Blackman & White is looking to build on a strong 2018 by starting its 55th year in style. The Essex-based manufacturer of cutting systems grew 10% in the last year after a surge of orders from UK and overseas customers involved in the aerospace, automotive, graphics, marine and print sectors.
Orion, an entry-level CNC flatbed cutting machine was the company’s star performer, outperforming other ranges in just seven months. The company is now targeting greater production control, operational efficiencies and the opportunity to scale after it successfully commissioned a new material resource planning system thanks to the support of the EU-backed Manufacturing Growth Programme.
‘Our cutting machines are easily identifiable for their robust and reliable build quality, which helps our clients quickly deliver a return on investment,’ said finance and operations director Eiko White. ‘Innovation is another core theme for the company and this has helped us introduce the automated Genesis-V multi-tool router, laser and knife range into the marketplace and this has given us a real boost in sales.
‘There’s lots of opportunities for us to grow the business, both at home and abroad. However, to do this we needed to better understand our manufacturing operations and how we could put in place improved platforms and systems that would allow us to develop new products and scale-up quickly.
‘This is when we turned to the Manufacturing Growth Programme to provide a strategic review of our company and then external assistance to target key areas of improvement that will deliver a host of tangible benefits.’
