Birkby´s Plastics (GB - West Yorkshire WF15 6QA; www.birkbys.co.uk) has restructured its UK operations into four business units: “Business Electronics”, “European Trim”, “Structural Automotive”, “Japanese Automotive”. The change, which has involved an investment of GBP 3.7m, reflects the growth in the company´s European trim business and the closure of its Scottish plant last year.

“There will be some central functions, including finance and human resources, but the four are distinct profit and loss business units, which will stand and fall on their own,” said vice president Ian Hunter. “The move is intended to create improved communication, profit and loss accountability, tighter cost controls, greater flexibility and more specific management control.”

Hunter has control of the Japanese and structural automotive business units, with manufacturing manager Stephen Harrison being responsible for the other two. Automotive operations now account for 70-75% of Birkby´s turnover and it has recently completed the installation of an automated manufacturing cell for production of laser welded electronic throttle control pedals for Ford. It uses Herfurth´s high power, direct diode, laser technology to weld together the pedal and sensor housing. Both components are moulded in heavily glass reinforced materials, but have different melting points.

Other recent investments at Birkby´s include a 2,000 t Krauss-Maffei injection moulding machine. The machine is fitted with the “Decoform” injection/compression technology to produce components laminated with decorative materials in the mould without the use of adhesives. The first phase of a central cooling system installed by Tricool Engineering is also now operational. The system, which cost GBP 750,000, will provide cooling water at constant pressure and temperature to all the company´s moulding machines, improving cycle times and component quality, and cutting reject rates.