The Parliamentary Review

29BURNETTS |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2018

Alan Murphy, managing director

78 million parts supplied

annually

With a celebrated 50-year track record, Northampton-

based rubber and plastic moulding company Burnetts

Manufacturing is recognised around the world for

its technical expertise, product quality and exceptional service.

With the ability to design and mould products from many

different materials, Burnetts is the sole supplier for several

global corporations, moulding 78 million parts per year and

exporting to 14 different countries. For managing director Alan

Murphy, the challenge now is to build upon this success; 2018

will see the company invest in a new automotive production

facility to support the recent award of first-tier supply contracts.

Background

We were established in Northampton in 1967, where we began manufacturing

rubber products in a former laundry building. Over the next 40 years, we went on

to develop silicone keypads for Nokia, produce battery components used aboard

the NASA space shuttles and develop an award-winning robotised moulding cell to

produce screwdrivers for Stanley Tools.

I joined Burnetts in 1998. I initially worked in logistics, but quickly moved on to

become production manager and subsequently managing director. The year 2006

saw us six months away from closure when our then owners decided to rationalise

UK operations. As part of this plan, all rubber moulding activity would cease,

but when the customers were consulted, the opportunity to save the business

FACTS ABOUT

BURNETTS

»Managing director: Alan

Murphy

»Established in 1967

»Based in Northampton

»Services: Rubber and plastic

moulding

»No. of employees: 69

»Turnover: £7 million

»Exports of 68 per cent

»www.burnettsmfg.com

Burnetts

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

30 | BURNETTS

materialised. I recall a meeting with

EnerSys, the world’s largest producer

of industrial batteries. I was pitching

to retain their business and making

assurances that they would see a

better Burnetts, more focused than

ever on delivering excellence. It was

at this point that I discovered that we

were the benchmark by which all their

suppliers were judged.

It was a similar story elsewhere, and

every one of our rubber customers

supported the plan to continue and,

now, 12 years later, those same

customers are working with us to

develop new products, reduce costs

and innovate. All of our customers

are global market leaders. They

are continually looking to push

product performance and reliability.

The forklift battery market is very

competitive, and, in the last ten

years, product warranty periods have

doubled. It is therefore satisfying to

note that we have consolidated our

standing in this global market, and

our acid-resistant rubber products

are now used by the two largest

companies in the industry.

Capability

We are somewhat unique when it

comes to offering customers the

breadth of materials we do. In 2006,

the company was once again focused

on rubber, with 24 employees and

sales of £1.8 million. By 2010, we

had expanded into moulding hard

and soft plastics; sales have since

grown steadily to £7 million. While

commonly associated with the battery

industry, we now have a balanced

portfolio of customers across a range

of industries; this has proven to be

invaluable. When the 2008 recession

hit, this diversity continued to deliver

growth with an upturn in demand

for hazardous environment seals and

gaskets. These same products remain

a mainstay for us; their unique fire-

retardant rubber is used in various

applications including the cable

sealing system installed on the Royal

Navy’s new tide-class tanker, RFA

Tidespring.

We have also benefited from the

success of the UK automotive industry,

having been a second-tier supplier

since 2006. In 2017, we were finally

awarded first-tier status and 2018 will

see the business transform its facility

to capitalise on this opportunity. The

decision to invest in an automotive

production cell is integral to our

growth over the next five years.

While we have always held ISO 9001

quality accreditation, the transition

to IATF16949 will prove to be a

major challenge. The plan involves

45 moulding machines

represent significant

investment

A dedicated and well-

trained workforce

delivering zero defects

All of our

customers are

global market

leaders. They

are continually

looking to

push product

performance

and reliability

“

31BURNETTS |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2018

investment in premises, machinery,

recruitment, training and systems,

and our teams are committed to this

exciting development. The customer

is, of course, integral to these plans

and we are already working with

their engineers to develop modular

products for future platforms that

reduce weight and lower cost.

People and culture

A business is only as good as its

people; the hardest task for any

business is creating a dynamic and

capable team who both challenge and

complement each other while sharing

a common goal. We are proud to

have staff with over 30 years’ service

working alongside young, dynamic

people who are full of ideas and

embrace change. We have people

working towards NVQ qualifications

on modern apprenticeships, attending

external training courses on quality and

CAD/CAM systems while developing

their skills in our lean manufacturing

workshops. Ultimately, it is these

people who will shape our future; their

drive and enthusiasm are invaluable.

We are also keen to acknowledge

how changes at the top are driving

the business forward. In 2013, my son

Declan finally joined the company.

This was the culmination of a long-

held plan which saw him receive a

business degree and some invaluable

industry experience. As our commercial

director, Declan is changing the face

of the company, raising our profile in

multiple markets and generating real

opportunities while also inspiring the

next generation of our team.

Investment

We employ a culture of continuous

improvement and much of the

company’s growth has come from

developing products and processes.

We operate 45 moulding presses,

and have invested over £2.3 million

in machinery. This trend will continue

in 2018, with the investment in an

automotive facility and the arrival of

a high-tech camera inspection system

that will approve 18 million rubber

parts annually.

To be successful, a business must

choose the right partners, and we

have built up a strong network of

trusted advisers who offer invaluable

support and expertise. It is impossible

for a company of our size to be an

expert in every field, and we have

seen great benefit from working

with companies who can guide us

through R&D taxation, employment

legislation, patent laws, grants, energy

consumption, international law and

climate change levy to name but a

few. Working with the right people

has delivered enormous benefits.

A positive future

Delivering exceptional service remains

of paramount importance to our

strategic direction, and we will see

further investment in our people to

support our continued growth. Over

100 new mould tools will arrive over

the coming 18 months in support of

existing customers as we deliver on

our commitment to grow UK domestic

sales to £7.5 million.

We employ a

culture of

continuous

improvement

and much of

the company’s

growth has

come from

developing

products and

processes

“

One of 73 tools

manufactured in 2017