Penn Elcom is proud to unveil a brand new factory line in its Washington, UK base, adding three new jobs and 10 new machines as part of ongoing investment and expansion.
Speaking to Steve Langdon, production manager at Penn Elcom, who oversaw the successful project, he asked him a few questions:
When did we begin development and how long did it take?
We started in May 2018 and completed it on October 1st 2018
What does the new room process and how much better are we at it than before?
The new room allows us to produce work more efficiently by consolidating all machines into one production line; removing packing of parts from operators and continually feeding the line with components. We have also added 10 new machines to upgrade older machines and increase capacity and flexibility to enable different lines of work to be carried out.
How many people currently work in it?
In total, we have 17 employees in the area.
Can you give us an idea of how much the new factory will increase our production?
The investment will allow us to increase our output by 20% to over 2 million parts per year.
Thanks Steve!
As a forward-thinking company, Penn Elcom enlisted the help of staff to design the new line and created an environment that is “a pleasant, modern working space for employees that we could also showcase to our customers as a well-planned working concept where the passion and dedication that goes into manufacturing Penn products can be experienced first-hand”.
The space is evenly illuminated with daylight colour temperature LED fixtures to ensure the best lux levels and that the highest quality standards of zinc plating can be attained as well as being safe for all the employees. The air conditioning and soundproofing further enhance and help control the ambience in all the working areas.
Staff have personalised toilet facilities, nearby rest break areas and easy access to free chilled, filtered water.
“We believe these facilities have increased staff engagement, morale and productivity” commented Steve.
By maintaining and adding to the working environment as well asthe renewed level of investment in the site, Penn Elcom continued to be an employer ‘of choice’ in the wider Washington and Newcastle area, ensuring quality customer service and maintaining the quality of our famous latches.
