SolidWorks 2010 Innova customers

Innova customers

It is great to see two Innova Systems customers whom we work closely with experiencing business growth in difficult times. These companies invested in SolidWorks and have proven that product development is key to the future success of the business.

A Suffolk engineering company is showing the value of innovation in beating the recession.

Beccles-based CDi Worldwide says it expects to continue to create new jobs and double its turnover to over £1.5m this year – thanks to the success of its innovative packaging machinery.

The company has already more than doubled its workforce to ten over the past year and a half and is looking to fill a further five positions by the end of 2009.

As well as growing demand for its bespoke end-of-line packaging system, CDi Worldwide is also seeing a boom in orders from its partner company Smart Karton, a new cost-saving packaging system which it claims is taking the US by storm.

CDi Worldwide was set up around seven years ago by packaging veteran Al Moore to provide design innovation and technical support for Smart Karton – an innovative one piece method of packing items, without the need for expensive void fill such as polystyrene chips, bubble wrap, shredded paper filling or pillow bags.

The UK patented concept, which involves securing product to a corrugated board by a film sleeve, was introduced to the US by Al Moore’s colleague Andy Whiteside where it attracted investment and is now proving a major hit with shippers of items including books, ammunition, clothes and beauty products.

As well as supplying machinery to the US for systems to handle Smart Karton, CDi Worldwide is also making a name for itself on this side of the Atlantic. 

“Between us we have decades of end-of-line packaging experience as well as extensive contacts throughout the industry.  Recent changes in the fortunes of former market leaders provide us with an opportunity to fill a gap in the market and customers are reassured and excited when we tell them who we are and what we can offer,” said Ivan Reeve

“We’re on target to double our turnover and that means more jobs. In the last 18 months CDi Worldwide had grown its workforce from four to 10, with a further five new jobs expected to be created this year.

Design and innovation is key ....... “We’re constantly looking for ways of adding value to our machines and that’s helping customers make huge saving too.  For instance, we’ve developed a new shrink tunnel with cassette-style element and fan units which can be changed in minutes – something that can take a whole day on conventional machines.  Every minute of line downtime costs money and now more than ever there is huge pressure to maximise outputs and reduce wastage.”

Recent UK orders have included machines to handle bags of dog biscuits, dried foods, aerosols and toiletries, while CDi Worldwide has also won an order from China for two wrapping machines for the petro-chemical industry.

GE Baker / Quality Equipment  - supplies feeding and other machinery to the pig industry is bringing home the bacon through an upsurge in exports. G E Baker (UK) Ltd is proving a genuine globe trotter – despite the recession.

Due to increased demand in its construction, manufacturing and products divisions, the fast-expanding business has taken on more staff at its Woolpit HQ. Headcount has now broken the 20 mark.

While primarily involved in agriculture, the company – which trades under the name of Quality Equipment – has expanded in recent years into other construction and fabrication areas and has also built up a healthy overseas trade, especially with an innovative range of pig feeding equipment.

It exports to pig farmers throughout most of Europe as well as Australia, China and the United States.

The US market is proving a prime target for nursery units but equipment being exported for pig industry users also includes drinkers and feeders – including the company’s proprietary transition feeder, which is especially popular internationally.

Products are manufactured to bespoke customer requirements. The company has more than 40 years’ experience in manufacturing for the industry.  It sells selected high quality, good value European products to complement its own-brand equipment.