Investment in machinery increases quality and productivity: CNC centre benefits supertrucks' customers

Having worked in the glass and glazing industry all these years, it's not surprising that the machine Supertrucks purchased to streamline its aluminium glass rack production was supplied by Promac.

CNC Centre

The L651007 Emmegi Diamant 4 axis CNC machining centre - customised to accept the Supertrucks unique aluminium profile sections - and the associated CNC twin headed sawing centre have been specified to revolutionise production of the aluminium internal and external glass carrying and roof racks that Supertrucks manufactures.

Major productivity gains

Supertrucks Chairman, Peter Wright explains, 'To succeed as a manufacturing business in the UK requires a continuous effort to remain competitive. Recent massive increases in material and energy costs would have meant increasing our prices to levels that would have adversely affected our home and export business.

'The Directors decided that major productivity gains had to be achieved to remain competitive and offer our customers even higher quality product'.

Customers would previously expect order to delivery times of up to 12 weeks, this has now been reduced dramatically.

Currently Supertrucks manufactures some 2,000 racks per annum. But big things are expected of the new machines. 'By the end of 2007, we plan to have increased rack production by at least 50 per cent thanks to productivity benefits of these new machines.

'We also expect to be able to apply these productivity benefits across all other aspects of our manufacturing operations', comments Bob Hitchen, Supertrucks Managing Director.

Phased in slowly, and fully in service since the beginning of March, the machines are now delivering multiple benefits. On top of the expected advantages, like reduction in manufacturing time and faster supply of spare parts, other benefits include: less material waste and an end product which is lighter, stronger and of a higher quality all round.

Peter says the advantage that Supertrucks products have over their competition is that they never drill into the panel itself, keeping the manufacturer's body work guarantee intact.

Working closely with the GGF and the Department of Transport, Supertrucks has further improved the design of its racks with a number of safety and labour saving additions, fitted as standard.

Fitted as standard

An inclinometer gives an indication of the angle of the rack and shows whether it is safe to load/unload the vehicle.

Rubber base blocks, incorporating side reflectors, provide better in-transit load protection and improve vehicle visibility.

Reflective white safety markers define rack edges at front and rear in poor visibility. A pole rest provides safe storage for poles during transit and a clearly displayed test certificate, issued with every rack to show the maximum safe working load.

Established as a family Coach Building company in 1919, it wasn't until 1981 that Peter Wright first spotted the potential of the glass carrying niche market.

In 2003, Supertrucks celebrated the production of its 10,000th rack for Nova in Altrincham.

The new machinery now in place and Supertrucks looking to expand further into markets abroad, it seems it will take a lot less time for the 20,000th rack to be on the road.