Arrk
Components specialist, ARRK, and Paintbox, a provider of paint solutions for the automotive industry have formed an alliance for parts production in the UK.
ARRK has invested in a 40,000sq. ft. moulding shop in Kings Norton in the midlands, which is adjacent to Paintbox’s facility.
The new facility, which is currently being refurbished and prepared to receive an initial six injection moulding machines ranging from 80-1600T, will produce small and medium sized parts with assembly and logistics capability.
The moulding operations will directly support Paintbox’s new £6m robotised painting line investment. The Paintbox facility in Birmingham came on stream at the beginning of 2017 and is the fourth fully robotic UK paint plant.
“The ARRK moulding shop is specifically designed to feed the ARRK/Paintbox alliance in order to provide design, engineering, prototyping, tooling, programme management, moulding, painting, assembly, and logistics, directly into our UK customers’ plants,” explained James Sharp, CEO Paintbox.
“The significant investment by ARRK and Paintbox has been supported by a strong commitment from our major customers and brings together all the skills and expertise of the two excellent organisations,” he added.
Location, location
The companies say that the location of the sites gives them a geographical advantage, being close to the heart of the UK automotive industry, which will enable them to offer a very competitive ‘one stop shop’ set up.
It added that the alliance will also give the flexibility to accommodate many low volume derivatives of medium volume products, to serve the increasing trend of the UK Tier 1 and OEM market.
“We will be creating an even stronger alliance with Paintbox, involving quality, logistics, planning, and central services, to maximise quality and efficiency. In this way we will be able to present ourselves to our customers as a single organisation, whilst legally, remaining two separate businesses,” said Tony Lowe, ARRK Europe Managing Director.
The two companies say the alliance will represent a “strategic step” for both by becoming a strong and multi-skilled partner for their customers, able to meet their changing demands, bringing unique solutions and competitive advantages, and a positive solution in the growing UK market.