CBE+ CEO Marie Cooper

CBE+, an engineering supply chain provider, is installing the first 6+1 robotic ENP (electroless nickel plating) line in the UK and Europe at its 70,000ft² ‘state of the art’ manufacturing facility in Chesterfield.

Representing a £2 million investment, the automated plating line will allow the company to undertake a range of innovative projects, including the processing of small, precision-engineered components in high volumes and which will be produced to a consistently high standard.

The automated line from Spain-based Sidasa Engineering will also facilitate a highly repeatable surface treatment process, reducing the time taken to complete and send large orders to customers and significantly increasing CBE+’s electroless nickel production capacity.

Marie Cooper, CBE+ CEO, said: “This is a significant investment and one that will bring many benefits to the business and our customers. The new plating line reduces the scope for human error by automating dosing control, and deposition monitoring and measuring. This results in a consistently high-quality finish on the products we process.

“Automating these tasks means we can redeploy skilled employees to projects that require higher levels of expertise. As well as freeing up time from the plating line, we are also automating parts of the jigging process in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC). This will enable the team to use their skills and expertise on projects that will interest and challenge them, as well as helping to drive the business forward.”

This investment continues CBE+’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, the new nickel-plating line will be linked with the newly commissioned effluent water treatment plant and combined heat and power (CHP) system — this captures heat generated as a by-product of electrical power generation which is then used to provide heat energy for the surface treatment processes. The effluent plant filters and neutralises all waste chemistry on-site and allows for environmentally safe disposal and recycling.

CBE+ managing director Mark Lawson added: “The Effluent and CHP investments are both critical steps made to ensure CBE+ are reducing our ‘environmental footprint’.”

The new ENP line will be delivered this month, commissioned from February and fully operational by March next year.