In a Q&A session, CODEM Composites’ managing director, Kevin Doherty and business development manager, Rochelle Helliwell discuss the company’s 15th anniversary celebrations and the rebranding to support this exciting milestone.
CODEM Composites is a leading provider of advanced composite end-to-end solutions from initial concept creation all the way through to product delivery. The company’s services include design, manufacturing, project management, and engineering support. CODEM caters to a diverse range of sectors, such as Formula 1, automotive, space sector, electric vehicles and defence.
Q) Firstly, please bring me up to speed with your latest news regarding appointments, new equipment purchases and/or facility upgrades.
Kevin: Over the last four years we have focused on strengthening and developing our senior management team. The senior leadership team has over 100 years of combined experience and is comprised of Sharon Hewison, operations director; Rochelle Helliwell, business development manager; Lee Churchill, supply chain manager; Bob West, production manager. The newly appointed team provides us with an excellent platform to support the next phase of our growth strategy.
In 2019, we relocated to our purpose-built 30,000ft2 facility. Where we established infrastructure to enable future growth. This included installing state-of-the-art machinery. At CODEM, we constantly strive to improve our capabilities. One way we do this is by investing in new equipment. Currently, we are looking to acquire a new 5-axis machine. Most of our upcoming facility upgrades will support our pursuit of ISO 14001 environmental accreditation. We aim to introduce this in the third quarter of this year.
Q) Congratulations on reaching your 15th anniversary. What plans do you have to celebrate this milestone and what kinds of rebranding plans do you intend to undergo to support this?
Rochelle: 15 years of service is a noteworthy achievement that we are all very proud of. To mark this important milestone, we have planned a series of celebratory events and community initiatives as a thank you to our industry partners and employees who fuelled our growth. The anniversary celebrations will also be a chance to reflect on our journey and, most importantly, share our vision for the future.
To represent the evolution of our business, we have refreshed our brand with a new colour palette, font style, and website. The rebrand honours our past while looking ahead, which inspired our new logo's teal hues reflecting our mission to be the top choice for sustainable, bio-based composite solutions.
Q) What are the types of trends and demands placed on your company by today’s customers?
Kevin: Over its 15 years of operation, CODEM has observed a growing demand for turnkey, end-to-end project management. Our in-house capabilities allow us to seamlessly oversee each project from start to finish. By housing all operations under one roof, we maintain constant oversight and deliver superior outcomes tailored to each project’s unique needs. Centralising services enable faster lead times, lower costs, and simplified communication through a single point of contact. This consolidation strengthens relationships between CODEM and customers by streamlining collaboration. For our customers, it's about quality, timelines, and price point - and we deliver on all three.
Over the years, customer relationships have become the backbone of our business, as many of our customers have become friends. Since the composites industry is a niche industry, word of mouth and reputation are paramount to the success of a company.
Rochelle: With the pursuit of Net Zero at the forefront of industrial agendas, the future of composite materials is exciting. The need for more environmentally friendly materials and production processes is a trend that is becoming more and more evident driven by new and innovative markets such as electric vehicles, electric cargo bikes and Formula E.
Sustainability is a core value that is deeply ingrained in our company culture. To ensure we stay competitive and ahead of the curve we focus on developing environmentally sound technologies and products, adopting responsible operations, and ensuring accountability throughout the supply chain.
To make sure we are maximising sustainable characteristics in our material selection, we have collaborated closely with our material suppliers, SHD and Ru-Bix. Our project team has been tasked with quantifying data that contrasts sustainable material options with conventional materials that are already on the market. One particular project revealed that choosing sustainable materials and using responsible production practices resulted in savings of >12,000 C02e/kg on this particular project.
Q) What kinds of technological barriers do you need to overcome to get products to market?
Kevin: The innovation in sustainable materials has advanced drastically to follow market trends; however, we do see barriers in the lack of diversity in sustainable material options compared to traditional composite materials, as well as the shortfall of recycling technologies to reuse composites at the end-of-life stage. To overcome this barrier, we are continuously working with our project partners, suppliers, and universities to develop processes and products to rival the traditional options currently available to the market.
