Pimms Group’s toolroom and service centre: Driving excellence in plastic manufacturing
PIMMS Group has invested heavily in its toolroom and service centre to ensure that it builds the highest quality injection moulding tools for its customers. Here we take a closer look at Pimms Group’s toolroom and service centre, how it acquired another well-known toolroom, and the innovative steps it is taking to drive excellence in plastic manufacturing.
It all started when Grant Brackenridge, of Wizard Tool and Die, met with Stephen Stanley, the Pimms Group CEO, at the perfect time when Pimms Group needed more senior skills. Brackenridge, a well renowned toolmaker, wanted to give back to the tooling community by imparting his years of experience and training junior toolmakers. Stanley was wanting to start an apprenticeship programme for toolmakers given that they are currently such a scarce resource in South Africa. This was a perfect match, and the apprenticeship programme was born.
It was agreed that Pimms Group would purchase Wizard Tool and Die. Brackenridge, with more than 40 years’ experience as a toolmaker, then moved across in November 2022 to head up Pimms Group’s toolroom and service centre. Pimms Group’s goal is to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. Brackenridge is a legend in the tooling community, and his leadership and expertise are critical to the programme’s success and to helping meet this goal.
The apprenticeship programme is a critical part of Pimms Group’s long-term strategy to increase its capacity, stick to its company culture of teaching, and drive excellence in plastic manufacturing. The programme lasts between three and four years, and trainees receive practical, hands-on experience and can go on to qualify as tool and die makers or artisans. They learn how to design, manufacture, and repair injection moulding tools, gaining invaluable skills and experience along the way.
But Pimms Group’s commitment to excellence doesn’t stop there. By combining the two toolrooms they are achieving faster turnaround times and are continuously improving their processes to deliver the highest quality tools. The company’s focus on quality is evident in its mould quality, which is continually improving, thanks to the dedication and hard work of Brackenridge and his team of toolmakers.
With 27 years in the industry Stanley is, himself, a qualified tool and die maker. His hands-on experience in the industry has been invaluable in building the Pimms Group toolroom and service centre. He has also been instrumental in driving the company’s focus on quality and innovation.
Looking to the future, Pimms Group has a four to five-year plan that includes expanding its apprenticeship programme and releasing good toolmakers back into the plastics industry. With its commitment to excellence and dedication to training the next generation of toolmakers, Pimms Group is well-positioned to continue driving innovation and excellence in plastic manufacturing for years to come.
