Alan Anderson Manufacturing’s sales director, Michael Knight, introduces innovative CEM services designed to set a new benchmark in manufacturing excellence.
By starting from scratch with all- new equipment, Alan Anderson (AA) Manufacturing has created a centre of manufacturing excellence. In just 24 months, staff now number 52 high calibre professionals. Looking to the future, the company is actively participating in apprenticeship programs at Bedford College.
This growth means AA Manufacturing has added an additional 3000ft2 for inspection, manual soldering and box build. Also, one of the company’s pledges is that at 65 per cent capacity, it will install a new production line.
So, what are the new services the company claims separate it from the CEM herd? First, AA Manufacturing protects against price rises by fixing pricing for up to 24 months (GBP, USD or Euros), giving customers unprecedented stability.
Second, AA Manufacturing will hold buffer stocks of completed assemblies, enabling 48-hour delivery in case of unexpected demand.
Third, AA Manufacturing is rolling out a loyalty rebate scheme for customers on vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs. This secures production availability and reduces prices. Customers are assured a headache- free process of switching from an existing CEM to AA Manufacturing, maintaining preferred suppliers and utilising excess materials.
Lastly, AA Manufacturing offers an extensive range of support services including: PCB design and supply; EoL monitoring; excess materials management; and technical support. To offer these benefits, the company keeps key processes under one roof, including device programming, taping/reeling and conformal coating. The operation is the UK’s newest CEM production centre of any significant size and all equipment is state-of- the-art, improving efficiency and productivity. New manufacturing software ensures flexibility and maximum operational effectiveness, while also giving customers real-time visibility of where their projects are within the manufacturing cycle.
AA Manufacturing holds £5M in IC inventory in newly installed Cardex storage, ensuring immediate availability. The company has also signed franchise distribution agreements with two suppliers of common commodity active components, Diotec and Continental, assuring continuation of supply, even during periods of shortages and long lead times.