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"