A world-leading manipulator and semi-automated finishing company has marked 25 years in business with the opening of an impressive new machine shop.
Since the installation of its first manipulator in Japan in the 1990s, Clansman Dynamics has been building upon its heritage of design expertise to satisfy some of the industry’s most demanding material handling tasks. From the beginning, the company has designed and further developed robust and reliable equipment to improve productivity and, equally importantly, working conditions in foundries around the world. This is achieved through fine tuning a wide range of manipulators, grinders, knock off hammers and hydraulic wedges to withstand harsh conditions and offer a long lasting solution to finishing processes.
Operating in a range of geographical markets, including Europe, Asia, Russia and the Americas, Clansman’s reach is extending, and the current trading conditions have seen business continue to grow in the past year. The demand has driven the need to expand facilities at the company’s headquarters in East Kilbride, Scotland to offer more control over products in house and to facilitate even quicker delivery times.
Managing director, Andrew Sparrow explains: “Our premises serve us well, but for some time we have been keen to expand the site to enable us to improve workflows and hold on to control of production in house, offering us greater flexibility. The new building has enabled us to up in-house production by around 25 per cent, which is ideal because of the continued increase in demand.”
During the past year an opportunity arose to acquire premises next door and Clansman set about the process of turning the desire into a reality. Adjacent to the current factory, the new 7,500 square foot machine shop facility was opened at the beginning of the year, and now accommodates the opportunity to build larger machines and includes fabrication and welding facilities. “This is a very positive move for us as it gives us greater control and faster turnaround. It means that we don’t have to be reliant on external supply as we have the room and expanded capacity in house. It also means that we are able to revamp our stores and electrical spares departments in the existing building, which we had outgrown in recent times.”
Whilst the housekeeping and control are important aspects of the expansion, Sparrow is confident that this is just the start of the benefits that Clansman and its customers will see in the coming months. “By freeing up space in the established building and acquiring increased space in the new building, we have created space for a large test cell as part of a three-year research and development programme to develop advanced grinding machines. This is something we are all really excited about, it will offer the next generation of equipment for our industry as it strives to improve employee experience, reduce health and safety risks and provide greater flexibility.”
Sparrow’s experience, along with that of the Clansman team, spans many years and many parts of the world but he is confident that the one issue that unites everyone is the need to improve working conditions and reduce risk. “We have noted these as important requirements in the type of equipment customers are asking us for – from the very large 20t machines to the small 150kg machines, the latter of which are increasing in popularity. They are small, quick and have a high speed; excellent for sorting and picking and they save people from having to lift anything.” The lightweight and flexible nature of these smaller manipulators has generated a great deal of interest in recent years and Sparrow believes this is a trend to watch.
Whilst the company has continued to grow over the past 25 years, Sparrow says the current climate is particularly buoyant. “We are busy everywhere at the moment and it seems to be uniform around the world – China, Brazil, Europe and Russia, it seems that there is steady progress everywhere rather than large boom pockets. It’s a positive thing for everyone.”
The company prides itself on working closely with customers on designs to withstand the test of time and that is exactly what Clansman is doing with its investment in the future with expanded production capabilities in Scotland.
Visit Clansman Dynamics at GIFA in Hall 16, stand 16c24.
Contact: Andrew Sparrow, Clansman Dynamics, Tel: +44 (0) 1355 579900, email: [email protected] web: www.clansmandynamics.com