While located in the Black Country, Professional Polishing Services (PPS) is looking to a bright future, thanks to a strategy that has that has seen it invest profits back into the business for all but a few of its 35 years of operation.

The latest phase of investment concluded with the installation of two Autopulit automatic reciprocating polishing machines from Christchurch-based Ellesco Ltd (www.ellesco.co.uk).

A privately owned business based in Smethwick, PPS specialises in providing a bespoke stainless-steel polishing service to customers anywhere in the world, processing about 30,000 tonnes of material
annually; and while 90% of these customers are steel stockholders, the company also works on major projects involving a variety of partners.

These include architects and artists, with a recent project being a major art installation for a customer in the USA.

The lack of external shareholders has allowed PPS to make strategic investments, and it is now a market leader in the provision of polished stainless steel.

Managing director Kirsty Davies-Chinnock said: “We have always looked to the future, with continuous investment in the business a strategy that has resulted in long-term growth and a unique position among polishing companies in the UK. With a large three-year investment in our plate section drawing to a close, it was time to address other areas of the business.”

Attention turned to the company’s bright polishing lines, of which it had four; and while the latest was installed only six years ago, polishing capacity had been reached and lead times were becoming extended.

Ms Davies-Chinnock said polishing was an obvious choice for the next tranche of investment. “Typically, industry
expects a turnround in weeks, but our aim is to reduce this to days. We looked at a couple of machines, assessed the state of the industry, economic projections — and Brexit.

At that point, we decided we could simply buy a new machine or look at doing something different — in other words ‘go big or go home’.

We decided to ‘go big’, and over a period of nine months invested a third of our turnover, buying in new extraction equipment, new pick-and-place systems, new coaters and stackers — and the two new Autopulit PHA-1250¥3000/1UP bright polishing lines from Ellesco.

The latter formed the major part of the investment; and we bought two because we were confident of quickly filling their capacity, which we have done. Indeed, both machines are fully booked for the next six months.”

Time of uncertainty

When asked why she made such a big investment at what many see as a time of uncertainty with Brexit, Ms Davies-Chinnock said: “It was the UK’s lack of direction and any obvious plan with regard to Brexit that influenced us.

As a business, we can only control what we can do on a company level, not how the UK goes forward, so our investment is a calculated risk.

That said, we have set a target of increasing turnover by 30% in the next 18 months, then a further 30% over the following 18 months.

It could all go horribly wrong, but if we have achieved the first part of our goal, we will be in a position to ride any downturn.”

The choice of Autopulit was based on experience, as PPS already had a 20-year-old machine on-site, which continues to operate to a high standard.

That said, the company did research the market, but based on a number of factors — including maintenance and operator feedback — Autopulit came out on top.

The two PHA-1250 x 3000/1UP moving-table machines are designed for polishing sheets, flat parts and profiles in a variety of materials.

The machines installed at Professional Polishing Services feature vacuum tables to hold sheet measuring up to 1,250 x 3,000mm while it is passed under the oscillating head and polishing mop.

The table and head movements, including the ‘buff axial-oscillation device’, are controlled by the machine’s PLC, as are the five automatic liquid-compound guns (these feature adjustable spray patterns).

Technical advances

Ms Davies-Chinnock said: “We are more than pleased with the finishes that we can produce on these new machines; and while the process remains the same as with our existing Autopulit machine, using polishing mops and compound, the technical advances offered by the new ones ensure that we achieve better and more consistent surface finishes — such as bright mirror finishes on stainless-steel 2B substrate.

“In short, we can now do things better, quicker and cleaner.”

The technical advances referred to include the use of linear bearings on the table for a much smoother movement, as well as changes to the hydraulics on the mop head, which again give a more consistent movement while also being more energy-efficient.

“The new machines and the added capability they bring will open up new opportunities for us, especially in the food and drink manufacturing sector.

Our products end up in so many different applications, it was once calculated that the average person comes into contact with material that we have polished nine times a day!”

Ms Davies-Chinnock’s plans for the future include converting a business that consumes a large amount of energy into a carbon-neutral one within five years.

This will be achieved either by significant investment in the existing Smethwick facility or by relocating to a brand-new factory.