SME News Q4 2018

SME NEWS / Q4 2018 33 , mk Profile Systems Ltd, the UK division of the mk Technology Group, is one of the leading suppliers of components, modules and systems for factory automation. In October, the firm was recognised in the 2018 SMEMidlands Enterprise Awards programme as the ‘Best Factory Automation Components Provider’. We spoke to one of mk’s Directors, DarrenWhiteside, to find out more about their success in the sector. Exceeding Expectations in Factory Automation The subject of automation has been a trending topic for many years, as people look to the next logical step to improve their company’s efficiency and accelerate growth projections. After all, in this digital-first age, it pays to stay one step ahead of competitors and ahead of the curve. Automation then, at least in the manufacturing sector, is in high demand, with a need for a specialised and expert provider of automation-specific components and systems. By any metric, mk Profile Systems, as a division of Germany’s mk Technology Group, is one of the industry’s powerhouses, with an established history of exceeding incredibly high expectations and setting the bar when it comes to best practices. Darren starts the interview by offering a brief overview of the company. “We offer profile technology, which is a module-based system consisting of 4 series of profiles; 25mm, 40mm, 50mm & 60mm with a size to suit any application. Our profile technology portfolio includes workstation set-ups, guarding and custom designed machine frames & platforms.” Darren continues, further detailing mk’s product range and supplementary systems. “mk also offer a comprehensive range of standardised conveyor types, complemented by linear technology for precise handling applications, all of which utilise the mk modular profile system. The extensive range of system solutions for transfer and product handling give customers reliable and practical system solutions that will optimise their production and assembly process. We offer efficient solutions for conveying, feeding, interlinking, sorting, buffering, separating, rotating, loading and unloading to meet virtually any requirements.” Ultimately, the firm’s mission revolves around the need to meet their client’s needs, whatever they might be, as Darren explains: “Our constant challenge is to find the perfect solution to a particular set of problems and it is a challenge we gladly accept. We are also driven by the desire to constantly improve our products, services and processes to maximise their benefits to the customer.” As an award winner in the Midlands Enterprise Awards, the conversation soon turns to more regional concerns, specifically, the benefits of being based in the area. “Our customers are spread across the whole of the UK, so being based in Nottingham means that we are in a good central location. Equally, we are close to the heart of the automotive industry, which is – understandably – a strong market for us.” Similarly, Darren is quick to emphasise the role of mk’s team in creating the strong reputation they celebrate today. “We are very much a family firm and like to include our employees in decision making and brainstorming as much as possible. They will often have a different viewpoint seeing things from the angle of their own department which may present different issues and considerations. By giving everyone a voice, we hope to get a rounded and ‘all encompassing’ view of the business.” It’s a dynamic that has certainly paid off. As a member of the mk Technology Group, mk Profile Systems enjoys the support of a company that has 460 employees in 6 countries around the world. But, to focus too hard on this fact would be to diminish the extraordinary efforts of the latter, as they forge a uniquely independent reputation for excellence and a commitment to fulfilling their client’s needs. Finally, as we come to the close of the interview, Darren discusses mk’s future as they look to expand their company and product range: “We are hoping to move to bigger premises in 2019, which will allow us to invest in more MID18041 machinery and have a larger stock holding. We are always adding new products to our range – indeed, we have recently added a round tube pipe system to our profile offering. Two profile cross-sections with a diameter of 28 mm as well as a small number of form-fitting and stable connecting elements will soon expand the mk profile system. The new D28 round tube system was developed for lean production purposes to provide more streamlined and economical use of production resources. Whether for supply trolleys, shelves, racks or extensions for workstations, the easy-to-use D28 round pipe system means that a single person can put together brand- new structures or extensions with little effort.” Company: MK Profile Systems Ltd Address: Unit 2 Wolds Farm Business Park, Kinoulton Lane, Kinoulton, Nottinghamshire, NG12 3EQ, UK Website: www.mkprofiles.co.uk Telephone: 01949 823751