cubio - Case Studies

Bott Ltd has designed and developed a bespoke storage solution for Hope Technology, a bicycle component manufacturer based in Barnoldswick, Lancashire. Hope Technology works at the leading edge of engineering technology employing nearly 100 people to run over 50 CNC machines, 24 hours a day, manufacturing high-quality mountain bike componentry.

Bott Ltd was invited to re-fit Hope Technology’s warranty department where tools, parts and components have to be efficiently organised and easily retrieved when required.

In line with Hope Technology’s requirements Bott Ltd designed and developed a bespoke system after a site visit to the hi-tech facility. It was decided that the Bott Cubio storage system would be a perfect fit. The Bott Cubio range is heavy-duty, high-quality and ergonomically designed. It is easy to use and its smart styling is complemented by a range of hard-wearing paint options, including black, grey, blue, red and green.

Paul Maynard, Project Sales Manager at Bott, said; “The Cubio range is designed for the most demanding applications and covers drawer cabinets, cupboards, workbenches and mobile storage solutions. For this particular project, three distinct areas were created with maximum storage and the optimum workspace in mind. The warranty department is a clean and light space visible to customers and as such should reflect Hope Technology’s high end brand.”

Nick Owen at Hope Technology said; "Due to the design of this product and the different options available, it has given us an excellent and efficient workshop which we are extremely proud of. The whole range of our 1881 components and 691 products are produced in house so we need to ensure that our warranty department is fully stocked and that parts are stored neatly and efficiently. The Bott Cubio integrated system design philosophy has allowed the products to be combined to create tailored and flexible working solutions for our warranty team. This approach also ensures that workspace can be seamlessly expanded in the future, retaining its integrated appearance and functionality for many years to come.”

Hope Technology was started in 1989 by Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp, former Rolls Royce aerospace engineers, who decided that the brakes on their newly discovered mountain bikes weren't up to scratch when compared to the motorbikes they were used to riding. The first product was a mechanical brake and hub system. Since then the company has expanded significantly and now operates its Barnoldswick factory on a 24-hour basis supplying the needs of the riders across the globe.

Bott has designed and developed a bespoke storage solution for the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) research facility in Coventry, to enable tools, parts and components to be efficiently organised and easily retrieved when required.

Established in 2011 and based in Ansty Park in Coventry, the MTC is a unique environment that brings some of the UK’s leading academics, engineers and industry professionals together under one roof to develop and demonstrate new, cutting-edge, innovative manufacturing processes and technologies on an industrial scale. The high-quality, high-spec facility allows MTC clients to develop new manufacturing solutions in a safe, neutral, industrial setting, while reducing the associated constraints and financial risks.

The centre is currently working with large and small companies across a range of sectors, including aerospace, automotive, rail, healthcare and ICT. MTC works with Airbus, Rolls Royce, Sandvik Coromant and Nissan, and partner companies include Destaco, Delfor, Roemheld and Brown & Holmes.

Specialising in a range of manufacturing processes that are particularly relevant to the high-value manufacturing sector – such as net shape manufacturing, intelligent automation, advanced tooling and fixturing, high integrity electronics manufacturing, computerised engineering (modelling and simulation) and high integrity fabrication – the centre’s work involves the use of a wide range of tools, parts and components, including sensors, clamps, hydraulic systems, measurement equipment and hand tools. With employees using these items on a regular basis, the MTC required a storage system that offered efficient and secure storage, effective organisation and quick retrieval, along with sufficient space for working.

In line with the MTC’s requirements, Bott designed, developed and installed three bespoke horseshoe-shaped storage areas with designated workspaces, all with slightly different specifications. Some electrical trunking was also designed and provided to supply power.

Paul Maynard, project sales manager at Bott, said: “We designed the three areas with maximum storage and optimum workspace in mind, and provided flexibility so the system could be expanded or altered if necessary.

“At Bott we work with our clients to develop solutions that are based completely around their needs, and we are committed to providing properly planned workspaces that increase productivity and improve efficiency.”

Adam Land, workshop manager at MTC, said: “Bott is a fantastic company to work with. Its products are aesthetically pleasing and there is a wide range of very flexible, cost-competitive items to choose from. We are so pleased with the end result that we are considering using Bott to develop storage solutions for other departments at the facility.”

Bott used its heavy-duty, high-quality Cubio range to create MTC’s storage solution. Ergonomically designed, Cubio is easy to use and its smart styling is complemented by a range of hard-wearing paint options, including black, grey, blue, red and green. Products in the range can be combined to create tailored and flexible working solutions, which can be seamlessly expanded in the future. Designed with durability and demanding applications in mind, Cubio will stand the test of time and can support higher load capacities.

