News and Media

EPTDA

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:35:00 GMT

Bowman Announces EPTDA Manufacturer Status

Global innovator of bearings, additive manufacture (3D) and sintered components, Bowman International has announced its new EPTDA manufacturer status ahead of the organisation’s next annual meeting in March 2022.

Bowman joined the EPTDA four years ago as a distribution partner but has had its membership revised up to manufacturer status to better reflect its growth in manufacturing at strategic sites around the world.

Paul Hancock, CEO of Bowman comments on the changes:

“Historically Bowman was a distributor of bearings and used its EPTDA distributor status to develop relationships with key manufacturers in the EMEA region.

“Our manufacturing capabilities have grown exponentially since joining the association, and we now produce around 60 percent of the products we sell. This has created a shift in requirement, from finding manufacturers in need of a distribution partner, to being a manufacturer seeking to grow its distribution network around the world.

“We have ambitious plans for our manufacturing business and will use the EPTDA network to forge relationships with reputable distribution partners throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the far east.”

The EPTDA represents hundreds of distribution and manufacturing member companies, facilitating quality networking opportunities for existing and potential supply chain partners to meet and discuss industry issues, best practice and the latest in product and technological advancements.

Paul concludes:

“Bowman is dedicated to extending its distribution network in a way that best serves its global customer base. The EPTDA conferences allow us to meet the most dedicated distribution partners from around the world, who can ensure fast and cost-effective delivery of our product portfolio to customers in different geographical regions.”

EPTDA is the largest organisation in EMEA for decision makers of distribution and manufacturing of mechanical power transmission and motion control products and industrial automation industry.

The next conference is 15-18 March in Warsaw, Poland.

New Appointment for North America

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 14:30:00 GMT

Bowman International Appoints Exec Vice President for North America

Global innovator of performance-driven bearings and 3D printed mass production components, Bowman International, has announced the appointment of Alistair Brixey, as Executive Vice President of. Bowman North American Operations.

The appointment comes following a period of intensive growth for Bowman across North America, in which the manufacturer has expanded its network of reliable distributors in the region, as well as its portfolio of OEM and MRO clients covering virtually every sector of industry.

English-born Alistair brings to his new role over four decades of industry experience both in the UK and America, most recently dedicating 13 years to a well-known plain bearing manufacturer and distributor in the states and before that, working for Oilite bearings for 30 years in the UK. Alistair is also a committee member of the US Bearing Specialists Association.

With a wealth of knowledge serving OEMs and large distributors, Alistair will become an extension of all three Bowman International divisions, giving North American distribution partners and customers a direct point of contact in the region.

Chairman of Bowman International, Paul Hancock explains:

“We have been growing our presence in North America for some time and have developed enough of a client base to warrant a more substantial offering in the region. Alistair is the first part of this transition and will use his technical and sales experience to bring continuity between the Bowman offering in America with what we offer in the UK.

“We are confident that with Alistair at the helm, our American clients will be well looked after. We have further investment planned for the US which gives us confidence that our presence in the region will follow a steep upwards trajectory.”

Alistair concludes:

“Bowman brings to market genuine bearing innovation that solves very real issues faced by many critical sectors across North America in both plain and rolling element bearings. I am delighted to be joining such a dedicated team and look forward to bringing Bowman’s customer-centric approach to bearing design to the fore in the US.

For more information on Bowman International follow them on LinkedIn

How Bowman International Innovated a World-First Split Roller Bearing For High Load Applications

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:02:00 GMT

How Bowman International Innovated a World-First Split Roller Bearing For High Load Applications

For the first time in split roller bearing history, there is a bearing specifically designed to accommodate high axial load as well as increased radial load applications across a range of heavy-side sectors including the cement, manufacturing, processing and marine industries.

Harnessing the unique component production capabilities of additive manufacturing, the new Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing delivers up to 75% higher radial load capacity and up to a 1000% increase in axial load capacity in both directions.

