PSC Global invests over £150K in new machines to boost manufacturing capabilities by 20%

Recognising our existing die cutting machines were no longer adequate to support our evolving growth aspirations, PSC Global has purchased two new receding head presses from Global Cutting Technologies Ltd (GCT). We can now do more, quicker. Chris Addis, Sales Director at GCT, commented, “It was a great opportunity to further extend our cooperation with PSC Global and to support them with their expansion plans.”

With customer satisfaction standards and an international expansion strategy as ambitious as ours, PSC Global’s always looking to up its game. More efficient, more cost effective, improved quality, quicker: we haven’t stood still for over 30 years. As a forward-thinking team passionate about supporting our customers to reach their goals, we’re constantly striving to perform better. We know when any of our processes is no longer 100% adequate and what we need to do to resolve the issue. Our ISO9001 certification means the quality of our management system has been endorsed. It’s proof we’re invested in the continuous improvement of our products, practices and services. 

That’s why we had to make an investment of a different kind, a significant financial investment: to secure our success and that of our partners. We recognised our existing die cutting machines wouldn’t sustain our exciting development aims and we couldn’t let the situation limit us. PSC Global’s always made optimum use of its equipment, premises and materials and, to fulfil our goals and our customers’ expectations, we bought two new receding head presses, the RB 40 and RB 100. 

We’ve had a supportive partnership with Global Cutting Technologies for over 20 years, both in terms of machine purchases and after sales service; they supplied us with most of the die cutting equipment we’re still using today and, as distributors of the UK’s best-selling receding head press, they were the obvious choice. Our gasket manufacturing capacity was being hampered by our machine numbers: we needed more and they had to be easier to operate. Our older presses were labour-intensive, needing two people, and cumbersome to manage which meant we would sometimes have multiple jobs queued. As a lean manufacturing company, this wasn’t on.

We approached GCT with our requirement for state-of-the-art, high pressure receding head presses. As their names suggest, the RB 40 and RB 100 exert an imposing 40 and 100 tonnes of pressure respectively yet, despite this power, they’re safe, fast and easy to operate, with straightforward access and clear visibility. The size of the RB 100 means we’re now capable of pressing larger gaskets and the machines are versatile so we can adjust their pressures and adapt them to cut gaskets of different sizes concurrently. With the ability to move jobs smoothly around between presses, we’ve increased throughput and bolstered production by around 20%.

Gasket materials vary enormously according to the function they perform and their operating environment. Some, like paper, felt and cork, are comparatively simple to cut and require a smaller amount of force. Others however, particularly those which need to guarantee results in ultra-high temperatures or in anti-explosion conditions, are reinforced with steel mesh. This strength ensures their shape is maintained in their particular environment and provides longevity and reliability. Gaskets in exhausts, in flame-retardant forklift parts and those used to contain blasts in the mining industry need to be protected in this way.  
The mighty force PSC Global’s new presses exert gives us tremendous flexibility to cut wide-ranging gasket materials in-house. We can still press paper, felt and cork; we can also cut reinforced materials including toughened ABS plastics and steel-reinforced, non-asbestos jointing. 

Our investment shows a commitment to PSC Global’s bold vision of international expansion and European market-leader status and it’s already paying off. The increased capabilities in speed, materials and gasket size the machines deliver is a win for us and a win for our valued customers. They’ve allowed us to:

• reduce outsourcing costs 
• cut manual intervention and labour costs 
• shorten lead times
• increase throughput
• increase control on quality 

Chris Smith, our Managing Director said, “Purchasing the two new machines has both bolstered our capacity and increased the capability essential for delivering value to our customers.”