Working with a quality manufacturer means having the necessary knowledge, skills and experience at your disposal to get your design from concept and prototype to final product. With their industry expertise, they can design and manufacture in the most efficient and cost-effective way while minimising risk.

How To Choose The Right Engineering Company

Finding the right engineering company to work with is more than simply choosing a service provider; it’s about finding a partner. One way to achieve this is by thinking outside the box and looking beyond the product-based aspects of manufacturing. Here are a few key factors to consider and questions to ask yourself when looking for your engineering partner.

Do They Have The Experience Your Project Needs?

You need to find out whether your project requires an engineering company with extensive experience in your specific industry or if someone from another sector could be beneficial. In some cases, they may be able to introduce new ideas and bring innovative solutions to the table.

Companies in similar areas, such as metalworking and electronics manufacturing usually offer a similar range of standard services. That said, some will have unique skill sets and capabilities which are often due to previous customer specifications or problem-solving.

Try to avoid having tunnel vision and research what else an engineering company can offer beyond their usual services. Moving away from the norm could reveal hidden capabilities which may surprise you with unexpected benefits.

What Processes Are In Place?

The next step is to determine how an engineering company handles different aspects of the process. This includes everything from planning, resourcing and demand fluctuation to material sourcing and development. See if they can respond to risks without affecting the production process. At the same time, do they monitor and evaluate processes continuously to limit risks within the supply chain?

Establishing the kind of technology the engineering company uses is another important consideration and whether they have multiple setups. The type of technology will have a significant impact on the quality, finish and functionality of the manufactured components as well as the time taken to produce it.

Their workforce is another essential factor as if they are too small, they may not be able to complete your project on time. Also, if they lack the necessary experience, you could run the risk of an unsuccessful or poor quality project.

Do They Offer Additional Value?

When assessing an engineering company, you need to look at their skills and available resources. Ask yourself the following questions to see if they offer any additional value:

  • Can they help you develop your product successfully?
  • Do they offer anything extra in terms of innovative ideas?
  • Will they help you grow or do they simply reproduce your existing blueprints?
  • Are they financially stable to scale up or down with you?

When you find a true engineering partner, they are more than a service provider and will form part of your team. They should have the ability to support and encourage your growth while handling unique challenges that may come to the fore.

Before signing any deal, make sure they have the necessary technical skills, language capabilities and quality testing. Also, ask them to provide you with examples of previous projects where they had to be creative in their approach.

What’s Their Workplace Culture Like?

As with many situations in life, a strong working relationship will result in a more productive partnership. We can’t stress enough the importance of an open, collaborative dialogue between supplier and customer. It’s a critical component to help establish a long-term partnership that will promote successful operation through various business challenges.

Where possible, try to find an engineering company with positive workplace culture. Working with a happy team will result in a more creative, robust and efficient environment. It should go a long way in building confidence that your engineering partner will deliver on what they promised which leads to an overall smoother manufacturing process.

International Or Local Engineering Company?

Whether or not Brexit is a concern for your business, it’s still important to consider what’s best, i.e. working with an international or local engineering company. Whatever you decide, remember to weigh up the pros and cons of working with either. Some of the key considerations include IP protection, quality of products, your marketing objectives and company ethos.

UK customers have the choice of a local supplier with the perceived cost premium compared to a lower cost overseas supplier. Whatever you decide, remember that the critical assessment is the invoice price compared to the total price. Find out the following:

  • Does the invoice price represent the final cost of buying from a low-cost supplier?
  • Have the additional costs of time, communication, quality and responsiveness of the engineering company been factored into the price?
  • Are there any fears regarding business continuity that could impact the supply chain?

Credibility And Dependability Of An Engineering Company

Don’t be shy to ask the engineering company for references from other people they have worked with. Take time to research the company online and look for customer reviews or testimonials. View their website, social media accounts, Google My Business or other sources like chat forums. As an example, we’ve included a testimonial of PRV Engineering from a customer within the oil and gas sector.

Why Choose PRV Engineering?

PRV Engineering Ltd was established in 1986, and since its inception, has expanded and developed our well-equipped 54,000 sq ft facility in Pontypool, South Wales. With skillsets including CNC machining, Deep Hole Drilling, Welding and Fabrication, CAD/CAM links and Mechanical Installation Teams, PRV can provide a complex and diverse range of services and products for clients from various sectors.

Quality is of the utmost importance and all products and services offered are in accordance with our Quality Standard BS EN ISO 9001:2008 certification. This covers the following activities:

  • General and Precision Engineering producing Machined Components and Turned Parts
  • Wet Spray
  • Painting and Powder Coating
  • Steelwork Fabrication
  • Installation and Maintenance

If you’re looking for a vastly experienced, highly regarded UK engineering company, please get in touch today. We can do one-off or large batch production specialising in automotive, defence, aerospace, construction and rail among others.

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