UK-based injection moulding company joins GTMA

Surrey-based Broanmain Plastics has joined the UK-based trade association, Gauge & Toolmakers Association (GTMA).

By joining GTMA, Broanmain plans to display the benefits of working with a toolmaker that understands the nuances of the moulding process and how to create a master tool that upholds British engineering standards. Additionally, working with one organisation that will manage the entire toolmaking process start to finish for a set price, results in quicker reactions, project continuity, and greater transparency.

Broanmain manages the tool design and moulds plastic components for a number of tier one to tier four suppliers in the medical market. Many of these parts are used globally by blue chip organisations, and Broanmain remains a committed member of the British Plastics Federation.

Jo Davis, managing director, Broanmain, said: “We are delighted to join this influential engineering group of likeminded industry experts. The current pandemic combined with Brexit has highlighted a number of vulnerabilities in product prototyping and UK manufacturing supply chains.

“In the last eighteen months, Broanmain has observed a heightened trend towards reshoring both the production of components, driven by real-time manufacturing, and the end-to-end management of tooling projects.

“It’s no secret that UK toolmaking has been in decline in recent decades, with a perceived scarcity of skills. By not protecting this highly technical role, we are doing a real disservice to the polymer industry. Very often, manufacturers face a choice - compromise on quality, or compromise on speed. Both instances usually result in a tool that’s not fit for purpose.”

Julia Moore, CEO of GMTA, added: “Since meeting with Broanmain at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2020, UK reshoring developments have rallied further. For a large majority, improved quality is often cited as the primary reason. But the global pandemic has now accelerated demands due to supply chain vulnerabilities. Our reshoring tool helps to connect manufacturers with trusted UK suppliers.”