Mould and die sector chairman appointed

The GTMA has recently welcomed Mike Collins, Managing Director of Superite Tools, to the post of incoming Chairman of its Mould and Die sector.

The GTMA has recently welcomed Mike Collins, Managing Director of Superite Tools, to the post of incoming Chairman of its Mould and Die sector.

As an active participant in the Association and the sector Mike has some very prescient views on the current situation and is determined to promote positive change in the industry.

"As everyone agrees, it has been a tough couple of years for mouldmakers in the UK.

Traditional toolmaking has relied on the skills of time-served highly paid craftsmen which made the industry extremely labour intensive.

This can be seen as the root of its current problems; when a labour intensive industry competes against low-wage economies, issues of competitive pricing inevitably occur.

The solution, clearly, is for UK toolmakers to become less labour intensive, by taking advantage of the most advanced management techniques, the most productive manufacturing practices and by investing in more powerful technology, in terms of both hardware and software.

In this way, UK toolmakers can leverage the UK's well developed technical infrastructure and highly educated workforce to give themselves the necessary competitive edge.

By being prepared to use the optimum production technique for each given task, whether that is skilled staff input or the use of an unmanned robot cell, UK engineering can use its strengths to succeed in this highly competitive market.

Toolmaking is in a period of unprecedented change.

Techniques used to manufacture a mould only two years ago are now considered thoroughly out of date.

Time-scales for job turn-around are being reduced year-on-year, while designs become ever more complex and the level of precision required increases all the time.

Correctly addressed, these client demands can work in favour of UK toolmakers that are prepared to tool-up to meet them.

There are, after all, only 168 working hours in the week anywhere in the world; automation can help UK toolmakers utilise more of those hours than their labour-based overseas competitors.

In addition to physical productivity, I am convinced that UK toolmakers also need to add value to the service element of each contract; providing clients with full and up-to-the minute information on the progress of work and being actively involved in all stages of the job from component design to finished product.

The challenge is to implement these changes rapidly and effectively, making sure all staff are fully aware of the reasons behind the changes.

Toolmaking was never an activity for the faint hearted and now, as ever, there are great opportunities for companies that are prepared to take up the challenge.

The best of British toolmakers are still among the finest in the world, as demonstrated by their success in benchmarking against the criteria laid down in the GTMA World Class Toolmaker profile.

Details of these companies can be found on the website.

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New and established toolmakers, in firms both large and small,are continuing to increase their skills, update their processes and find new market niches that will enable them to compete effectively in the global economy.

The Tool and Die section of the GTMA has a long history of serving the needs of UK toolmakers, I am honoured to have been elected to serve as Chairman to continue that tradition.".

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