We have recently faced the challenge of quantitatively demonstrating the energy savings from using environmentally friendly practices and materials. Generating these findings typically requires cradle-to-gate analysis; however, we have found it extremely difficult to access the necessary data from third parties. This lack of data access makes conducting our cradle-to-gate analysis challenging and time-consuming. In the future, developing an accessible industry standard that allows us to quickly generate such data will be paramount.
Q) If able, please provide information on the latest subcontract manufacturing project work you are undertaking?
Rochelle: We are currently collaborating with Callum, Niche Vehicle Network (NVN) and Nyobolt on the Callum Skye, a high-performance electric vehicle for on and off-road adventures. As Callum's first own-brand vehicle, the twin-motor, all-wheel drive, two-door Skye marks a milestone. We are honoured to be part of this journey. CODEM has been an instrumental partner in developing the Callum Skye build, not just by manufacturing and assisting with the composite design, but also by spearheading its sustainability credentials to align with the project's environmental goals. In close collaboration with partners and suppliers, we selected the most sustainable, fit-for-purpose materials available. Our team conducted a cradle-to-gate analysis to assess the project's footprint. The analysis showed that by choosing sustainable materials and responsible production, we achieved savings of >12,000kg CO2e on the Callum Skye project.
Q) What are your views on organisations like Composites UK - are they doing enough to promote UK PLC for the greater good?
Rochelle: We recently rejoined Composites UK primarily to access their extensive calendar of events at a discounted member rate. Composites UK's events, such as the new pavilion at the Farnborough Airshow, provide small and medium-sized enterprises like CODEM with excellent opportunities to increase their presence at major tradeshows.
We also work closely with the Niche Vehicle Network which is a free-to-join, independent network of UK niche vehicle manufacturers, technology, design, and engineering organisations. We have been a member of NVN for over a year and find the networking and consortium-building activities extremely valuable and a vital part of our networking strategy.
In addition to NVN's event offerings, NVN also provides funding for R&D initiatives, which presents valuable partnership opportunities with UK companies focusing on vehicle electrification, zero emissions, and lightweighting which fits perfectly with our sustainability initiatives.
Organisations like Composites UK could provide further support by addressing the shortage of skilled workers for key roles. While the composites industry employs over 45,000 people, recruiting for certain positions remains a challenge for CODEM and its partners despite the overall size of the workforce. We at CODEM strive to nurture and develop the next generation of engineers through work experience, apprenticeships, and vocational training. We believe these opportunities are valuable for our employees and the composites community and vital for industry success. More companies joining us in supporting the future composites workforce would be greatly beneficial.
Q) What differentiates your company from the competition - why should a customer use you over your nearest rival?
Kevin: With a strong reputation in the industry, customers often approach us with projects that are new to the composites field, an area where CODEM excels. We support them on the journey to realisation, talking them through the process and creating an environment of cross-pollination where we are using new and innovative methods and materials and applying them to an industry/project which hasn't previously utilised these technologies.
We collaborate closely with our customers to help them achieve optimal results using our engineering expertise. Our senior leadership team boasts years of experience designing and manufacturing high-quality components through various processes and with diverse materials. Regardless of whether the customer requires minimal guidance or a more hands-on approach, our team is always available to provide support.
Q) What do you feel are the most important assets of a company?
Kevin: People. Our hardworking team members are the backbone of our organisation. Their dedication and expertise drive our company forward each day. It is thanks to their tireless efforts that we continue to thrive and grow. We deeply value the contributions of every one of our employees. Their diverse skills and experiences enrich our culture and enable us to better serve our customers. We are proud to have such a talented group leading us into the future, as our values state we are more than a company - we’re a community.
Q) Have your long-standing partnerships brought you benefits; particularly as trusted relationships can lead to a better way forward for all?
Kevin: At its core, CODEM is built on relationships - with suppliers, customers, and staff alike. Effective communication and a nurturing mutual understanding are key to developing these vital partnerships. We have been working with three of our primary customers for more than ten years; if that doesn't demonstrate the value of a strong connection, I don't know what does.
Q) Finally, any other business?
Kevin: We would like to express our gratitude to Composites in Manufacturing for allowing us to celebrate our 15th anniversary with you all and the wider composite community. In retrospect, we are eagerly anticipating the next fifteen years and attempting to envision the composite industry. It feels both exciting and concerning when you think that we hope to reach carbon neutral emissions in less than 10 years.
