Collaboration
Collaboration is one of the key reasons why we at Brandauer has managed to build such a rich history. Without collaboration, there would have been both projects and opportunities that we would have missed out on, some of which have been crucial in Brandauer’s development over the years.
Engaging with other manufacturers (MAN Group)
Brandauer are a proud founding member of the MAN Group (Manufacturing Assembly Network), a manufacturing collaboration consisting of non-competing UK-based manufacturers, all with expert engineers and highly skilled production labour.
Customers have the flexibility to select which services and solutions within the MAN offering are of interest to them, with the assurance that all member companies have a proven track record in their field of expertise. The group is approved to a range of International Standards, that include ISO9001, AS9001, ISO14001, IATF16949, UL and CSA.
Beyond the impressive accolades of member companies. It is a space for all the businesses to best practice share and openly talk about the high and lows of working within manufacturing. It is a space where companies can openly share ideas and work together to prop each other’s businesses up. Alongside this, collaborative opportunities for work and enquiries come through the MAN Group, giving the member companies the unique opportunity to openly work together and create something amazing.
Membership organisations
Brandauer also engages with a few key membership organisations to aid in collaboration and networking with prospective industries. These membership organisations are key to the growth of Brandauer. It gives the company and the team members a change to understand industries better, integrate with supply chains and foster unique opportunities for continued innovation. Brandauer are members of:
Make UK
Make UK champions and celebrates British manufacturing and manufacturers, collaborating to build a platform for the evolution of UK manufacturing.
ADS
The leading trade association in the UK for the Aerospace, Defence & Security sector, providing new opportunities and education across the three industries.
SMMT
The biggest trade association for the automotive sector. Founded in 1902, it is the best place in the UK for manufacturers, SMEs and OEMs to network and collaborate within the automotive industry.
Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM)
The CBM is the leading trade association for UK manufacturers of fasteners, forgings and pressings, cold-rolled and sheet-metal products.
Made In The Midlands (MIM)
Made in the Midlands works with some of the largest OEMs and tier-one suppliers and many of the Midlands and Yorkshire SME base. Brandauer is a Gold Member and CEO, Rowan Crozier MBE sits on the Advisory Board
Manufacturing Assembly Networking (MAN Group)
Brandauer is a founding member of The Manufacturing Assembly Network – a group of eight subcontract manufacturers and an engineering design agency, providing complete manufacturing solutions through the collaboration of world-class knowledge, expertise and technology.
Partners That Help Us Make the Parts
Outside of membership organisations and networking, Brandauer works closely with a range of companies and suppliers. Without them, Brandauer would not be able to perform deliver the vision of becoming the world’s go to partner for precision metal components.
Machine & Equipment Suppliers
Bruderer
Bruderer is renowned the world over as a pacesetter in high-quality punching technology. The company, which was founded in 1943 by Egon Bruderer, took just a few years to develop from humble beginnings into a global player. This partnership spans over 50 years.
Yamada Dobby
Yamada High Precision Press Machines have been working with remarkable results in the production of minute parts of high precision since 1961. Brandauer is the official technology showcase partner for Europe.
GF Machining Solutions
GF Machining Solutions is the world’s leading provider of machines, automation solutions and services to the tool and mold making industry, and to manufacturers of precision components.
Coherent
Suppliers of laser cutting machines since 1966, Coherent provides Brandauer with laser cutting machines geared for precision manufacturing, ensuring all tight tolerances are met.
Metal finishing partner
Auric Metal Finishers
Auric specialises in precision plating of metal components for the automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical and telecoms industries. They are a trusted partner for Brandauer and play a key role in ensuring the highest quality of all components.
Material Supplier Partners
Without material, the whole Brandauer operation grinds to a halt. From the days of receiving steel on horse drawn carts from Sheffield, Brandauer have always worked closely with their material suppliers to ensure a smooth running for all projects.
Materion
Materion Corporation is a global leader in advanced materials, providing innovative material solutions to solve the most complex technical challenges.
Wieland Metals Birmingham
Wieland Metals Birmingham (UK) is a production site for rolled products, using state-of-the-art casting and rolling equipment, specialising in the supply of high-performance niche alloys and small batches.
Outokumpu
Outokumpu is the global leader in stainless steel, aiming to be the best value creator in stainless by 2020 through its competitive edge of customer orientation and efficiency.
KME
KME are a leading industrial manufacturer that produced copper and copper alloy products, delivering tailored solutions for a wide range of sectors through a worldwide production and distribution network.
KEMPER Group
KEMPER Group are a long-established family owned German industrial company that develop manufactures advanced copper alloy materials and engineering solutions for sectors like building technology, electrification and industrial applications.
Aperam
Aperam are a global material company that manufactures stainless, electrical, and specialty steels whilst maintaining recycling and sustainable practices for customers in more than 40 countries.
Academic collaborations for future innovations
One example of how Brandauer used academic and industry collaboration to help develop a new service was our tooling innovation project.
This project is one of Brandauer’s biggest innovations. For years, Brandauer’s tooling department was only seen as a cost base for our businesses, and previous management teams were only keen to break even on tooling projects, provided the volume work was secured.
After talking to customers, we reached the conclusion that providing cost-effective tooling that can provide millions of parts to a tolerance of less than 10 microns wasn’t possible with the current offerings.
Off the back of this, the beginning of the process began, identifying the gaps and exploring possible solutions. To aid in this, we leveraged academic relationships with WMG Group and Birmingham City University to help prove our solution. The funded projects certainly moved our technology forward quicker, and the partnership aided in the validation of our offerings.
The solution was a tool that would be conceived in stages; a tool made up of multiple tools. This ensured that different elements could be maintained at different times to maximise performance. If a section of the tool were to break, that specific section could be removed, meaning fewer man-hours are required, and if available, a spare section of the tool could be replaced to eliminate the risk of ceased production due to the tool being out of action.
After this, we went through our current customers and engaged with someone for a potential “controlled order” to try out our new micron precision tooling for their next project.
Prox Dynamics AS was the company selected for the test; they embraced the trial and were happy to shoulder the potential technical risk from this trial. Thankfully, the results of this test exceeded expectations. There were savings of circa £75,000 from the use of one tool and the client received electrical steel laminations in different sizes, something that usually takes separate tools to complete. On top of these savings, the products created were higher quality, better performing and more importantly, produced 30% quicker than previously.
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Nationally recognised,
globally trusted
Beyond heritage and case studies, Brandauer has a reputation backed by a range of awards and quality standards. Along with being one of the very few SMEs to hold both the King’s and Queen’s Awards for International Trade and Innovation, the business has also been a proud recipient of multiple awards over the years, all in many different areas, spanning components, people and environmental efforts!
Beyond Brandauer’s success, we hold a range of quality certifications and are committed to continuous improvement of everything we do.
