Essex-based Allen Brothers (www.allenbrothers.co.uk), a leading manufacturer of ‘performance’ sailing equipment, has recently undergone an audit to gain ISO 9001 certification for its factory in Southminster.

In recent years, the company has seen major growth in custom projects for businesses both in and beyond the marine sector, which is only achievable with a well-organised production operation.

The Allen brothers — Tony and Glen — established the business in 1956, with a vision of creating high-quality sailing equipment, driven by innovation and technology.

The first products they made — principally for their own racing boats — were such an improvement on anything else available at the time that customer demand soon snowballed.

Allen Brothers still designs and manufactures everything in its own factory, and it has recently invested in the latest computer-aided design software, along with production software and a new vertical machining centre.

It offers a design and CAD modelling service, and prototypes can be made quickly using the company’s 3-D printer. It also offers a tool-making service; it can produce single or multi-impression tools for injection moulding, sheet metal piercing and blanking tools, secondary-operation form tools, assembly jigs and fixtures.

The factory is equipped to make a diverse range of parts and can be particularly flexible in the production of short-
run specialist parts, plus low- to medium- volume quantities. Its machines include sliding-head lathes to produce high-precision parts in all materials.