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World Aluminium Day Reflections

World aluminium day…reflections

I’ve been fortunate to have worked in aluminium (extrusions) for over 50 years. In this time starting from the lowest entry position, I’ve been a director of an extruder, a stockholder and a processor which makes me unique within the 000’s currently working in the UK aluminium industry.

My fascination with aluminium extrusions began in the longest harshest winter on record. I was 7 in 1963 it was the year the snow never went away, and it was way before you could buy a ready-made sledge from Tesco for three quid. If you wanted one you made it yourself or got your dad to do it. As my dad worked on the shopfloor of an extruder he had access to aluminium extrusions, thus mine was adorned with aluminium runners (originally destined for Harrison Drape as curtain track) but doctored to a level worthy of “Cool Runnings.” It was the then equivalent of the current Formula 1 DRS.

I was then photographed by the local newspaper going down Crouch Hill with everyone in my wake. Years on after I had done a speech at an Al Fed event in the Lords one of the Lords who lived in the adjacent county recalled the photo.

Over the years there have been quantum changes in the industry there are now just a fraction of the extruders from when I started, names such as Alcan, Midland Extruders, Ashley Aluminium, Almetex, James Booth, and many more now long gone. There have been huge advances in die making, die design, alloys, finishes, inspection, production methods and e`iciency. Indeed, there was no mention of sustainability back in the day, but now it is rightly one of the defining mainstays of our industry.

Throughout all this time the Al Fed have been a constant. It has been transformative in recent years in how it engages more conceptually with its members and the students and design engineers who in time will be the next generation of specifiers. I was proud to play a part in this, supporting many Al Fed events during the “noughties” and long may it continue this path.

There are always threats to aluminium, we would be unwise to ignore the potential that composites o`er and the rise in nano technology, but as an industry we remain in great shape, I believe, ready for all the challenges.

I’ve worked with amazing people over the years (thank you Liz at Inal in particular) I often introduce us as the Phil and Holly of aluminium though since his fall from grace I am currently rethinking this!

I’m enjoying the final chapter of my long and undistinguished career working with the Sherwood Group one of the few places where the owners, both industry titans, are older than me (thank you Paul and Terry). From winning awards to working with Apple, to speaking at the The House of Lords, to being held at gun point by the IRA, it’s been a journey….

UB Plastics Ltd

Nearly a century ago, the seeds of UB Plastics (named after Uncle Bill) were sown in Burton.

Our humble beginnings can be traced back to crafting bungs and stoppers for traditional wooden beer barrels. From these foundational roots, we’ve grown to become a leading name in the injection plastic moulding industry, working with incredible brands around the world.

Company
Situated on a sprawling 1.7-acre site in the heart of Burton, UB Plastics is a formidable player in the specialist plastic moulding industry. Our state-of-the-art machinery can output 100 million parts a year ranging from a precise 3mm to an expansive 400mm.

35 skilled employees help us keep 23 product lines working, handling work from 30t to 220t.

Please take a look at: www.ubplastics.co.uk

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Boom…and the investment continues

Sherwood Group continue to invest in our Manchester site. We have just commissioned the second JIH saw which will see our daily sawing capacity increase to beyond 20k cuts, the majority close tolerance. With an increasing amount of material being supplied cut intensively machined and finished, this is another huge step forward in our plans for continuing to grow the business. Onwards and upwards in 2024.

It’s Christmas time…

Our fabulous Ellie took time away from her machine operating duties this week to raise the bar “ding dong merrily on high” in the annual Sherwood Group Christmas tree dressing competition. Ellie chose a more traditional colour theme this year with a reversal to golds reds and greens leaving our other group companies in her wake. Ellie we salute you!

INCOMING!

Our delivery driver come roving ambassador Mark Ridgway ready for action with his newly liveried wagon. Mark has proved to be very popular with many customers since he joined us, and even with some of his colleagues …Mark Ridgway more deliveries than Santa Claus!

In-house plastic injection moulding

Find out more about the new plastic injection moulding capability available through our parent company Sherwood Group.

15th September, 2023

At the end of 2022 we completed the acquisition of Burton based plastic moulding business UB Plastics and we’ve been busy incorporating them into the Sherwood Group of companies.

UB Plastics has been a supplier to Sherwood for many years, delivering millions of parts annually into our construction and fenestration customers.

Based in Burton with strong brewing sector roots, the business now manufactures and ships over 100 million parts a year, exporting to all five continents to customers at the very top of their industries.

We’re now in a position to share more about what is available to our customers across the group below.

Key facts:

  • Established 1983
  • Location Burton upon Trent
  • Employees 35
  • Site 1.7 acres
  • Products 100m + individual plastic parts annually
  • Sectors Brewery, food and drink, construction
  • Market 75% UK, 25% export

Capacity and capability:

  • No of machines 23 state of the art injection moulding machines
  • Capacity 30t to 220t
  • Machine OEMs Battenfield, Borche, Chen Hsong, Demag, Haitian, Negri Bossi, Romi and Sandretto.
  • Tooling size (min) 130mm x 130mm approx
  • Tooling size (max) 550mm x 550mm approx
  • Product size (min) 3mm
  • Product size (max) 400mm
  • In mould labelling for food and beverage and wider industry packaging from 1 label up to 12 labels for multi impression tooling.

Robots suppliers:

  • Universal 6 Axis, Geiger 3 Axis Full Servo and ATM 3 Axis Full Servo.

Main polymer suppliers:

  • Distrupol, Resinex, Plastribution.

Main materials:

  • ABS, nylon, polypropylene, polypropylene, Polystyrene, TPE.
  • We’d love to discuss the opportunities UB Plastics can bring to what we are already providing you.
  • And we’re happy to look at re-estimating current provision and prototyping to see if we can make a difference.

Get in touch, including the word Plastic in your message here.

♫ Ain’t no mountain high enough ♫

Not content with leading the Sherwood Group for over 30 years through the peaks and troughs of business, young at heart co-owner Paul Thurston showed his penchant for the uphill struggle in Cumbria last week.  Accompanied by a couple of friends Paul rolled back the years to scale England’s highest peak, the gruelling Scaffel Pike in the Lake District, a very challenging 3280 feet.

It was said Paul (far right in the photo) marched them up to the top of the hill and them marched them down again…well done Paul, we the sedentary, salute you

You are GOLD, always believe in your soul

Fantastic performance by our CEO Michael Holden to win the gold medal in the light weight category at The British Ju Jitsu National masters last weekend.

You can’t beat being lead by a gold medallist! Just back 6 months ago from a major hip operation..Michael we salute you!

A bit of old school

Fantastic work by our Operations Manager at Wolverhampton, Geoff Woodfield. It’s great having all the latest CNC’s and tech across our sites but sometimes the black art of experience and old school engineering hits like a breath of fresh air. Geoff knocked this set up together to correct an extrusion that was supplied out of angular tolerance, thus allowing the delivery deadline to be achieved and saving the supplier an expensive rejection. Geoff uses his knowledge to explore solutions in all sorts of ares, there is another rolling one which I believe will provide great commercial opportunities for us, I will be showcasing that later…

Welcome to Manchester

Great to welcome one of our key suppliers to Manchester today. With Dinis being a big football fan, recreating in part the famous Carlos Tevez Welcome to Manchester poster seemed right and fitting…but with a United lean!