Beakbane, the UK’s leading manufacturer of bellows and machinery protection systems, has now launched a subcontract sheet metal fabrication service. This is aimed particularly at customers who want to ensure supplier stability in uncertain economic conditions.

Beakbane can offer a complete service from design to finished fabricated assemblies

As a well-established and financially sound independent company, with strong continuing busines, Beakbane recognised that it could provide this stability to companies that may have lost existing suppliers or have concerns about the viability of their supply chain.

The company has been established for over 50 years and is a long-term supplier to industries that include machine tool building, rail transport, medical equipment, food and beverage services, power generation and heavy plant. Customers include companies such as Bombardier, Varian Medical Systems and the machine tool manufacturer Mazak.

As well as a wealth of experience in the manufacture of bellows from all kinds of fabrics and polymers, Beakbane’s expertise includes the design, manufacture and JIT ship to line of complex, high-accuracy sheet metal components and assemblies such as telescopic slideway covers for machining centres.

To support its new subcontracting service, Beakbane has re-equipped its sheet metal operation with a new Trumpf 3030 laser profiling machine and two LVD 3m CNC Easy Form Laser press brakes. These complement its existing Trumpf combination laser/punch machine. It can now punch or profile and bend to a high degree of accuracy up to 20mm in mild steel, 12mm in stainless steel and 8mm in aluminium.

Beakbane can offer a complete service from design – using 2D and 3D systems such as AutoCAD and SolidWorks – through profiling or punching, folding, to MIG, TIG, spot and gas welding, mechanical and electrical assembly and finishing.

It complements this with the fabric and polymer manufacturing capabilities from its bellows manufacturing and also has its own in-house facility for the design and manufacturer of high-quality composite components. The company already works with a number of customers on a supply partnership basis to manufacture complete complex products – such as hot drinks dispensing trolleys for hospitals – and has been ISO 9001 accredited since 1994.

Beakbane is also unique in that it can supply products that combine metal fabrications with flexible fabrics and materials for protecting or connecting moving components.

Commenting on the new service managing director Barry Reeves said: “Customers are looking for highly capable and financially sound suppliers who are going to be around for a while. We have the support, resources and stability of a large independent company behind our subcontract manufacturing service and have retooled with the latest sheet metal machinery to expand into this market. We can offer a comprehensive service at whatever level of complexity the customer wants.”

For further information on our metal fabrication products click here.

This press release was featured in the following publications:-

Beakbane’s subcontract service offers supplier stability
Engineering Capacity – April 2009

Beakbane offers subcontract sheet-metal service
EngineeringTalk – April 2009

Bellows maker Beakbane launch sheet metal fabrication service
Birmingham Post – July 2009