Nasmyth Group
Precise engineering from Nasmyth
The Nasmyth Group is a cohesive group of engineering businesses that consistently provides high quality services and products.
The Group offers world-class design, manufacturing assembly and product support services across the fields of precision mechanical and electro-mechanical engineering. The organisation is a key supplier to the global aerospace industry and to the international defense, electrical, specialist automotive, and medical sectors. In support of this capability, the Group’s companies hold an impressive range of quality, environmental, and manufacturing approvals ranging from AS9100 and ISO 14001 through to EASA Part 21.
The Nasmyth Group is led and managed by a team of experienced managers that have extensive knowledge of a wide range of engineering industries. The businesses, which make up the Nasmyth Group, include Bulwell PE, IEC Engineering, Doughty PE, WMST, GEB Surface Treatments, MPS and PWS AE.
The Group has recently extended its operations into the US with the opening of Nasmyth Precision Products incorporated (NPP inc), which is located in Newberry, South Carolina. Peter Smith, chairman and chief executive for the Group elaborates: “The South Carolina state is economically viable with a strong labour force, proximity and access to markets, and a business-friendly environment. The area suits our culture, style, and approach to business and we look forward to growing Nasmyth’s US operations from our South Carolina location for many years to come.”
Now up and running, NPP satisfies the requirements of a range of customers in the most demanding areas of the engineering sector. The skills and technologies that are available at the company are closely related to those developed and used by Nasmyth Group’s UK subsidiaries. This will give Nasmyth in the US a comprehensive capability to meet the demanding requirements of the aerospace sector. NPP will initially specialise in the manufacture of aerospace electrical connector components and the machining of metal components used in advanced technology gas turbine aero-engines.
With its headquarters in Buckinghamshire, England, the Nasmyth Group was founded by Peter in 2003. Today, the company’s name demonstrates a tradition of engineering excellence, named after James Hall Nasmyth, a Scottish engineer famous for developing and patenting the steam hammer. Nasmyth built his first steam engine at the age of 17 in 1820.
The development and growth of the Nasmyth Group has been achieved through a combination of carefully selected acquisitions, organic investments and the development of the company’s highly skilled management teams and workforce. The business is currently working on a rolling programme of investment, which started in 2006 and looks to continue into 2008. This programme saw the Nasmyth Group acquire Professional Welding Services (PWS) in 2006. PWS offers a complete engineering manufacturing service, including project management, specialised welding, CNC machining and sub-assembly of components. The acquisition resulted in PWS’ world-class capability in the welding of components to rigorous aerospace standards being added to Nasmyth’s portfolio of engineering services.
Further investment is planned into Bulwell Precision Engineering (BPE) to increase existing operations to meet customer demands. Peter explains: “This business’ workload has increased significantly over the last few years and it is now dealing with a wider range of technology and addressing more customers and application areas.” Over the last five years BPE has invested significantly in new plant machinery and equipment. This has resulted in the creation of a state-of-the-art machining facility equipped predominantly with Mazak and Nakamura turning and machining centres. Programming and 3D modeling is operated by Catia V and Mastercam, both of which can be provided either offline or at the machine side. This enables BPE to work seamlessly between design, production and its customers, providing efficient and accurate transfer of data and information. This gives an undoubted performance advantage in terms of turnaround time, cost and quality of product.
As other suppliers strive to provide increased added value to what they offer, BPE has developed its own portfolio of products and services to provide its customers with a total service offering. Within the company, product lines have been developed to add to the existing capabilities in design, manufacture, kitting, assembly, final testing, repair and overhaul. In addition, by using other specialist in-house technologies and processes – including fine tolerance grinding, water jet cutting, heat treatment, anodising, NDT, paint and plasma spraying – Bulwell is able to maintain a competitive advantage over other players in the market.
The Nasmyth Group puts its success down to the hard work and dedication of its workforce, which, over time, has had to overcome many challenges. Looking at the industry today, Peter comments: “One of the main challenges the company is currently facing is the state of the market in which we operate. Although the marketplace is strong, the industry as a whole is continually losing companies, which offer very valuable services. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to source some of these high quality services.”
To help overcome this challenge, the Nasmyth Group is gradually becoming a one-stop-shop for its customers. He continues: “We can’t supply everything but for many products and services we can provide all the various components, which our clients require.”
With the integration of various different services, the company believes it has many opportunities for growth both in the UK and the US. “The markets in which we operate are extremely buoyant at the moment, especially the aerospace sector. We have significant investments planned for our new US site in order to meet this demanding market. In addition, we have plans to invest in two new locations in the UK, which will either be adjacent to or within our current sites. This will provide more floor space for us to meet the needs of our increasing customer base. We also have an ongoing investment programme for parts and machine tools to ensure we are continually at the forefront of technology,” Peter adds.
In July 2008, the Nasmyth Group will be attending the Farnborough International Airshow – a great place to show its customers what the company has to offer. Peter concludes: “This is a major focus for us as there will be many global players in the industry attending. It is an excellent opportunity to get together with companies like ourselves and develop good contacts for the future.”
Nasmyth Group
Products: Specialist engineering
Sites: UK, US
Employees: 480
www.nasmythgroup.com