SUCCESS IS BY DESIGN FOR FIRM
ARTICLE IN THE BUSINESS SECTION OF THE EXPRESS & STAR - 12TH JAN 2004
Success by design is the secret behind the growth of a Kingswinford-based engineering design business.
From a traditional Black Country background, designing lifting machinery and other equipment for heavy engineering companies, Dudley Designs & Technical Services has expanded to cover a wide field of activity.
Whilst still involved in heavy engineering, more and more of the company's work relates to the packaging and labelling machinery, shop fitting equipment, domestic products, scientific instruments, patient call and medical alarm systems, together with a whole range of mobility equipment for the disabled.
Aerospace
Managing director Maurice Arnold, who founded the business with his brother-in-law 16 years ago, has undertaken work such as designing bath lifts, reclining chairs and stair lifts for use by disabled people.
The company has shown its flexibility by also carrying out design work on heavy lifting gear being made by Brierley Hill-based Aqualift for the Ministry of Defence to cater for unmanned submarines. It has also produced test rigs for aerospace projects.
Exploiting yet another niche market, the company's most recent project has involved designing an animal carcass incinerator for Jayville Engineering in Telford.
From January 1 farmers are not allowed to bury their own fallen stock, and have to make arrangements to have them cremated. After 12 months' work Dudley Designs & Technical Ser-vices has come up with a low-cost incinerator complying with all environmental regulations.
"We can produce anything, from engineering designs to manufacturing drawings, covering any part of the production process," said Mr Arnold, who started his career as an engineering apprentice at Rubery Owen in Darlaston.
He said he owed the success of the company to the flexible workforce who, he said, had the ability to move from one sector of engineering to another, continually finding niche markets.
"On average a job will take around 12 months, but we have some that are wrapped
in a few weeks, while some of the work for the MOD can run over several years.
Flexible
"We started put working in the heavy engineering field, but we have diversified and become more flexible -which is the key to success in engineering these days."
The company now employs 25 full-time draughtsmen at its offices in Pensnett House, on the Pensnett Estate, as well as employing consultants for specific projects.
To secure the long-term future of the business, it has recently become a limited company and reorganised its management team. Mr Arnold remains as managing director and Lee Worth continues as IT/CAD manager, with the promotion of Bob Taylor to technical services manager and Derek White-house to design services manager has completed the management team.
The company has also just been accepted as a consultancy on the national register for the government-funded Business Link advice service.
In addition to a complete engineering design and drawing service, the company now offers a wide range of technical support services including technical publications, CAD training, consultancy work, stress analysis, project management and even website design - the company has its own website at www.dudley-designs.co.uk