Here, Ian Breeze, Technical Director and innovative designer of the Advanced Split Roller Bearing explains the thought process behind the design and the significance of innovating products for specific applications:

Q: Bowman prides itself on solving real industry problems with technical innovation and creative engineering - describe what inspired you to create the new Advanced Split Roller Bearing.

Bearings are not a one-size-fits-all component and in order to optimize performance on an application-by-application basis, it is down to the manufacturers to create products that meet and exceed expectations. This is especially important for more challenging environments that are susceptible to early bearing failure and a resulting increase in downtime.

High-load applications are a great example of this and until recently, traditional manufacturing techniques have limited how well the bearing industry could serve these environments.

These are the real industry issues we like to solve, so we decided to create a split roller bearing that could specifically accommodate higher radial and axial forces for systems such as screw conveyors, vibrating screens and propulsion shafts.

Q: Describe how you went about innovating a ‘world-first’ bearing.

When innovating a new bearing, I prefer to use a 'blank page' design philosophy, rather than simply trying to evolve or change an existing product. This enables me to scrutinise each sub-component, and understand its strengths and weaknesses, before working out how to improve in accordance with the specific application I am designing for.

For example, a traditional split roller bearing accommodates axial load as a secondary consideration, relying on sliding contact from race lips alone. I knew that in order to innovate a bearing that would optimise performance and reduce failure in high-load applications, the axial force would need its own integrated axial rolling element - something that has long been impossible to achieve with traditional component manufacturing techniques. Harnessing new technologies such as additive manufacturing, we were able to overcome this barrier and succeed in making a bearing that accommodates much higher radial and axial forces with great success.

When innovating a product for a specific environment it’s important to design for both the primary issue (in this case high-load capacities), but also any secondary issues too. When studying high load applications, we identified two additional issues – the lack of available space around the system which made replacement and maintenance difficult, and the importance of maintaining uptime in busy and time-critical environments.

To meet these secondary needs, we knew that our new roller bearing needed to be split to the shaft. This would enable engineers to assemble it radially around the shaft, eliminating the need to disconnect the coupling and move other equipment such as motors, gearboxes or pumps in order to complete any maintenance. The radial assembly of our new bearing delivers up to ten times quicker installation times compared to equivalent solid bearings, saving time and money on planned and reactive maintenance.

Q: For the first time in split bearing history, 3D printing has been used to dramatically improve the performance of a new bearing product. Explain why additive manufacturing was the right method for creating the new Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing.

When innovating a product from scratch, material selection is one of your strongest tools, especially in relation to corrosion, wear, and load.

Bearing components, by their very nature, tend to be round objects manufactured from rings or rods and the most complex component is usually the bearing cage. We knew that as soon as there was an emerging technology that could create complex forms in resilient materials, this would likely be the answer to creating a bearing cage with enhanced performance capabilities.

Bowman International has always embraced new technologies, exploring and unlocking their potential for the good of our customers.

Additive manufacturing allowed me to create strong durable cages with highly complex geometries that could not be manufactured in any other way - the resulting cages create bearings with superior performance to other manufacturing methods, all at a reasonable price point and no tooling required.

Q: The new Advanced Split Roller Bearing is feature-rich to accommodate higher loads, and to minimize maintenance. Share with us the three features you feel are most significant.

Existing bearings that handle radial and axial loads generally incline the radial elements to give some axial capacity - in so doing they trade-off radial capacity for axial support.

To overcome this, and to provide the most radial and axial capacity possible, we have added additional axial rolling elements designed to handle the axial load with no radial trade-off. This means our three most significant features are:

The added axial roller and cage assemblies - allowing independent handling of the applied axial loads in both directions
A design that easily facilitates the creation of axial bearing raceways
Highly complex cage geometries to maintain lubrication of the highly loaded axial bearings

There are many more notable performance and maintenance enhancing features, including a patented triple labyrinth seal which can also overcome problems with worn shafts – to read about them, click here.

