I know it’s been a while since we’ve updated this particular topic but I’m sure you’ll agree, from the pictures below, it’s clear out builders and architects have been doing a sterling job whilst out of the spot light.

As you can see the factory extension is fully complete and is already being utilized for additional storage and new machinery. Within the next few months we will be having a restructure of the factory to make way for brand new equipment as well as extending the machine lines we already poses.

This will enable us to become more streamline and efficient, whilst increasing output and maintaining the high quality standards you’ve come to expect from one of the world’s leading bandsaw and bandknife suppliers. Two things we definitely pride ourselves on.
The new office extension is complete on the outside and internal layouts are now being drawn up before the internal fixings are introduced, but don’t worry, we’re being democratic as to who gets the biggest office- names in a hat is my vote!?
With its large expanse of floor to ceiling windows and striking Dakin- Flathers colours the extension certainly is an impressive feature on our new building and is visible as soon as anyone enters the industrial estate.
I’ve no doubt that once complete internally the office extension will add as much to the businesses efficiency and productivity as the factory extension.

As I’m sure many of you are aware, possibly highlighted by a number of gentlemen in your vicinity, the Movember charity event, to raise awareness of men’s cancers and illness by growing a moustache, has recently ended. No doubt bringing with it many happier looking men, not to mention their partners.

Until recently this was a charity I, along with many others at Dakin-Flathers, had heard about and possibly sponsored but nothing more…all that was about to change.

Spurred on by our own Despatch Manager a small number of us in our factory at Featherstone, decided to try our hand, or should I say lip, at growing a moustache and raising money for a very worthy cause. It was hard growing, sorry going, at first and needless to say itchy in the end, but somewhere in the middle our competitive spirit kicked in and we all managed to resist the lure of the razor.

Although we looked a questionable bunch, you can assess yourselves by examining our photograph, our colleagues at Dakin-Flathers, as well as personnel at Calor Gas and Ashgrove J and I school, joined in by generously sponsoring our cause and helping to raise approximately £1000!

This is not the only charity which is supported by Dakin-Flathers, earlier this year some of our personnel challenged themselves to an extensive bike ride for charity. But it is at least our latest efforts to help the local community and people less fortunate then ourselves. All of the money will be going to a local men’s cancer charity and we hope will go someway to helping their cause or eradicating the disease.

Due to a number of contributing factors including an increase in our bandsaw and band knife range we are currently having the factory/offices increased to nearly double its original size!?!

The additional space created by this extension will not only help us to reach our ever increasing production targets, by bringing in more personnel and machinery, but it will also allow us to re-evaluate our layout so as to be true to our lean manufacturing roots.

Dakin-Flathers has always been a keen user of the Lean Manufacturing principals as set out by Toyotism and Ford. We believe by reducing waste and increasing quality we will produce the best band saw and band knife available thus satisfying our customers and making the most from the resources available.

Although with the building work starting we are entering a transitional period with a vast amount of upheaval, rest assured that we will do our upmost to make sure this does not interfere with us providing you with superior quality bandsaw and bandknife.

As you can see from the photographs below the initial groundwork has begun and the building contractors are working feverishly to complete the build as quickly as possible whilst causing as little disruption to our working day as they can (which we very much appreciate).

With things progressing at such a rapid pace I’m sure it won’t be long before there’s a lot more to show you, so keep your eyes on our website, twitter and blog pages to keep up to date with the “Dakin-Flathers build watch”!?

It’s an exciting time here at Dakin-Flathers right now. We’ve a number of new projects taking shape at the moment including our new social media network to help us keep in touch with you, our customers.

Over the next few months we’ll be introducing videos, blogs, updates and tweets which we hope will not only give us useful feedback for possible bandsaw and bandknife development, but also gives you an idea of how we work on a daily basis to exceed your expectations. Within these communications we will offer support through demonstrations and “how to” guides to help you resolve some of the daily challenges you and your customers face.

In another initiative to improve our manufacturing process and cope with an ever increasing demand for products we have recently appointed a number of new factory staff members, allowing us to strengthen our bandsaw production team and more importantly, from your perspective, improve our output.

We’ve also taken on a new office staff member, Hannah who I’m sure you’ll be dealing with in the near future. It will clearly take some time for the new recruits to settle in but rest assured we’ll be catching up with Hannah  and some of the other new team members soon to see how they’ve settled in, are finding the change from previous careers and what they’re looking forward to whilst at Dakin-Flathers.

So, if you have any technical questions or suggestions for things you’d like to see on our social media pages feel free to contact us on the page provided or through our twitter or YouTube pages, and one of our experts will be happy to help.