This year, Leeds-based
WDS Components Ltd, a supplier of standard parts and machine accessories, is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Supplying industries around the world from aerospace to food and beverage, the company says that the key to its success has been a continual focus on product quality, fast availability and competitive pricing. With its manufacturing operations still located in the UK, this has helped WDS to retain the trust of its longstanding customers.
Tony Porritt, WDS digital marketing manager, who has worked at the company for 25 years, said: “WDS has been around for as long as the Queen – and that’s important because it shows our stability, based on the trust we hold mutually with our customers.
Today, WDS Components supplies OEMs, end users, and engineers with standard parts and machine accessories, as well as jigs and fixtures, hydraulic lifts and clamps, broaching and production equipment. The total range exceeds 25,000 products and the company supplies items from handles and hinges through to vices and clamps, applied to industries as diverse as aerospace and automotive, through to food and beverage and even the health and fitness markets.
Mr Porritt continued: “Our customers tell us that what sets us apart is our product quality, combined with same-day product availability and competitive pricing. One of the key reasons that we are able to achieve these benefits is because of our on-site manufacturing.”
When WDS was founded in 1952 as the Woodside Die Sinking Company (named after the area where the manufacturing facility was originally based) the production involved line shaft-driven machines and manual lathes. Today, WDS’ Leeds facility is testament to the quality of British manufacturing and includes ‘state of the art’ lights-out production with a team of skilled engineers who use CAD design and CNC machining, alongside their expertise with manual tools when necessary.
Following growth and acquisition by BOC, WDS increased from manufacturing machine dies by adding jigs and fixtures to its range. By the 1970s, WDS grew again with three acquisitions of its own, extending with wider tooling, broaching and production capabilities. It was during this era that WDS acquired by UK engineering conglomerate, Mitchell Cotts.
Mr Porritt added: “While jigging and fixtures remain important for WDS today, it was during this time that the company began to significantly add machine accessories to its range.”
During this period, WDS also started to receive international demand, first from France and Germany. Today, the company supplies customers worldwide, including America with its inch-size product range, and even has customers in China.
Manufacture to high volumeMr Porritt said: “Ultimately, international customers come to us because of manufacturing quality. Our products are made to tight tolerances and manufacturing procedures are highly consistent. OEMs specify us and, as we are able to manufacture to high volume, keep our prices globally competitive and ship the same day.”
The demand for volume encouraged WDS to look again at larger facilities, and in 1999 the company moved to its current factory and warehouse plant in the Leeds suburb of Pudsey. Thanks to a management buy-out in 2009, WDS has been privately-owned ever since, and this control has enabled the company to implement further commitments to its customers.
He added: “Our warehouse carries multi-million pounds worth of stock, meaning we can provide same-day shipping – sometimes even same-day delivery – across our full range. This capability has enabled us to launch the stock guarantee programme where we will discount the order if we cannot provide the full quantity straight away.”
As WDS designs its own products in-house through its R&D team, the company can modify existing designs or create bespoke systems. This extends to custom finishes, specific assembly or packaging requirements, through to completely new product designs.
Mr Porritt added: “From individuals through to large machine builders, our telephone-based customer service team can advise on sizing and materials for the required application. Over the years, demands on engineers and designers have increased, which means that they are more reliant on us to quickly provide the information they need. This is another reason for the trust they place in us.”
WDS has also significantly invested in its digital resources, meaning that engineers can usually find the information they need online at the website (
www.wdscomponents.com. This includes free-to-download CAD files in both major and specific formats, as well as full sizing and specification information, as well as 3-D product images.
Mr Porritt concluded: “As we enter our 70th year, we still supply many of the same types of products which were as important to engineering then as they are now. A key factor today, and into the future, is being able to supply our customers with the exact information and components they need, to ensure that they can complete their projects as quickly as possible. From 1952 through to today, this has been underpinned with the utmost focus on quality. That is set to continue into the future.”