Q: How has the new design been received since launching globally?

As expected, the new bearing design and especially the follow-on development of our advanced split spherical roller bearing has been well received by new and existing customers all over the world. Existing split bearing customers and those using Bowman’s solid bearings have chosen to convert to the new advanced product to optimize performance and enjoy up to 500% more bearing L10 life in their high-load applications.

We also have an increasing number of businesses taking advantage of the fact that our Advanced Split Roller Bearings are dimensionally interchangeable to fit into housings from other leading bearing brands, enabling them to quickly retrofit our latest product designs for instant performance and maintenance upgrades at an affordable cost.

To find out more about Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearings click here, or to discuss your requirements in more detail, connect with Ian on LinkedIn or call +44 (0)1902 898 560.

Higher Capacity Split Roller Bearing Set To Transform Industry

Thu, 13 May 2021 09:27:00 GMT

Higher Capacity Split Roller Bearing Set To Transform Industry

We are delighted to officially launch to market a split roller bearing with substantially higher radial and axial load capacities.

Introducing the Advanced Split Roller Bearing

Ideal for higher load applications across all heavy-side sectors, our new Advanced Split Roller Bearing offers up to 75% higher radial load capacity and up to a 1000% increase in axial load capacity in both directions.

Our Technical Director, Ian Breeze, had this to say on the significance of our latest innovation:

“For the first time, plant builders and maintenance engineers can specify a split roller bearing that does not rely on race lips alone to accommodate axial force in high-load applications. The new Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing comprises two independent 3D-printed axial bearings designed to accommodate greater loads, improving system performance with less maintenance and reducing unplanned machine failure.

“In fact, compared to other market-leading split bearings, the Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing increases bearing L10 life by up to 500 per cent.”

Surpassing all expectations

When creating this bearing, we believed we could surpass performance expectations in every way, so we integrated a patented triple labyrinth extended seal which not only offers a tighter seal than other split bearings but also reduces the need for costly removal, machining or replacement of worn shafts. Instead, engineers can simply fit an extended seal onto an undamaged part of the shaft, without compromising performance and without the need for the extended downtime.

Thanks to its high thrust capacity and increased radial load capacity, this bearing can be specified to replace solid spherical roller bearings in rotating machinery. Delivering up to ten times faster-bearing change times than previously possible for these applications. “When space is limited, engineers often need to disconnect the coupling and move other equipment, such as motors, gearboxes or pumps, out of the way before they can slide solid bearings off the shaft for replacement or maintenance,” explains Ian.

“Split roller bearings can be assembled radially around the shaft, eliminating these additional logistical challenges and making maintenance and replacement a lot faster and more cost-effective. To further enhance time and cost savings, the Bowman Advanced Split Roller Bearing uses the rollers to lock the two cage halves together, eradicating the use of small and easy to lose clips and other locking components.”

Alongside the significant increase in radial and axial load capacity, this new bearing design offers a range of additional installation and performance benefits, such as larger diameter screw sizes to accommodate increased capabilities for the clamp rings, cartridges and pedestals and roller pockets with cavities to hold the grease against the rollers.

Retrofit into existing housing – even from competing bearing brands

As part of the Advanced Split Roller Bearing portfolio, Bowman offers a range of dimensionally interchangeable retrofit products that fit directly into the existing bearing housings – even if it is from a competing bearing brand, to quickly and cost-effectively improve radial and axial load capacities. There is a choice of additional IoT specific functionalities available and bespoke adaptations can be accommodated within fast lead times.

Ian concludes: “Bowman is a proud innovator of bearing solutions that solve real industry issues. We are the first manufacturer to create a split roller bearing capable of increasing the lifespan and performance of high-axial systems and thanks to the production benefits of 3D printing, we have been able to deliver this product to market at a price point up to 20 per cent lower than other leading split bearings.”

For more information on Bowman’s new Advanced Split Roller Bearings, visit our website

Bowman in the National News!

