People and Technology working together

WCE have been manufacturing hydraulic cylinders for over 50 years. We have evolved over the years and one area we have seen change dramatically is the manufacturing process itself and the introduction of the most innovative machinery. We believe our success is due to people and technology working together.

Rich Williams, Managing Director says “Innovation is at the heart of what we do at WCE and because we own the end-to-end process from designing the cylinders to the finished product, we are always looking into ways to improve our manufacturing process, product and customer service. We have invested around two million on the latest equipment and innovations, we are now in a position where 90% of our plant is both modern and reliable. This includes the latest sawing, welding and spraying equipment, alongside factory process control technology, which dramatically increases efficiency and production. We have recently installed another Mazak CNC robotic feed machine, the third addition to the collection. The innovative technology that Mazak provides has been a core element in us achieving our ambitious growth plans.”

Many UK manufacturers are reluctant to commit to new technology due to large investments involved and the fear of change in a world where there are so many uncertainties. However, the benefits WCE have reaped have outweighed the investment. Improved quality of output, boosted productivity as there is less downtime, ‘lights out’ manufacturing 24/7, improved customer delivery times, more resilience, reduced waste and reduced carbon emissions are just a few.

However collaboration is at the heart of everything we do and is the central point for all our company values. Without collaboration of our team of skilled workers, our technology suppliers and their expertise, we would not succeed with technology alone. People and technology working together is key.

Read our full article, printed courtesy of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce here.

WCE is growing thanks to Marches Growth Hub!

WCE is growing thanks to Marches Growth hub, which enabled us to secure local funding support. This has helped WCE in making improvements to the productivity of the business, significantly reducing carbon savings and offering more job opportunities.

Last year we were lucky in being able to purchase a paint drying oven. WCE Secures Funding for Innovative Machinery – Wye Cylinder (wyecylinder.co.uk) This was a huge success, enabling us to increase capacity and reduce energy costs. We were very grateful that once again, we could benefit from help from the Marches Growth hub.

We need people and technology working together for WCE to grow

WCE have been manufacturing hydraulic cylinders for over 50 years. We want to leave a legacy in UK manufacturing, highlighting that investing in modern technology doesn’t mean a reduction in the workforce, in fact the opposite. We need the expertise of our trained workforce! This technology compliments their skills in enabling us to upskill team members, increase our productivity and hence increase our workforce. This means we can ensure our customers receive high quality hydraulic cylinders, fit for their specific purpose, at a cost-effective price, delivered to their timescales. Our strategy is to give our people the right tools for the job.

WCE’s growth journey

We’re now in a position where 90% of our factory is both modern and reliable. There has been an amazing transformation over the past few years at WCE. Increased efficiencies, technology advancements, reducing waste and becoming more environmentally friendly have all been on the agenda. We have further investment planned for new machinery and continually strive to improve our manufacturing processes, products and customer service. We are excited to now take on the next stage of our growth development plans, so watch this space!

If you would like to learn more about how WCE is growing and our journey so far, just click the link below to view the video.

Wye Cylinder Engineering – The Marches Growth Hub helps business to thrive – YouTube

The origins of WCE

Our Story, how it all began over 50 years ago…..

The origins of WCE can be traced back to the 1950s, with its original owner and founder Mel Bayliss. Born in 1928, Mel had a passion for engineering and in particular, motorised travel. So much so, in 1959 Mel built his first “Fastakart” racing Kart, which was all the rage at the time!

Less than 10 years later, there was a turning point and Mel was asked to build his first hydraulic cylinder for one of his customers. By early 1969, Mel had manufactured his first farm tipping ‘ram’ and his new business was born.

Fast-forward to 1972 and Mel was joined in the business by his son Ken. Ken can be seen in the middle of the motorbike picture as a little boy in shorts! Ken completed his engineering training. By 1975 Ken was in charge of the entire Bromyard factory, at the young age of 25. By the time he was 36, Ken was running the company and taking the business to new heights.

Current day, origins of WCE still remain…

To this day, the origins of WCE remain a family business producing high-quality hydraulic cylinders. They now cover a wide range of sectors including waste management and mining, but farming and agriculture remain at its core. At 50 years young WCE’s manufacturing process may have changed a lot, but our dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable staff are still key. Our passion for engineering will always remain at our core.

Funding for innovative machinery is secured

Innovation is at the heart of what we do here at WCE. We are always looking into ways to improve our manufacturing process, products and customer service. The funding secured for innovative machinery we received, enabled us to streamline our paint drying process. Our current machinery was insufficient and meant we were losing value time and energy. It didn’t meet our high expectations and we needed a solution to overcome this.

We had previously approached Marches Growth Hub, to obtain a BEEP Grant in 2019. This enabled us to invest in a new piece of machinery. This not only increased our productivity, but also accrued yearly energy cost savings and reduced almost 25 tonne of carbon a year.

Due to the previous success, it was natural for us to reach out once again, to see if any further support was available. Marches Growth Hub helped with a successful application. WCE secured funding for innovative machinery with a £20,000 grant from the Business Growth Programme (BGP2). This supported the purchase of our new £45,000 paint drying oven, from Unitech Engineering Ltd. This helped us achieve an increase in capacity and provide a better quality finished product to our customers.

Richard Williams, Managing Director comments

“We were extremely pleased to receive the grant. The addition of this new paint drying oven has enabled us to increase capacity. We can now complete an extra 500 cylinders per week and it has created two new full-time jobs. We are very proud of the high quality hydraulic cylinders that we design and manufacture. This feels like another piece of the jigsaw! We can now provide an even better end-to end service for our customers. We are extremely grateful to Marches Growth Hub and we look forward to working with them on future opportunities.”

For further details on Business Funding Opportunities contact Marches Growth Hub here

Cylinders in paint drying machine

Cylinder paint drying machine

Hydraulic cylinders in paint drying machine