In a Q&A session, RM Design & Engineering’s founder and managing director Radj Many explains how a positive foundation has put the company on the right path for controlled growth and success.
Following a background in thermoforming, founder and managing director Radj Many established RM Design & Engineering in 2012. Initially operating as a consultancy business, RM Design & Engineering now specialises in the design and manufacture of vacuum form tooling, composite tooling, jigs, fixtures and more.
The company’s work ranges from tooling for motorsport, automotive, aerospace, marine, defence, medical, energy and rail companies, to creating props for Hollywood movies and film studios. RM Design & Engineering’s strategy is to build on current tooling capabilities by focusing on prototyping, low volume production, as well as supplying to more diverse markets. In order to thrive as a business, the company adopts a ‘can-do, will-do’ attitude. This is delivered by diversely skilled team that embraces the challenges of providing quality tooling solutions to meet or exceed customer expectations.
RM Design & Engineering’s facilities consist of three CMS 5-axis CNC machines and a Hexagon Absolute 8330 laser scanner arm, all housed in 9,000ft2 of modern premises. The company provides in-house design capabilities and uses the latest, market-leading CAD/CAM software.
Q) Firstly, please bring me up to speed with your latest news regarding appointments, new equipment purchases and/or facility upgrades?
In the past two years, the business has had to respond to its success within the marketplace. This has involved recruiting more staff and promoting existing staff into more prominent positions. This has resulted in having key staff positioned most effectively within the business. Whether that is those who are blocking, sanding and assembling tools, those who perform 3D scanning and produce inspection reports, those who write CNC programs, those who quote and account manage or those who are responsible for marketing or recruitment, etc., the net result is more effective and integrated team.
In 2022 we welcomed our third 5-axis CMS machine with a 3.6 x 2.6m bed size. This enables us to machine bigger or larger packages of tooling - a response designed to meet the demands of the market. We have recently installed a new extraction system that services all our dust producing machinery to ensure that our workplace is a safe workplace.
Q) What are the types of demands placed on your company by today’s customers?
Customers want to be understood and supported. They want clarity and consistency. They do not want a product; they want a service - a fast and quality service. We understand that behind every purchase order there are people whose livelihoods may depend on the quality of our delivery. Therefore, we ensure we understand our customers’ requirements. We communicate effectively and we deliver a quality product within the agreed lead-time. And it’s these principles which have seen the business grow year on year.
Q) Latest trends: are you seeing any spikes in production demands?
Particularly when automotive customers become engaged with a certain part of a new project, our industry becomes flooded with work. Whether directly or indirectly, toolmakers become very busy as the market becomes saturated. These environments can create a lot of pressure, especially when you have to keep your loyal customers satisfied too. We are more aware than ever of these trends and ensure we have resources in place to best accommodate the demands of the market.
Q) What differentiates your company from the competition and why should a customer use you over your nearest rival?
If you were to speak with our repeat customers, they will tell you that they work with RM Design & Engineering because we deliver what they want - quality tooling solutions - when they want, and on or before the agreed lead-time. We don’t move goalposts, we don’t shy away from challenges, and we don’t make excuses. We deliver what we promise and ensure our customers are happy with the service.
Q) What do you feel are the most important assets of a company?
There are many things which contribute to a successful business, but essentially, we work on what we can control as a team. We work to achieve quality tooling in as little time is possible, without one compromising the other. We all know what the company’s production standards are, and we all have deadlines that we want to meet.
Where a personal skill is lacking, we train and learn as people; where a new business strategy is required, we evaluate, create and action. Our people drive the business, and our business drives our people.
Q) Would you say that your long-standing partnerships have brought huge benefits, particularly as trusted relationships can lead to a better way forward for all?
Absolutely. In business, regardless of the industry, trusted and positive relationships are essential. And in engineering in particular, positive relationships must extend to both customers and supplier. Our business has grown from the strength of our customer and supplier relationships. We strive to help other business grow through our interaction with them so that it benefits all.
Q) Finally, where to next for your company?
We are always looking inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly: how can we support the team better? Do roles need re-defining? Is training required? What old systems or methods need updating? Where and how can we improve? What are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? Outwardly: do we need to amend or supplement our current service offering to meet the demands of the market? Which customers aren’t we aware of that would get the greatest benefit from what we offer? What are the opportunities and threats within the market place, and how should we respond?
Simply put, we have a positive foundation to build upon and we are looking to follow the current trajectory for controlled growth and success. This will be supported by inward and outward focus so that we, and the people we work with reap the deserved benefit.