Bott has fully kitted out six different labs with various worktop benches and storage solutions at the University of Portsmouth. The installation took place as part of a major refurbishment programme in the Anglesea Building, which houses the University’s School of Engineering.

More than 85 Bott benches and cupboards from the Cubio Range were designed and built from scratch to answer a detailed specification brief for the lecture rooms and practical laboratories in the Anglesea Building. The project was designed to offer students more attractive workspaces, while ensuring sensitive and valuable equipment is well-organised and safely stowed when not in use.

The department houses a wide range of facilities for its students, from scopes, network analysers, PCs and other electronic equipment for measurement purposes to analogue testers, circuit boards, hardware/software development tools and robotics.

As part of the project package, Bott provided a full consultancy service, working closely with the department to develop its ideal combination of benches and cupboards. This system allowed the Bott design team to specify tailor made solutions to meet the university’s requirements for bespoke sizes, shapes and colour scheme.

The university opted for solid beech worktops, combined with a blue and grey colour scheme for the complementary storage cupboards, benches and drawers.

Clive Woodward, CEO of Bott, commented: “In the current climate, where universities need to be more competitive to compensate for rising fees, students are increasingly choosy about where they study. We’ve helped the University of Portsmouth create a really attractive and vibrant working space for its students, as after all, a clean and smart work area can help to both improve efficiency as well as promote a more motivational environment for students to work and study in.

“As British manufacturers ourselves, we are also proud to be supporting this investment into the next generation of quality British engineers.”

The School of Engineering at the University of Portsmouth offers a range of courses in the academic study of mechanical, manufacturing, electronic, communications, computer and petroleum engineering, product design and computer networking.

Ergonomically designed, Cubio is easy to use and its smart styling is complemented by a range of hard-wearing paint options, including black, grey, blue, red and green. Products in the range, which include workbenches, cabinets and cupboards, can be combined to create tailored and flexible working solutions, which can be seamlessly expanded in the future.

Cubio is available in a wide range of sizes, with a choice of mobile and static options. Designed with durability and demanding applications in mind, Cubio will stand the test of time and can support higher load capacities.

Generation AMR, the motorsport business which manages the next generation of Aston Martin Racing drivers, has had its Banbury workshop kitted out with a range of Bott storage equipment to improve efficiency and productivity, while complementing its corporate identity.

Established at then end of 2010, Generation AMR is developing the next class of GT drivers associated with Aston Martin Racing. Comprising a team of highly experienced professionals committed to passing on their expertise, Generation AMR’s aim is to develop the skills of young, talented team members as they begin their lives in the motorsport industry. A fully rounded package is provided, ensuring drivers improve their performance on the track while developing the skills and knowledge they need to race professionally.

Generation AMR’s role also involves the continual maintenance of the team’s Aston Martin racing cars, on and off the track. Therefore the company requires storage facilities for a wide range of tools, small consumables such as nuts, bolts, washers and electrical connectors, and spare parts like clutches, brake discs and sensors – with around 80 per cent of these being taken out to racing events.

Bott developed a bespoke storage system for the Banbury workshop, with a configuration and layout designed to improve productivity and efficiency by ensuring items could be easily accessed by mechanics.

A tailored package of Bott Cubio workbenches, drawer cabinets, cupboards and workstations was installed, in a black and grey finish. To enable mechanics to take tools and spare parts out on the road, mobile storage units were also specified and Generation AMR’s own vehicles were kitted out with Bott in-vehicle storage equipment.

Owner of Generation AMR David Appleby said: “When choosing suppliers we always select companies that are aligned with Aston Martin. And, being top of its game and offering technical quality, Bott really is the Aston Martin of the workplace storage market.

“Aesthetics are really important to us – and Bott equipment has a professional and high-quality look that really appealed to us, and the colours and style complement our own corporate image.

“Furthermore, Bott is a good company to work with – I always find them helpful and very responsive.”

Paul Maynard, project sales manager at Bott, said: “Generation AMR is often maintaining and repairing vital elements of a racing car, such as the engine, transmission and chassis, so mechanics need to locate and access tools and parts quickly – especially when they’re out at racing events.

“At Bott we work with our clients to develop a solution based completely around their needs, and we are committed to providing properly planned workspaces that increase productivity and improve efficiency. At Generation AMR Bott products are aiding fast retrieval while reducing damage rates and tool/component losses, and help to provide a professional, high-quality, tidy and safe working environment.”

Ergonomically designed, Bott’s Cubio storage system is easy to use and its smart styling is complemented by a range of hard-wearing paint options, including black, grey, blue red and green. Products in the range can be combined to create tailored and flexible working solutions, which can be seamlessly expanded in the future. Cubio has been designed with durability and demanding applications in mind; it will stand the test of time and can support higher load capacities.