Further UK investment in manufacturing for Parker SSD Drives strengthens deliveries and quality

Feb. 18, 2008 - PRLog -- A significant level of ongoing investment in new production technology and practices at Parker SSD Drives’ European headquarters in Littlehampton is playing a crucial role in enabling the company to improve its product quality and delivery times still further, helping customers maximise their productivity and profitability.  Parker SSD Drives is a division of Parker Hannifin, the world’s leading manufacturer of motion and control technologies, and the new investment is allowing the company to integrate its UK operation more effectively with other Parker production centres around the world.

The latest investment has been in two advanced surface mount lines for the high speed production of control cards and power boards used in Parker SSD Drives’ range of AC, DC and servo products.  Roy Stout, Littlehampton Plant Manager, explains that the surface mount lines have, “Been designed to maximise throughput while producing the highest levels of quality, as part of our ISO 9001:2000 quality control procedures.  The lines use the latest screen print, component feeding, wave soldering and pick and place technologies, and are controlled from a centralised computer system that enables us to setup and manage each production batch extremely efficiently.  As a result, we have been able to improve overall uptime in this department by around 70% and, perhaps as importantly, to minimise setup times, with greater production flexibility and less wastage”.

A further benefit of the latest investment in the surface mount lines, along with improvements elsewhere in production processes has been the ability for Parker SSD Drives to shorten its product delivery times.  As Roy Stout points out, “It is our customers who will really benefit from this new investment, as it is already allowing us to deliver 99.8% of all customer orders on or before the customer request date.  This is a terrific achievement and a reflection on the dedication and skills of our production staff”.

Further investment, bringing the total this year alone to almost half a million pounds, has been made to make many of Parker SSD Drives’ manufacturing processes compliant with the RoHS directive.  This is designed to restrict the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and has involved changes in components and raw materials.  Roy Stout highlights, “This is crucial if we are to maintain our position as the leading global manufacturer of high technology products and the company that sets best practice standards.  In addition, by becoming RoHS compliant we can provide our customers with the assurance that our drives meet all of the required technical and commercial legislation, today and in the future”.


Please send all sales enquiries to:
Nigel Steel, UK Sales Manager, Parker Electromechanical and Drives, Parker Automation Group, Tachbrook Park Drive, Warwick, CV34 6TU.  
Tel: 01926 317970.  Fax: 01926 317980.  
Email: nsteel@parker.com

Please address all editorial enquiries to:
4 Creative Marketing, The Old Haybarn, Mentmore, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 0UE.
Tel: 01296 660080. Fax: 01296 662274.
Email: info.parkerssd@4cm.co.uk


Parker SSD Drives is part of the Automation Group of Parker Hannifin, the world’s leading manufacturer of motion and control technologies.  SSD Drives, formerly known as Eurotherm, was founded in 1974 and is a major designer, developer and manufacturer of AC, DC and servo drives and motors.  As part of the Parker Hannifin global organisation Parker SSD Drives has the experience, knowledge and strength to provide customers throughout industry with motion control products, systems and services that offer an unrivalled level of technical and commercial advantage.

With annual sales exceeding $10 billion, Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of commercial, mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs more than 57,000 people in 43 countries around the world. Parker has increased its annual dividends paid to shareholders for 51 consecutive years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.parker.com, or its investor information site at http://www.phstock.com.

Website: www.4cm.co.uk