Bob Bunting Visits Bunting’s Expanding European Operation
Since 2017, the Bunting Group’s European operation has expanded considerably with investment and expansion in manufacturing facilities as well as several company acquisitions. With COVID restrictions eased, Bunting’s President and CEO, Bob Bunting, travelled to the UK to tour the European operations.
Bunting is one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of magnets, magnet assemblies and magnetising equipment. The Bunting European engineering and manufacturing facilities are in Berkhamsted and Redditch, both in the United Kingdom.
Investment in manufacturing
Bob Bunting’s February and March 2022 UK tour included visits to all three European manufacturing sites. At Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, the very first Bunting operation in Europe, the focus is on the supply and design of magnets, magnet assemblies, and magnetising equipment.
Recent investments in the Berkhamsted operation include extending the magnet test and development centre and reorganising the manufacturing area in response to record growth in orders for magnetic assemblies and industrial magnetisers.
Record year for magnetising equipment sales
The UK visit provided Bob Bunting with a first opportunity to see the recently expanded manufacturing operation in Redditch, just outside Birmingham. Originally housing Master Magnets that Bunting acquired in 2017, the Redditch plant has increased both manufacturing and office space by 50%. The investment has enabled Bunting-Redditch to meet the growing demand for magnetic separation equipment, including Eddy Current Separators and Overband Magnets, for which orders grew substantially in 2021.
During a tour of the Redditch facility, Bob Bunting was shown the state-of-the-art Customer Experience Centre, which includes an extensive range of laboratory-scale and product-sized test equipment. During the expansion of the Redditch manufacturing plant, the testing facility was given a high priority and modernised, providing the ideal location for controlled and extensive material testing. The new laboratory provides the perfect platform for visits from company representatives to test samples and assess separation capabilities.
Recent company acquisitions
The Bunting Group continues to expand its European operation with the acquisition of MagDev and Pilamec. The addition of MagDev extends Bunting’s magnet portfolio to include specialist custom and industrial magnets, as well as soft magnetic solutions in various shapes, sizes, and grades. Under the Bunting-Berkhamsted umbrella, the group provides an extensive and unrivalled range of magnets and magnetic materials.
The acquisition of Pilamec adds new manufacturing capabilities to the Bunting Group and Rob Absalom, Pilamec’s Operations Manager, gave Bob Bunting a tour around the Lydney facility. Pilamec specialises in providing batch dry milling, screening, air classification, and blending of organic and inorganic minerals for companies in industries including mining, refractories, recycling, and ceramics. A diverse range of materials are handled, from metal powder to non-toxic chemical milling. Originally acquired by MagDev as a key raw material supplier for soft magnetics, Pilamec provides the group with an opportunity to diversify into new areas of manufacturing.
Success fuels success
Continued improvement, the development of new products, and manufacturing investment continue to fuel the Bunting Group’s growth in Europe. “This is an exciting time for the Bunting Group,” explained Bob Bunting. “Our strategic acquisitions strengthen our position as a global leader in supplying magnetic products and equipment.”
Bunting
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