European Springs Web Team, Author at European Springs

As experienced spring manufacturers, we recognise significant changes within our industry following the Covid-19 pandemic that have affected the in-demand manufacturing job skills.

The skills gap in manufacturing has been around for some time, especially in the UK, and recent research has highlighted how urgent the issue has become. The Annual Manufacturing Report for 2020 showed that British manufacturers, in particular, are fronting the most considerable shortage of skilled workers since 1989.

The introduction of smart factories and advancements in automation is indeed a case for a strong rebound from many businesses. However, it’s essential to address how implementing these new technologies and equipment factors for the skills needed to operate efficiently.

In this blog, we’ll look at the cause of the growing skills gap and how you can combat this by looking at long and short term solutions.

Cause of the Skills Gap in Manufacturing

As mentioned above, our industry has been facing the largest skills shortage in over 30 years. The skills shortage is partially a result of the rapid advances in smart technologies and automated machinery. While manufacturers invest in this efficient equipment, many people currently do not have the right experience or are unaware of the qualifications or skills needed to fill vacant roles.

Let’s explore where you can begin to counteract the growing gap while still investing in the right areas:

Manufacturing Skills of the Future

The manufacturing landscape as we know it is constantly adapting and evolving, which means that more than ever, your workforce needs to be able to adapt and think critically about programming, tools, technology and digital processes.

When you start implementing smart technologies such as big data, cloud computing, senators and industrial IoT, you can report more accurately and streamline your processes by identifying key areas for improvement or boost capacity.

Short-term Solution Ideas

The harsh reality of the growing skills gap is that employees are retiring faster than the rate of new talent joining the industry. Those with experienced workforces should spend time upskilling and re-training. To combat this, you should look at and address areas where there are opportunities to upskill current employees. Choosing to automate basic and valuable processes allows for growth in the areas like software and machine learning development.

Here at European Springs, we prioritise upskilling our workforce as it allows us to build on new and existing team skills, increase productivity, and streamline work processes. When you spend time identifying current or projected gaps within your team, you can then use the data to map a timeline for development, taking into account the equipment or resources that you need.

You can inspire the next generation of manufacturers with attractive apprenticeship opportunities and put a spotlight on the need for skilled young people to join our industry. Apprentices are a great addition to your workforce, and gain the necessary experience by working with an established employer. They not only learn trade skills from your more experienced members of the team but start to take accountability, responsibility and bring a fresh perspective of current operations.

Find out more about how apprenticeships could play a key role in manufacturing’s recovery.

Long-term Changes

There is set to be severe consequences for manufacturing if the skills gap is allowed to continue long-term, especially in relation to productivity, operational costs and failing to meet client demands.

To stay competitive in the market, you must invest time upskilling, reskilling and taking on apprentices. There are many benefits to this, and it’s a much smaller investment than recruiting and hiring a new staff member.

When you train your workforce to current operations and equipment, you can create a well-rounded, multi-skilled workforce capable of increasing overall efficiency and product quality. You implement this by setting achievable goals with each employee and encourage development through regular courses and learning opportunities — personal development plans (PDPs) are an effective way to record progress and target key areas.

Engineer Showing Apprentices How To Use CNC Tool Making Machine

With over 70 years of experience as spring manufacturers, we’re proud to invest heavily in our workforce, develop our people for the future and push the boundaries presented by the growing skills gap.

By welcoming apprentices each year, we’re able to see the benefits first-hand of having a development plan in place, and many of our qualified apprentices continue to grow their skills as spring technicians.

If you would like any more information about any of the services or products that we provide including tension springs and compression springs, contact European Springs with your enquiry. Our experienced team will be happy to answer your questions.

After a year and a half of Covid restrictions, the DSEI 2021 show was the first exhibition that European Springs and Pressings have been able to attend.

It was great to be back at a live show to meet and talk in person with other attendees and industry professionals. We’re delighted to have made contacts across multiple industries, including aerospace, defence and security — we spent time reconnecting with clients and were entertained by the expertise and innovation on show.

