UK vacuum forming company Bridgewood has announced that it has been recognised with Platinum Level certification, the highest rating in the Supplier Quality Excellence Process (SQEP) of Caterpillar Inc., a world-leading manufacturer for construction and mining equipment.
After attaining Bronze and Silver over the past few years, Bridgewood has now made the step up to Platinum based on its 2020 supplier performance, the only plastics supplier worldwide to do so.
SQEP is an accreditation programme through which Caterpillar promotes ongoing improvements in quality. CAT wants to recognise those suppliers who are utilising systems and processes that produce results that meet or exceed its expectations. It provides the means for recognising supplier quality excellence, while clearly communicating CAT’s expectations for a world-class supply base. The programme recognises Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels - reflected in order of increasing difficulty - to distinguish outstanding supplier quality performance.
Platinum Level certification is only awarded to suppliers that are able to consistently deliver products and services of impeccable quality. This was achieved by Bridgewood through the implementation of a strategic team to focus on key metrics through early warning of potential upcoming events thus enabling advanced planning. In addition, great emphasis was placed on new product introduction processes, an area where many suppliers encounter issues through product unfamiliarity.
Caterpillar commended Bridgewood for the key results achieved in Quality and Delivery performance into its facilities, saying ’it is partners such as Bridgewood that facilitate the excellent quality product that our customers enjoy and need to build a better world’.
Looking to the future Bridgewood are continuing to drive the business forward with a new £1m capital investment programme in new thermoforming machinery and allied equipment that will create new jobs in the current financial year. The project has been supported with a grant from the HEY LEP’s Growing Hull & East Yorkshire grant scheme. Growing Hull and East Yorkshire is funded by the LEP’s Getting Building Fund programme, secured as part of the Government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse.
Bridgewood UK operates from a modern, 100,000 square foot facility that houses a range of modern vacuum forming & five-axis CNC trimming machinery along with SRIM Glass reinforced PU moulding and PU reinforcement facilities.