A passion for performance

Mike Richardson visits Cambridge Performance Composites’ facility to see how its passion for producing quality parts has led to the company building composite components for the current crop of Le Mans race car teams. During periods of quiet reflection, we’ll decide to give ourselves a good talking to and resolve to get fit, begin a diet, eat healthily and generally be much nicer to people. The inspiration to do something positive with our lives can strike at any time: it may be a daydream, or while relaxing on holiday or even a New Year’s resolution. “If you build it, he will come,” whispered a disembodied voice to Kevin Costner’s film character, advising him that if he built a baseball pitch in his cornfield, then the ghost of his late father as a young catcher would appear. Well, it takes all sorts, but within the field of composites manufacturing a new subcontractor based in Cambridgeshire has emerged with the dream that if it builds a composites production facility then the customers will come. That dream has now become reality, and Huntingdon-based Cambridge Performance Composites (CPC) began trading at the beginning of 2012. Primarily involved in the manufacture of composite parts used in the construction of Le Mans LMP1 and LMP2 products, the company says it’s already very busy and recently took delivery of a new Italian made Italmatic autoclave supplied by UK agent, VAC Innovation. In the field of play Company production director, Dave Herod had worked in the composites industry for many years, but was becoming increasingly frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of quality and commitment throughout the sector. His ‘Field of dreams’ moment came when he decided to form his own company, but felt he needed some help in running the financial side of the business. Enlisting the help of two close friends in the shape of finance director, Anthony McCaffrey and managing director, Michael Bedford, the company quickly acquired some lucrative contracts through word of mouth and its reputation has quickly grown. “We build to specification, on time and on price and we’re very passionate about what we do in this industry,” begins McCaffrey. “Our clients know how we feel about the work we do and this is why we win the business. They understand that when we form a working relationship, we will manufacture their parts right first time. “The biggest customer demand boils down to the delivery lead-times involved in the rapid turnaround of motorsport parts. Their timescales are very important, and we’ve even received purchase orders with an expected delivery date on the same day.” The team feel that building the customers’ trust is also paramount so that they feel their job is in safe hands and can relax safe in the knowledge that their part won’t leave CPC’s facility unless it’s absolutely right. The lean, green machine To help improve both the company’s quality of production and reduce its manufacturing costs, CPC recently purchased an Italmatic autoclave. With a capacity of 1.52m by 4m, a 60kW heating system with a working temperature of 200°C and an operating pressure of 150psi, the system comprises six vacuum ports, six sensors and a Scada operating system with touch screen colour display. The clave is also capable of high pressure vented cures. “The decision to buy the Italmatic autoclave was essentially one of cost and also of being able to speak directly with the supplier and tell them exactly what we required,” explains Herod. “Italmatic gave me a free rein to design an autoclave to my own specifications for use in this facility. It’s economical and modern construction is far removed from an old vessel that’s simply been refurbished. “With this in mind, it helps reduce our operating costs for curing products and is simple to use. We can now calculate exactly how much it costs to perform a cure, which enables us to accurately cost parts - whether there is one or ten parts undergoing the curing process. We’ve bought the best and most modern equipment available from a company that has a good reputation building cost effective autoclaves.” The efficiency at which the company needs to pass components through its production shopfloor becomes all the more acute when you discover the incredible rate of seasonal turnaround today’s motorsport teams’ demand from companies like CPC. “Today’s Le Mans race cars are manufactured from many carbon fibre items, so you can imagine how many parts come through our factory in one season,” states Herod. “It’s so varied, but it’s also interesting too because we don’t just make one flap each day for example - it might be a rear structure, a main wing, a pillar, a front end splitter, a heat shield or an air dam. “When we completed the Le Mans aero package upgrade for our customer, they kindly sent us a picture of the LMP1 showing the parts we had made for it. It helped explain the purpose of some of the parts and gave us a great sense of pride for a job well done.” Overall, the team feels what truly differentiates its company from the competition is the reliability of its quality along with a proven ability to provide a rapid turnaround of the part. “It’s also about fresh thinking,” adds Herod. “I’ve worked in many different industries and I’ve built a mental picture of the kind of environment I want to work in. CPC has created this environment in Cambridgeshire and we enjoy a good local infrastructure within the region where we can employ very experienced people or companies associated with composites manufacture. We also think about the levels of support we’re prepared to give back to the area with regard to training and employing apprentices.” Covering all the bases With a new autoclave, two new cleanrooms and a spacious trim shop, I ask what else CPC wants to do in order to continue its evolution in the composites subcontracting sector? “As CPC moves forward, I’m able to step back just that little bit more and employ a supervisor who can help cover the roles I normally perform so that I can focus on different things like improving the factory layout and assessing the kinds of equipment we need to stay competitive,” Herod concludes. “I’ll also be able to spend more time with customers, build closer relationships and understand their requirements. “When we began trading some five months ago, our workload was reactive: orders came into the factory, we built them, and it earned us the money to grow the factory we have today. We’ve now reached a level of maturity where we’re looking for longer contracts, which may mean migrating into industries such as satellite communications and the marine sector.” www.cpcomposites.co.uk