Kenard acquires manufacturing software specialists Seiki Systems

The Kenard Group has established a new software division following the acquisition of manufacturing software specialists Seiki Systems Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Manufacturing software technology

Seiki Systems was previously a division of HItachi Seiki (Egham, Surrey) and was sold in its entirety to the Kenard Group after Hitachi Seiki UK went into Administration. Managing Director Dr Ray Ellis explains, “The technology associated with manufacturing software fits exactly into our business and we have been fully aware of the capability and potential of Seiki Systems since we originally installed its DNC software at our Dartford site in 1996. Since then we have deployed our own award-winning manufacturing information system (KIDS) which is able to collect and disseminate job-related information throughout the Kenard sites.”

Being an advanced contract machinist for sectors as diverse as aerospace, defence, medical, F1, telecom and oil & gas, Kenard is not shy to invest in the latest production technology. Indeed the Tewkesbury facility has one of the largest flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) installed in a UK subcontract company and has consistently ploughed profits back into the expanding the business. Says Ray Ellis, “We can add ‘coal face’ production experience to Seiki Systems and whereas some of the best attributes of its award winning software was dedicated to Hitachi Seiki equipment, this will now be developed for wider use in production machining.”

A modular production solution

Seiki Systems’ main product – Networked Manufacturing System (NMS) – is a totally integrated modular developed software package that provided the critical link between the production scheduling environment and the live situation on the shop floor. It enables pre-manufacturing requirements to be associated with live events and provides a simple method of post-manufacturing process analysis.

The Seiki team of eight people under General Manager David Trowell, will continue to operate from Brighton and will integrate with Kenard’s own two IT specialists at Dartford. As David Trowell points out, “Kenard is very serious in developing the business and our product. As an example, although payments for existing contracts were absorbed by the Administrator of Hitachi Seiki UK, these are being honoured by Kenard up to their original renewal date without any further payment.”

For more information about any Seiki manufacturing software products please contact their offices directly on 01273 666999, email sales@seikisystems.co.uk or visit their website www.seikisystems.co.uk