As it was our first time attending a DSEI show, we did not set typical KPI targets for the event but instead monitored sales leads generated to gauge the suitability of the event for the future. In this blog, we’ll provide a round-up of our experience at the show.

The Importance of Attending DSEI 2021

The Defence and Security Equipment International show is the largest fully-integrated defence and security show in the world, running biennially in London and Saudi Arabia respectively. As we manufacture products for the defence, security and aerospace industries, it was important for us to attend this event for the first time.

European Springs & Pressings are always aiming to raise our profile (especially over the next twelve months) and improve the effectiveness of our exhibition attendance — promotion strategy is an integral part of this process. We decided that collaborating with Metrol on a joint stand at DSEI would enable both companies to pool our offers and gain visibility at such a prominent exhibition.

Why Does This Event Resonate with European Springs?

DSEI is a great networking event, renowned for the strength and seniority of those that attend — this includes senior officials, industry buyers and over 3,000 international VIPs and official delegations.

The show gave us the opportunity to exhibit alongside primes and tier 2 suppliers, top UK and international delegations and UK and international defence ministers. Others who attended the event included senior procurement staff teams, prime contractors/OEMs, pre-qualified industry visitors, SMEs, system integrators, subcontractors, major manufacturers, service providers and defence media.

Networking and future innovation are a huge part of what we do. Meeting with these like-minded industry professionals allowed us to represent our high-quality service and products and repeatedly meet the ever-changing requirements of our customers and the market we operate within.

What Was The Atmosphere of The Event Like?

As the world’s largest defence and security community gathering, the event had great energy and buzz surrounding it. With 8 halls, international pavilions from 6 continents and over 1000 companies in attendance covering aerospace, land, naval, security, joint, future technology, manufacturing, medical and space sectors, there was plenty to see and do in an optimal business environment.

There were live demonstrations at the dockside and tours of the naval boats in attendance. We particularly enjoyed the indoor demonstrations of drone technologies and Q-UGVs (Quadrupedal Unmanned Ground Vehicles – robo-dogs!).

Our Favourite Thing About DSEI 2021

If we had to choose one thing about the show that truly stood out, it would have to be simply being back at a live event and being able to talk directly to potential clients and suppliers.

The show was a spectacle of jaw-dropping military technology and innovative manufacturing. There were so many intriguing things to discover, even if you do not have an interest in defence and security equipment and vehicles.

We also have to mention the armed forces marching band who put on their opening day show. The pomp and professionalism of the performance was a real treat to see live; they really brightened up a muggy Tuesday afternoon.

Setting Our Stall Apart

Our stall was focused on showing exactly who we are and ensuring our products and expertise are clearly defined and communicated. Ahead of the event, we understood that it would be difficult to compete for attention, especially when the next stand was boasting a Challenger 3 Mobile Battle Tank!

Our helpful experts and reps welcomed a lot of visitors to our bright and colourful stall. We found that most were industry colleagues making purchaser product enquiries. However, a few visitors enjoyed a lighter conversation about spring tension as a break from discussing the stopping power of an AK47.

Advice For Those Attending Future DSEI Shows

Wear comfortable shoes! The DSEI show is huge, filling the 8 halls of Excel London and its two dockside areas with equipment, vehicles and displays. You have to do a lot of walking to get around it all.

Attending the DSEI gives you access to the global marketplace. With a 95% visitor satisfaction rate, the show is an essential opportunity to explore international business opportunities.

We found considerable benefits in attending the show and networking with others to develop our knowledge and integrate with other businesses across various industries. The exhibition was a fantastic opportunity to speak with peers and industry professionals and learn from other exhibitors and sponsors.

As spring manufacturers, we must keep up with the latest news, movements and events within our industry. We thoroughly enjoyed the show and would like to thank everyone who visited our stall and made us feel welcome during our first DSEI event!

European Springs & Pressings and Metrol attended the recent DSEI Expo at Excel London for the first time, sharing an exhibition stand as part of our ongoing commitment to finding new ways of working collaboratively.

The Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) show is the largest fully integrated defence and security show in the world. With 8 halls and over 1000 companies in attendance, covering the Aerospace, Land, Naval, Security, Joint, Future Tech, Manufacturing, Medical and Space sectors, DSEI is recognised as the world’s most prestigious land, sea and air biennial defence and security exhibition. The 2021 show brought together senior international trade and military experts from across the entire supply chain in an optimal business environment.

The Benefits of Working Collaboratively

Making our first appearance at DSEI, European Springs & Pressings and Metrol decided to pool resources and attend the event together. The initial reasons and benefits were clear; sharing a platform means sharing exhibitor and stand costs, an economic saving that allows both companies to be present at more exhibitions across the year. Similarly, the collaboration enables us to combine our marketing and logistics, align our messaging and mutually promote both companies.

The collaboration also allowed our sales representatives and experts to become more familiar with their counterparts’ products and service offers. Knowing each other’s product range and capabilities allows for much smoother cross-selling across the two sister companies. This increased product range makes the customer feel more confident that we can fully cover their needs within the Lesjofors group.

Our Comprehensive Spring and Wire Form Range

Our combined range, including springs, standard and specialist application gas springs, wire forms, metal-pressed and motion control components, means that we can offer a lot more options and present a greater range of solutions to our customers.

The benefits of this were very evident at the DSEI show, where a discussion with a customer might begin with a request for a heavy-duty wire spring but, in order to supply the requisite power, we were able to suggest a gas spring alternative. Alternatively, some customers enquired about the suitability of a gas spring, and our experts were able to advise them on other types of spring that would meet their product or process needs at a lower cost or with better results.

This approach exploits the natural synergy between the two businesses and has already been producing results. At the DSEI 2021 show, it was apparent that operating a shared stand and drawing on both company’s strengths yielded advantages in terms of lead generation and retaining visitor engagement. These benefits have also translated across to general operations, with European Springs & Pressings and Metrol better able to help customers who enquire by directing them to the product ranges and capabilities on offer across both companies.

Promoting Products and Services while Co-Exhibiting

The Defence Security Equipment International Show 2021 is only the first joint exhibition that European Springs & Pressings and Metrol have decided to co-exhibit at, with several collaborative shows planned for 2021 and 2022, including Interplas, The Engineering Design Show, Advanced Engineering and Medical Technology Ireland. Furthermore, both teams will continue to support and promote the other company’s products and services at events that we attend individually, building upon the platform of cross-selling and mutual promotion that we have begun to develop.

Alongside valuable representation at exhibitions and the increased generation of leads and sales support, the venture has also fostered a strong feeling of comradeship and respect across the two businesses.

Rewarding events like the DSEI Expo clearly demonstrate the benefits of companies within the Lesjofors family working together. The combined range of products, expertise, and experience that we can offer proves how much stronger we are when we work together.

As spring manufacturers, we must keep up with the latest news and events within our industry. We thoroughly enjoyed the show and would like to thank everyone who visited our stall and made us feel welcome at our first DSEI event!

As an experienced spring manufacturer, we see many uses for our springs throughout the agricultural industry. Our high-quality springs are frequently used within equipment and machinery that helps to cultivate plants and livestock.

In this blog, we’ll discuss why springs are so important in the agricultural industry and look at some of the most common types of springs used within this sector.

Types of Springs used in Agriculture

Here at European Springs, we design and manufacture different types of springs to meet your every need, including springs for agricultural equipment. The main focus of our products within this industry is spring tines for grassland harvesting and tillage machinery.

We have the capability to prototype any custom agricultural equipment spring you may need, from large load-bearing tractor springs to tiny springs for irrigation timers.

Here is a list of some of the springs we can manufacture:

Torsion springs and tension springs for the opening of overhead garage or warehouse doors
Compression springs with resistance to axial compressive force
Valve springs for opening and closing valves
Barrel springs to prevent buckling
Valve springs for keeping valves open or closed
Motor springs for vehicle components
Custom wire forms made to your exact technical specifications

Spring Requirements

Springs are created to absorb and redistribute force which makes them perfect for applications in the agricultural industry. The heavy-duty machinery and equipment used throughout this sector require great power, and our springs help support the suspension systems of vehicles in particular.

