News

Sandwell UK is a specialist finishing company operating within the automotive industry, working predominantly with racing and top class road car projects. Over the last 10 years, the Towcester, Northamptonshire, based company has built a reputation for quality and service, which is regarded as second-to-none in its field, and is now the "supplier of choice" to many high-end engineering and design operations in the performance automotive sector.

In 2007 Sandwell achieved BS ISO 9000 – 2001 quality status and continues to work towards further external approvals. It welcomes - and has successfully met - the requirements of several external audits from a range of customers.  Amongst its achievements Sandwell is proud to be listed both as a  ‘class A’ , and as ‘sole supplier’ of processes to a number of Formula One operations and other major companies. Shot peening capacity is now extensive with the addition of automated multi axis machines which significantly improves the complexity and capacity of peening capability.

To improve organisational structure Sandwell has created an in house PCS (production control system) which enables full process traceability and real time component status at the touch of a button.
The company has also set up a 'Sandwell Research' division to investigate effects of process variables on component lives embracing research on retained residual stresses and effects of surface finish. This is expected to be of particular interest to automotive and aero-space companies using shot peening for fatigue life enhancement.
Comments Colin McGrory: "The processes we carry out here are not unique but the way we do them is. We research each process and continually develop each one to provide the ultimate in quality and service. Sandwell strives for the best by demanding the latest technology from its suppliers whether hardware, software or chemistry. We are science driven." This approach stems back to Colin's background as a materials scientist in aerospace before spending over 20 years in the world of F1. In 2003 he left his position as technical manager with Jaguar F1 to concentrate on the development of Sandwell.

"The company has a continual improvement strategy; we have a dedicated and skilled workforce and a strong management team here with both commercial and engineering backgrounds".