Set out your roadmap for the year ahead and learn what steps VFE is taking to help our customers and the wider advanced manufacturing industry do the same.
As the UK continues to navigate its way out of the global health crisis, manufacturers are designing and implementing roadmaps of their own in preparation for ramping up production.
We recently commented on the growing demand for aviation, while the global supply of microchips can’t keep up with automotive demand. At the same time, gas shortages are driving up costs for sites across the UK at a time when efficiency couldn’t be more important.
Understandably, many manufacturers may feel as if they’re at the mercy of forces outside their control right now. But with careful planning, there are still steps you can take to minimise risk, maximise output, and prepare your operations for an efficient year ahead.
Putting the right contracts in place
Key to minimising risk and future-proofing your operations is a routine servicing and maintenance schedule that ensures equipment is working correctly, compliantly and at optimum performance.
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Equipment that is working correctly is vital for ensuring the quality of your output and its adherence to relevant product/material specifications.
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Equipment that is working compliantly is also key to maintaining output integrity and minimising the risk of costly recalls, scrapped loads or similar disruptions.
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Equipment that is working at optimum performance drives up the efficiency and the profitability of your operations.
Day to day, these benefits help to maintain productivity across your operations, but on a wider scale, routinely servicing, calibrating and maintaining your ovens and furnaces reduces manufacturing costs and improves operational resilience — key benchmarks for helping you to future-proof your operations and ramp up production in the coming year.
“As a service provider first and foremost, we are committed to helping every one of our customers future-proof their operations for the road ahead.” Tim Hulbert, MD, Busch UK. ‘VFE Acquired by Busch Vacuum Solutions.’
Expanding your on-site capabilities
A commitment to learning and development is one of VFE’s core values. Our most successful customers also recognise the benefits of upskilling and developing their teams. Ramping up operations will require greater resource and expertise across your operators.
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Look for courses that build core competencies and align with the wider business strategy.
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If you’re investing in new equipment or upgrading existing machines to meet greater demand, ensure operators are trained by experts in those exact models.
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Find a training provider who will accommodate your needs, whether that’s tailoring course content to meet your requirements or offering the choice between on-site and remote sessions.
Most of all, consult with individual operators to uncover areas in which they feel they would like to develop or skills they would benefit from learning. Personal development plans that reflect your operators’ interests and career goals will help you to reduce turnover and maintain an experienced technical team at a time when you will depend on them the most.
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Did you know… ...VFE’s purpose-designed training facility supports a full suite of working equipment to enable real-life training scenarios for engineers? We also deliver on-site training and all our courses have been developed to meet the needs of operators, maintenance engineers and apprentices. Courses cover functionality, safety, applications and are fully compliant with the requirements of Nadcap, AMS2750 E, RPS 953 and ISO 9001:2008. Related read: 6 Frequently Asked Questions About VFE’s On-Site Training Support, Answered. |
Increasing our engineering resources to support your operations
In 2020 we took extensive steps to adapt our projects and keep our customers’ operations running. VFE remains committed to supporting its customers throughout the remainder of 2021 and into the year ahead.
We already provide comprehensive aftercare in the form of ServiceCare agreements and planned, preventive maintenance schedules. "As far as ramping up for 2022, the focus in 2022 will be assisting our customers through extended/reliable service support to ramp up their production output to pre-pandemic levels and above”, explains David Byrne, CEO at VFE.
“To achieve this, we will increase our engineering resources to support our customers."
Our acquisition by Busch UK, of the global Busch Vacuum Solutions family, is already expanding our reach into new regions and markets. Increasing our engineering resources and focusing on the continued development of our existing engineer base gives us a greater capacity to help more organisations improve their businesses and keep operations running.
To learn more about how you can simplify your heat treatment servicing and solve your maintenance challenges, click the image below and download your copy of our heat treatment servicing and maintenance guide.
