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This month we celebrate our 41st year!\u00a0 41 years successfully designing, tooling and moulding components, filters and a whole range of pretty cool products for clients.\u00a0 Some from the other side of the world, some from just around the corner.<\/p>\n
A birthday is not a birthday without some kind of liquid refreshment (!) which is why we had a little \u201cthank you\u201d party for the BEC team at the stunningly located The Cliff House<\/a>, Barton on Sea earlier this month.\u00a0 What a fun evening, thank you to everyone who came.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re particularly proud here at BEC, that a number of our employees have been with us over 20 years, some nearly 30! \u00a0So special thanks go to our long-standing employees; Paul, Dave, Richard, Garry, Glenn, Matt and Mike, we look forward to seeing what the next 41 years bring!<\/span><\/p>\n We caught up with a few of them to find out how plastic injection design, tooling and moulding has evolved over the years in terms of technological advancement and <\/span>materials, what their most memorable project was and what\u2019s so special about the BEC team!<\/span><\/p>\n Mike (from Toolmaker to Toolroom Manager)\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTechnology has impacted on our job hugely over the years, the advancement in CAD\/CAM software and cutting tools has made complex shapes so much easier to produce.<\/em><\/p>\n In 24 years<\/strong> at BEC I have been involved in 100\u2019s of projects and the one that sticks most in my mind was a large strap for Jointing Tech, who were part of a project to run cables through the Channel Tunnel.\u00a0 Lead times were incredibly tight and the customer could not risk any delay in getting parts, so were looking into the feasibility of tooling using a prototype tooling company.\u00a0 I managed to produce full production tooling in a very short time, running on a 24-hour shift pattern for 6 months solidly, producing over 110,000 mouldings.<\/em><\/p>\n The best thing about BEC<\/strong> has got to be the variety of work.\u00a0 No two days are the same, there is something to solve on a daily basis to get to the end goal.<\/em><\/p>\n As for the future I hope to manage many more projects, working with customers to produce tooling and parts that fulfil their requirements. I hope BEC carry on producing tooling and moulding for another 40+ years.\u00a0 It\u2019s what we do best!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve spent the last 10 years in tooling doing all the manual milling, grinding and bench work and I love it!\u00a0 Although the machines have got more sophisticated over time, technology change hasn\u2019t really impacted on our jobs, we still do manual milling.\u00a0 The best thing about BEC is being in the tool room doing the job I love!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt was all knobs and valves in the old days, nowadays it\u2019s touch screen and everything\u2019s so much cleaner. When I started with CAD design the monitor was huge, starting at 2m wide and 1m deep whereas nowadays it\u2019s all flat screen. \u00a0It\u2019s all so much faster and easier to do everything now.<\/em><\/p>\n My best project is always the last one.\u00a0<\/strong> If I had to pick one, I\u2019d go for the Ecoegg<\/a> because it was a first for us. 3D printed metal cores. \u00a0We tried something new, it was a huge success and that was a big achievement for us.<\/em><\/p>\n Biggest change in the industry<\/strong> has to be when Chinese offshore competition meant UK manufacturers had to sharpen their pencils.\u00a0 We reduced lead times and it really sorted the wheat from the chaff.\u00a0 Many companies fell by the wayside, but we weathered the storm, put up a fight and I\u2019m pleased to say we\u2019re still here!<\/em><\/p>\n Customer\u2019s expectations of us and our role has changed over the years.\u00a0 Where we would previously have worked FOR<\/span><\/strong> our customers, we now very much work WITH<\/strong><\/span> them.\u00a0 They look to us for help and get a better end product because we\u2019re working together.<\/em><\/p>\n The best thing about BEC<\/strong> is the people I work with and I really enjoy what I do.\u00a0 It\u2019s great being part of a relatively small team.\u00a0 We help each other out, you often find Geoff, our MD, down in the toolroom with his sleeves rolled up fixing a machine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI remember being nervous on my first day, it was my first factory job, but I\u2019ve made good friends here. The biggest change over the years has been that the machines have got better, the training and of course health and safety.\u00a0 My favourite project was an automotive fluid filter for an international automotive company.\u00a0 I hope BEC continue to grow and that I stay here until I retire!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMy most memorable projec<\/strong>t was being involved in the manufacture and assembly of the wrist bands for the Super Bowl.\u00a0 I\u2019m a massive sports fan so that was pretty cool. The highlight was going to the United States to discuss quality and manufacture.<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve learnt a lot<\/strong> from the people I\u2019ve worked with over the years. BEC is such a friendly company and they\u2019ve given me the chance to progress during my time here.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n We\u2019re extremely proud that the constant in our 41 years has been the fabulous BEC team and we would be nothing without them, so huge THANKS goes to each and every one of them for continuing to produce excellence across the board.<\/p>\n Thanks also to our fabulous clients, we look forward to getting our heads together and designing, moulding and tooling innovative products, filters and components for many, many more years to come.<\/p>\n For advice or information simply email hello@becgroup.com<\/a> or call 01425 613131 today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This month we celebrate our 41st year! Continue reading ![\"Andy](\"https:\/\/www.becgroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Andy_01-300x199.jpeg\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nAndy Palmieri (from filters to moulding machine operator to tooling)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.becgroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Paul_01-300x199.jpeg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\nPaul (Design & Innovation)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Garry](\"https:\/\/www.becgroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Garry_01-e1566329092507-255x300.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\nGarry Morley (Machine Setter Operator)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Matt (from Machine Operator to Quality and Production Manager) <\/strong><\/h3>\n