BPL Engineering Group

Birmingham Prototypes Ltd supports those fighting COVID-19

BPL Engineering Group — 27/04/2020

Midlands manufacturer Birmingham Prototypes Ltd (BPL) joins the ventilator challenge, supporting those who need it most, by producing vital components for the construction of ventilators.

BPL offers a unique range of services to the prototype and production sectors. The firm is well known for delivering complex body-in-white products, particularly pressings and bracketry. Their range of capabilities include; Design and Simulation, Tool-Making, Press Work, Laser (including 5-axis), Machining, Fabrication Assembly, and Inspection.

BPL was approached by brand giant Rolls-Royce to produce various components for ventilators, critical for the health sector. The manufacturing company was tasked with producing three variants of high tolerance bracketry for the internal housing of the components. Matt Adams, Operations Director at BPL, said:

“The work involves a combination of our in-house sheet metal work capabilities including; Laser, Pressing, Machining, nut insertion and inspection.”

So far the firm has made 2,500 of each of the 3 variants, talking about how it feels to be part of the challenge, Matt added:

“It’s a proud moment to be working with the UK’s finest manufacturing establishments to support our society in a time of need.”

The firm is open to support new and existing customers during this difficult time. BPL has used engineering solutions to ensure staff safety such as fabricating partition screens to create modular bays for production staff. With a large manufacturing facility, machines have been separated to achieve social distancing measures.

Offering advice to manufacturers during these uncertain times, Matt said:

“Any manufacturer that’s open, is owing to their loyal and hard-working teams who are pulling together. Ensure that safety in the workplace is top of the agenda and keep the morale up”

“These are hard times and Made in the Midlands not only has its obvious networking advantages, but there is also the community aspect, allowing everyone’s diverse skillset to come together to achieve great products for our economy to be rebuilt.”

Get in touch with Birmingham Prototypes Ltd today by heading to their website; www.birminghamprototypes.co.uk

New premises open!

BPL Engineering Group — 13/02/2019

We are happy to announce that following the move late 2018 we are officially open for business in our new custom designed 20000 sqft site: Unit 5 Catesby park, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 8SE.

The move is following a successful 5 year period in our Redditch facility which was rapidly outgrew. This highlights the success of the company through our continued commitment to Quality and our re-investment in latest technology equipment and our people. The facility itself hosts new laser, press and CNC machining capabilities and will support future business growth. Look out for our next feature article on the specific machine specifications.

BPL extends ‘Worcester’ relationship with £1m press investment

BPL Engineering Group — 02/04/2024

(l-r) Russell Hartill (Worcester Presses), Matt Adams, Joe Thornton (General Manager) and Wayne Russon (all BPL Engineering Group).

One of the UK’s leading sheet metalwork specialists has extended its long-term partnership with Worcester Presses with a new £1m investment.

BPL Engineering Group, which employs 40 people at its state-of-the-art facility on Catesby Park in Kings Norton, has installed a 500-tonne straight sided, twin crank Ching Fong to support its move into more medium and high-volume work.

The press comes with a large bed, works high up the stroke, and is fitted with a unique 1-metre, 3-in-1 Tomac coil line, giving it the capacity to take on large parts destined for cars, lorries, and aeroplanes.

“This latest Chin Fong is our biggest mechanical press to date and gives us the additional capacity to take on complex progression tools in medium to high volumes,” explained Matt Adams, Operations Director at BPL Engineering Group.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to service new contracts with automotive clients and this machine will hopefully help us engage in new sectors looking for complex metal stamping where we can offer bespoke tooling solutions.”

He continued: “Installation, including a new isolated pit to cut vibrations, is now complete and we’re looking to start running products off in the next few weeks. Four people will be trained to operate it, including several apprentices.

“We know what we’re getting with the Chin Fong…great reliability, superb accuracy, and strong performance. However, it’s the relationship we have with Worcester Presses, which is the real reason we keep turning to this press manufacturer.

