November 2009
Seat Design
Commission MBA Study
Working
closely with Nottingham Trent University, SDC commissioned a small group of
post graduate MBA students from Rollins College in Florida for an in depth
research study into market sectors offering potential growth for the seating
company.
The team flew
to the UK and spent one week of concentrated activity focused on four market
sectors which in their view offered best fit to the criteria outlined by the
SDC Board in the initial brief.
The resulting
fifty page report was presented and discussed providing extremely useful and
thorough input to SDC's mid to long term planning and also helping to target
marketing activity almost immediately
"For our
continued success it is important that our business be active in several market
sectors and this study has provided valuable input to our planning and
marketing activities." said Tim Walker, SDC's Finance Director
October 2009
New Paint Plant
SDC is investing in a
new paint shop at its production site in Alfreton, Derbyshire. The new £40,000
facility has been made possible thanks to a £10,000 grant from i-NET, an East
Midlands Development Agency (emda) initiative designed to support
innovators and manufacturers in the transport sector.
September 2009
Seat Design Company profile lightweight innovation at CENEX
SDC were exhibiting
at the Low Carbon technology event at Millbrook Proving Ground, Milton Keynes
on 9th and 10th September alongside Transport i-Net, funded by East Midlands
development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
i-Net's role is to share expertise and to stimulate the research and
development of new products, services and processes.
A design team from SDC
is already working with i-Net exploring new ways to use ultra-lightweight
materials in vehicle seating. SDC Director Graham Schofield explained,
"Light weight seating systems are coming into their own. Whether it be
mesh systems for use in mass transport, new materials or the innovative use of
more conventional materials for automotive seats, manufacturers are looking for
ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their vehicles and to minimise weight in
order to deliver maximum outputs from their power trains. We already have
experience of using lightweight composites, aluminium honeycomb, super high
yield steels, Kevlar and even carbon fibre in seating systems and there is lots
more to be learned."
August 2009
SDC wins production
business from overseas competition
SDC is particularly proud to have won work
from a customer whose previous main supplier was an overseas business based in the Far
East. These new contracts have
enabled SDC to embark on a recruitment drive to appoint five skilled operatives
with experience in the automotive sector
Managing Director of SDC, Mark Millan says "This flow of good results has
been won as a direct consequence of our having built a reputation for
innovative seating expertise, design supported by
prototype development and, as in this case, prompt delivery at the right price.
We have only been in business for five
years and our success is founded on our ability
to respond quickly to customers' needs from a base in the UK.
We have worked hard to collaborate with and develop real partnerships with
other companies in the automotive supply chain. It is great our hard work and
focus paying off"
July 2009
SDC Wins Bentley
Production Orders
Following a successful
production audit by specialist staff from Bentley, SDC has been awarded 3
mainstream seating production orders.
Keith Swain, SDC's Sales
Manager said "this is a significant reward for all the hard work that has
gone into becoming production ready for this prestige UK based OEM. This,
together with SDC's existing production activity represents another step along
the growth path we have set for ourselves"
