up to 25 mm
- 10 x Overhead Cranes with a 10-tonne lifting capacity per crane
The benefits we can now bring to our extensive client list are clearly apparent. We are confident this relocation and expansion prepares the group for potential new contracts and puts us in a position, which has great potential benefit to the local community.
Investment in People
The P.P. Group prides itself on investing in people. With our expansion goal now a reality, new apprenticeship schemes and business opportunities will help the local area revitalise. In the past, “Buy British” has been a periodic campaign to boost the economy, but in coming months “Brand Britain” will be a major part of a successful Brexit. Manufacturing in this country is about to take the spotlight. We endeavour to be amongst the leaders of our industry.
Business as Usual
Our relocation will be completed, at the latest, by the end of the year.
MP’s are calling on the government to provide incentives, so that more steel products are processed in the UK. Perhaps following America’s lead, the British Government will finally offer a helping hand to the British Steel Industry, as a whole, after allowing a devastating decline.
A positive procurement policy to ensure domestic steel and processing is used in public projects would be a great start. As would energy cost concessions. We are fully capable of handling profiling and processing in the UK and feel that it is necessary to utilise British companies as much as possible.
With all the fear-mongering and negativity surrounding future trade deals, perhaps the gates of opportunity are finally about to swing open?
One thing is for certain, we are perfectly positioned to confidently walk right through them.