“Russell Hartill and his team understand our business and the market opportunity and then put together tailored turnkey packages that not only meet, but surpass our performance expectations. The service and maintenance offers are also top class.”

BPL Engineering Group offers access to toolmaking, press work, 5-axis laser cutting, fabrication, robotic welding, assembly, and inspection services - all in prototype to production capability.

It produces prototype parts and medium and high-volume components that are eventually used in cars manufactured by Aston Martin, Lotus and JLR, whilst the last few years have seen a major increase in the amount of work carried out for clients involved in aerospace, defence, medical and rail.

Russell Hartill, Managing Director of Worcester Presses, added his support: “We are more than just a press supplier, and this is highlighted in the way that we have supported BPL for the last eight years.

“We have known the company since 2016 when Matt and Mick Adams had a requirement for a 300-tonne hydraulic, since then we have done a further five presses including a 600-tonne hydraulic and now this large 500-tonne progression set-up. All of this reinforces the success of the partnership.

“None of these machines have been off the shelf. The company had a specific production requirement or an opportunity, and we’ve worked closely with them to identify the best press and coil line, supported with installation, training and ongoing servicing.

“Each addition has made a positive difference and I look forward to the latest Chin Fong delivering the anticipated boost in sales.”

Worcester Presses has enjoyed a similar growth pattern to BPL, seeing sales for its range of hydraulic/mechanical presses and ancillary equipment rise by more than 50% since the pandemic.

A significant part of this growth has come from the firm’s ability to tailor its standard equipment range to suit customer need, offering turnkey packages that include coil lines and tool protection and monitoring software.

Thanks to investment in CNC machining and the recruitment of two engineers, its Dudley factory also has the capability to provide an expansive spares and repairs service.

For further information, please visit www.bpl-group.co.uk or

www.worcesterpresses.co.uk.

Laser power set to help Birmingham Prototypes capitalise on £1.2m investment

BPL Engineering Group — 06/07/2015

A leading sheet metal specialist is planning to almost double its turnover after making one of the biggest investments in its history.

Birmingham Prototypes Limited (BPL), which was founded by Mick Adams in 2004, has spent £1.2m on a 5,000 sq ft extension of its Redditch factory and the installation of a state-of-the-art TRUMPF 7040 5-axis fibre laser cutter.

One of the first of its type to be installed in the UK, the machine gives the growing company the ability to offer a full turnkey solution for automotive and aerospace customers looking for prototype components and low volume production.

The firm believes annual sales will grow by £2m thanks to this new capacity, with three new people added to the 16-strong workforce to cope with the expected increases in demand. More recruits are planned for later in the year.

We have a long history of producing parts that require 5-axis laser cutting, but with increased scheduling and quality issues associated with sub-contracting out the process, we realised the time was right to bring the full manufacturing process in-house, explained Mick.

This gives us greater control, the ability to turnaround customer requests quicker, not to mention new capacity to go after new workvital if we are looking to grow over the next five years.

Birmingham Prototypes Limiteds business has been built on tackling complex customer requirements for prototype or low volume parts.

Its expert team of engineers have many years experience of working with tier 1 and original equipment manufacturers at the early stage of design and then managing the project through to completion.

Every completed part passes through BPLs laser scanning inspection facilities, which feature a CMM touch probe and 3D laser scanner (accurate to 6 microns) and a handheld arm accurate to 15 microns again equipment all purchased in the last year.

The customer then receives parts with all the necessary documentation, such as PPAP, FAIR and IDMS.

Mick went on to add: Automotive and aerospace are our two main markets. However we also have clients involved in rail, defence, medical and energy sectors.

Our full range of expertise spans tooling design and manufacture, press work, fabrication, assembly and general sheet metal working.

He concluded: The laser gives us a new service that we didnt offer before, giving our customers a full turnkey solution for outsourcing prototype and low-volume production sheet metal engineering.

For further information, please visit www.birminghamprototypes.co.uk, email mick@birminghamprototypes.co.uk or contact 01527 68071.