Most farming and off-road vehicles are fitted with standard coil springs made of steel. High-quality suspension systems are created by a strong spring absorbing the shock forces while driving on uneven surfaces.

Many farming vehicles carry heavy loads and use a repetitive motion, which requires quality springs to function. When you choose us as your agricultural spring manufacturer, you can do so with the highest confidence in the best products with quality guaranteed.

Common Applications for our Springs

Springs make up some of the most important mechanisms within agricultural equipment, and you may be surprised at how significant spring components are. Let’s take a look at some examples of where you can find our springs in action:

Hydraulic systems
Suspension systems within vehicles
Irrigation equipment, such as hoses, sprinklers and sprays
Planting and harvesting machinery, like ploughs, tillers and tractors
Secure gates and fences
Landscaping tools
Bailing equipment
Quad bikes, wagons and trailers
Fluid control machineries, such as liquid and air control

Agricultural Equipment Spring Manufacturer

With over 70 years of experience as a spring manufacturer, we have the expertise to create a whole host of springs perfect for any application within the agricultural industry.

If you require an agricultural equipment spring supplier, then European Springs is both professional and reliable. We’re confident in meeting your business and product needs, so please contact us to start a conversation or look at our spring brochure for more details of the items we stock. Named as tension spring manufacturers amongst many other spring types, we aim to deliver a top quality service.

We’re proud to be industry leaders in spring manufacturing, and being at the forefront of the current technological revolution is key to our success.

The emergence of smart factories, machine learning and connectivity, has added a new dimension to manufacturing facilities worldwide. Here at European Springs & Pressings, we continue to invest and advance how we manufacture to prepare for the industry’s future.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, “Smart Factory” has quickly adapted from an initial concept to mainstream manufacturing. In this blog, we’ll look at the impact and benefits of Smart Factories, industrial IoT (Internet of Things) and tell you all about our recent Bruder press investment.

What is a Smart Factory?

Smart Factories are the driving force of digitalisation in modern-day manufacturing. A Smart Factory can refer to a digitalised shop or facility that operates by connected machines, production systems and devices.

You can use the data collected by these intelligent and automated machines to create reports on areas for improvements, ongoing issues and being proactive to live demands.

A combination of technologies connects Smart Factories, including Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, AI, and Industrial IoT. Each plays a part in combining physical and digital tasks so that the Smart Factory process can oversee and fully integrate every system to streamline performance and operations. Below we will look into more detail of some of the most common technologies:

Industrial IoT – Connected machines, processes, or devices linked through data communication, allowing data to be exchanged by people and machines.
Sensors – Built into machines to collect unique data at the various stages of the manufacturing process. Sensors are beneficial for offering live visibility.
Cloud Computing – The processing, storage and sharing of data. Cloud computing gives a cost-effective and flexible solution that allows you to focus on key metrics and solve ongoing issues.
Big Data – Collecting data over time gives you insight into the bigger picture of processes and key metrics. In particular, big data helps identify recurring errors.

Our Bruderer Press Investment

Continuing our investment in manufacturing over the years, we recently installed a BSTA 410-110B2 and high precision servo feeder to help increase our press shop capacity and target more than £1m of new opportunities.

This automated press and tool monitoring technology give us production speeds of up to 1600 strokes per minute and a fully adjustable stroke between 16 and 47mm. The high-speed press is an ideal addition to our facility and is used for almost every product we manufacture.

Stuart McSheehy, Managing Director of European Springs & Pressings, commented saying “Our relationship with Bruderer UK goes back more than 15 years, and this will be the third new machine we’ve taken from Adrian Haller and his team.

“The Swiss stamping technology is the best in the world when it comes to precision, achieving tolerances and delivering flexibility, and this new BSTA 410-110B2 will be the real jewel in the crown of our new press shop.”

Our investment in automated machinery has undoubtedly streamlined our processes and allowed us to remain fully operational throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Installing this new equipment in the press shop is critical to our expansion and long-term investment in the latest machinery and technology.

