Investment makes DJJ competitive in global markets

A £1 million investment in high technology machinery is helping DJJ Engineering stay competitive in global markets, and even win back work that had been lost to India.

DJJ was established in 1976 in Pontypool, South Wales and offers a one-stop CNC service for precision machined parts from design and prototyping through to doorstep delivery.

Having established a strong reputation for its machining services DJJ appreciated the need to evolve to meet the ever increasing demands of a  global CNC market where quality and price are crucial.

It realised that it had to addresses the issue of competitive pricing to redress the balance of  work lost by UK companies to competitors in the Far East and took the brave decision to invest heavily in highly productive technology.

Its £1million investment programme included both Citizen MS32V sliding head lathes and a brand new Index six-spindle CNC turning centre which alone cost nearly three quarters of a million pounds. The new 6 spindle machine is fully automated for the production of quality components from bar up to 32mm. It can cope with the most complex of turned parts – the more complex the better – including back-working with 32 Axis and simultaneous machining at 6 main spindles.

Shirley Jones, Sales & Marketing Director at DJJ said: “This was the only way that we felt we could get back in the loop for potential orders and as a consequence of that investment, we immediately won back an order previously lost to India. The machine put us back in the frame and we now deal with enquiries from all over Europe on almost a daily basis. That’s not to say that we win them all. It’s still a tough business to be in but had we not made the moves we did, then it could have been very different.”

The relatively easy programming and fast set-up times mean that DJJ can be up to 5 times more productive than with conventional tools. Large batch sizes are ideal for this machine which guarantees high process reliability, whilst at the same time delivering the highest possible precision machined, close tolerance parts.

DJJ has continued to invest considerably in business promotion by attending events such as Subcon 2009. It has made some drastic changes to beat the downturn and meet customers’ desire to go to one supplier for a complete job. This includes 24/7 operating facilities, fast responses and the ability to offer everything from one-offs to high volume supply. This is all backed up by excellent quality systems including PPAP, full traceability, certificates of conformity and detailed inspection documentation. This is confirmed by its recent accreditation to ISO 9001:2008.

“There’s still a lot of work out there and we can’t afford to let the economic ‘doom & gloom’ get us down. We’re finding more than ever that as engineers, we’re working together and using each others services more. There’s a great fighting spirit out there and it’s really important that we all stick together – after all, UK manufacturers are the best aren’t they?” says Shirley “The new machine really does offer UK manufacturing at Asia prices on volume turned parts 3-32mm. Why buy abroad when you can get it here, now and cheaper?”

DJJ, exhibiting on stand number E127,  joins a host of UK and international exhibitors at the Subcon 2009, the UK’s one-stop-shop for subcontract manufacturing services that takes place at the NEC Birmingham from 9 to 11 June.

Subcon 2009 will give buyers the chance to source all types of subcontract manufacturing services from the UK’s biggest showcase of national and international suppliers.

Manufacturing services on offer cover everything from machined parts, electronic assemblies, castings, plastic mouldings and metal fabrications, through to full manufacturing services, design and build, and rapid prototyping.

Complementing this comprehensive range of subcontracting exhibitors, a new added-value feature, the Manufacturing Equipment and Materials Zone, which presents  products and services for which buyers of subcontract manufacturing may also have procurement responsibility.

To find out more about exhibiting at or visiting Subcon 2009, and to register for your free ticket, visit the show website at www.subconshow.co.uk

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