Many companies say they have a committed workforce. But you get the impression the Wadkin Group means it more than most. The woodworking machinery service, rebuild and production specialist has recently been through some of the most far-reaching developments and changes in its 108-year history. Among them has been the relocation from its ageing Leicester premises to brand new, purpose-designed 55,000ft2 premises in nearby Bardon.
In its day, Wadkin’s old home was state-of-the-art industrial architecture, but it became increasingly difficult to adapt to the demands of the modern office and production environment. By comparison the light, open-plan new plant, with its air-conditioned office, showroom and ventilated factory modelled around the demands of Wadkin’s machinery rebuild and production operations, is a huge advance.
But the workforce’s commitment is obviously not just down to having more modern surroundings. It has also – and more significantly – been reinforced by the group’s change of ownership. Earlier this year, managing director Peter Smith led a management and employee buyout. The result is that 55 of the 115 workforce are now shareholders.
“We now have fewer problems persuading people to switch off lights and turn the heating down!” said Mr Smith. “But this level of workforce involvement also keeps us on our toes, as management are now facing shareholders every day.”
“It also means staff are more willing to put forward ideas for developing the business,” said sales and service director Steve McGloin. “And we’re strengthening workforce involvement further by having a shareholders’ director and creating a joint works council.”
Wadkin clearly sees its new home and level of stakeholder participation as the vital foundation for taking the company forward in an increasingly demanding and technical business and, critically, for developing a more market-led and responsive structure. At the same time as relocating, the company has more clearly delineated its operational areas. Its service, production and refurbishment and sales teams continue to work closely together. But they are also focused on the development of their specific business activity and the various arms of the group will have stronger identities, underlined with new corporate literature and a revamped website.
The fastest evolving part of the group in recent years has been the service and maintenance business, now branded simply as UltraCare.
“With 30 engineers – and soon to be 32 – we are the UK’s biggest woodworking machine service provider,” said Mr Smith. “It’s an increasingly competitive market, with more of the big name machine makers developing service businesses, but we see potential for further growth. There are 60,000 Wadkin machines in the UK and we’re also getting across the message that we service any other make – as far as UltraCare is concerned, a woodworking machine is a woodworking machine.”
In addition, he added, UltraCare has been diversifying, servicing machinery for everyone from plastics to aerospace businesses, and even a formula one team.
According to Mr McGloin, one factor behind UltraCare’s development has been having service engineers centrally co-ordinated, but regionally based.
“They’re all linked to the office via hand-held PDAs and our Pinnacle software system uses postcodes to match the job to the nearest available engineer. That guarantees customers a visit anywhere in the UK within 24 hours.”
Importantly, added Mr Smith, UltraCare is developing its planned maintenance service too. “More companies are realising the value of regular maintenance programmes – they result in fewer breakdowns and less downtime.”
Another core aspect of the UltraCare business is refurbishment. This has formed a key part of the Wadkin Group operation for years, but recently the pace of business has picked up, with five to six machines going through the factory a week. Some rebuilds and upgrades to meet the latest safety rules are relatively straightforward, other jobs, such as the moulders salvaged from the fire at Severn Timber recently, prove more demanding.
“We prefer to refer to this work as remanufacturing,” said Mr McGloin. “We strip down to base castings, with all faces reground, and rebuild with new components, controls, brakes, electrics. You get a machine with a 12-month warranty, that’s good as new, but half the price.”
Given the range of skills at UltraCare, the company sees scope for further diversification. Its service engineers also advise customers on factory layout and production flow and this expertise, with the back-up of the Group’s machine supply and manufacturing operations, is now being turned to turnkey plant development.
“We’ve already undertaken one £2m project, another is under way and we are in discussions on three more,” said Mr Smith. “We’ll manage everything, from plant design and planning, through civils, to machine supply, dust extraction and electricals.”
Training is also on the UltraCare agenda. “We’ve got a training suite and in the next 12 months aim to launch a training academy, offering NVQ or City & Guilds level courses in machine operation and safety,” said Mr Smith.
Wadkin Machines, as the group’s new machinery production and supply operation is restyled, is also evolving. In recent years it has broadened its range of moulders with the introduction of imported machines. It acts as distributor through most of Europe for Japanese IIDA moulders and Robinson-brand products, which are made under licence in Taiwan, and most recently signed an agreement to represent Slovenian moulder producer Ledinek in England and Wales.
Wadkin also manufactures grinders and template makers, tools, spindles and other spares, plus its classical range, made under licence from distributor AL Dalton. In addition it continues to produce Wadkin moulders to order, at the rate of about a dozen a year. “With worldwide component sourcing, we can be very competitive,” said Mr Smith. “If you took an all-UK-made machine costing £120,000 and its all-Chinese equivalent of £75,000, we’re about halfway, supplying the customer with a moulder tailored to their requirements featuring the latest electronics, safety and control systems.”
Underlining its commitment to both manufacturing and rebuild operations Wadkin Group is taking on two engineering apprentices a year. “If you look around the factory, you see a lot of grey heads,” said operations director Steve Foster. “That means we’ve got tremendous experience, but also a demographic time-bomb – we need to keep bringing on new people.”
The last part of the Wadkin Group slotted into place earlier this year when it bought a stake in Amazon Machine Solutions which supplies Paoloni equipment, including sanders, thicknessers, panel saws, edge banders and moulders. It also represents Stenner and Ryburn Fell stair trenchers (which are made by Wadkin), with other distribution deals, including one with a CNC machine centre producer, expected soon.
According to Mr Foster, the link with Amazon ties in with the market-led approach permeating every part of Wadkin. “Our future is not about maximising what we can get out of customers, but maximising what we can do for them, whether that’s supplying new or rebuilt machines, providing maintenance or other services.”
Mr Smith agreed and returned to the commitment theme. “The approach is about giving customers what they want,” he said. “Across the workforce, it’s very much a can-do attitude.”