Adrian Haller, Managing Director at Bruderer UK, commented saying “The installation of the BSTA 410-110B2 is a clear indication of the precision markets the company is going after. In particular, the control technology added to the press provides automatic ram shut height adjustment while the machine is under acceleration and deceleration loads, giving it guaranteed process stability and pinpoint repeatability.”

Impact, Visibility and Access

By implementing the technologies required for a Smart Factory, you can better understand your overall processes throughout the production chain. You can combine various sets of data and use them to improve and boost your capacity.

Another benefit of data collection and analysis is that you can get the most from your resources, equipment and employees. Smart technology provides a high degree of efficiency and allows you to act immediately.

Here at European Springs and Pressings, we’re dedicated to investment and are in the final stages of a bespoke £700,000 project involving the construction of our 6000 sq ft press shop. We project that it will deliver approximately 20% efficiency gains, along with a more streamlined production process.

As reputable spring manufacturers, we’ve seen the benefits of smart technologies and upskilling our employees, and we’re optimistic about our vision for the future.

Keep up to date with our blog page and be the first to see the latest information on the manufacturing industry, as well as expert sector insights.

As an industry leader in spring manufacturing, automation plays an important part in the process that continues to advance the way we manufacture.

The future of manufacturing is heading toward a more automated approach, but what does this mean? In this blog, we’ll look at what automation is, the benefits, machinery and practices, as well as opportunities for training and development within your business.

What is Automation and How is it Used?

Automation is the use or introduction of automatic equipment in manufacturing or other process or facility. Using machine learning, artificial intelligence, sensors and much more, you can boost efficiency, reliability and use computer devices to control operations.

In most cases, it is assumed that automation replaces labour or physical people in your workforce. However, we believe that there are opportunities to upskill, as well as job functions that can support and improve automation processes.

The Benefits of Automation and Technology

Some obvious benefits of automation are higher production rates, increased productivity and the efficient use of materials. There are also other less obvious benefits, including the safety of your workforce, reduced factory lead times and less manual labour, which are highly sought after.

By investing in smart technologies like sensors, machine learning, robotics, and cloud computing, you can certainly grow your supply chain, as well as cater to online consumers and identify areas for machine investment and growth.

Machinery and Practices

Our well-equipped manufacturing plants allow us to offer a wide range of custom products and services. We train our experienced engineers and invest in the latest automated equipment, which means we can repeatedly meet the ever-changing requirements of our customers and the market we operate in.

We use the latest CNC automated spring coilers and wire-forming equipment to deliver both generic wire form and bespoke orders. In total, we have over 20 coiling machines, including the likes of Wafios FUL and FES.

Training and Development

Here at European Springs, we’re constantly focusing on the development of our employees. It’s essential to strengthen our knowledge and introduce more diverse skillsets into our workplace, including preparing for future growth within manufacturing.

Recently our next generation of engineers achieved either CITY & GUILDS or BTEC qualifications following a nationally recognised manufacturing apprenticeship framework. Find out more about our apprentices by reading our blog on developing people for the future.

Stuart McSheehy, Managing Director of European Springs & Pressings, says, “The value of apprenticeships can never be underestimated. Training the next generation of our people is crucial to ensure the business has the skills in its people for the future”.

Investing in the Future

AI and Smart Factory tech has been established for a while and those who chose to invest are seeing a growing return from online sales and much more. Automation facilitates a more agile way of working, including streamlining processes and working at normal capacity under most circumstances.

In our previous blog, Does Online Shopping Boost Manufacturing? We touched on the impact of consumer behaviour, online shopping and working practices going forward.

The demand for online shopping has had a lasting impact on companies and their investment in automation. If you are able to install these new systems and technologies now, you can focus on the upskilling of employees and streamlining your processes.

Here at European Springs & Pressings, we’re continuing our focus on stability and growth. As reputable spring manufacturers, we’ve seen the benefits of investing heavily in automation, upskilling our employees and technology, which means we are positive about our vision for the future.