Fri, 10 May 2019 14:18:00 GMT

ITV News visited the Bowman HQ in Abingdon on May 10th to speak to our Chairman & Founder, Paul Hancock, about how Bowman's business (and indeed the UK manufacturing as a whole) is booming despite Brexit uncertainty. As a company that exports a significant amount to the EU, ITV was interested to find out the secret to our success at these uncertain times!

View the full feature here

Upcoming Events We're Attending

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 11:37:00 GMT

It is that time of year again...exhibition season is almost upon us. It seems like only last week that we were being robbed of an award at the TCT Show Awards in Birmingham (we're not bitter, honestly....) yet here we are planning and for the next round of shows already!

Below is a list of shows that Bowman International/Bowman AP/John Handley Bearings will be exhibiting at this year. For more information on any of these shows or to arrange to meet up, feel free to drop us a line at info@bowman.co.uk or call on +44 1235 462500.

Upcoming Exhibitions:

17 April - Develop 3D Live, Sheffield (UK) - Bowman AP

15-17 May - BearingNet User Meeting, Las Vegas (USA) - Bowman International/Bowman AP/John Handley Bearings

4-6 June - SubCon/Automechanika, Birmingham (UK) - Bowman AP

24-26 September - TCT Show, Birmingham (UK) - Bowman AP

30-31 October - Advanced Engineering, Birmingham (UK) - Bowman International

4-6 December - International Work Boat Show (USA) - Bowman International/John Handley Bearings

Bowman Sponsors High School F1 Team

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 13:55:00 GMT

Bowman International Becomes Team Sponsor of Eagles Racing

We are delighted to announce that Bowman International has agreed to become the team sponsor of the Eagles Racing Team of Monifieth High School in Dundee. Eagles Racing was recently successful in the regional finals of the F1 in Schools competition and will now progress to the national finals, which will be held at the manufacturing headquarters of Airbus in Broughton, North Wales.

F1 in Schools is an annual competition where students from all over the world design and manufacture miniature F1 cars using CAD/CAM design tools which are then raced on a track. The competition was started in the UK in 1999 and is now currently operational in over 40 countries.

The Eagles Racing team is comprised of team manager Logan Cosgrove, design engineer Ben Birtwistle, manufacturing engineer Matthew Ritchie, outreach leader Zac Brownlow and sponsorship leader Emmanuella Damptey. All of them are 17 years old and are studying for their Highers.

Paul Mitchell, Managing Director of Bowman International, said: “Eagles Racing contacted us at the end of 2018 requesting a few bearings for their car to compete in the regional finals of F1 in Schools. We were so impressed with their passion for engineering and entrepreneurial spirit that we were keen to see if we could help them further. Bowman International is a great believer in championing STEM careers in young people and the F1 in Schools competition is a brilliant way of creating a fun and exciting learning experience. We are really looking forward to helping the guys at Eagles Racing try and reach the international finals in the summer”.

This sponsorship deal is a significant boost for Eagles Racing as they will be able to make use of Bowman’s considerable experience within the engineering industry; as well as physical components for their car they will be able to utilise Bowman’s design services and make use of Bowman Additive Production’s 3D printing facilities.

Ben Birtwistle, Design Engineer of Eagles Racing, said “It's great to be working with such an established name within the engineering industry. Bowman has been really supportive of Eagles Racing and with their financial support and industry expertise we are really excited about competing in the next round of the challenge and hopefully progressing to the international finals”.

As part of the sponsorship deal, the team will be undergoing a full rebrand and changing their name to Bowman Eagles Racing in the coming weeks to reflect the significance of this partnership. You can follow the team’s progress on Twitter (@eaglesmonifieth), Instagram and Facebook (@eaglesracing).

PHOTO: Bowman Eagles Racing Team at the regional finals of F1 in Schools competition

John Handley Bearings to Launch Revolutionary New Range of Split Bearings

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 11:54:00 GMT

John Handley Bearings (JHB) is set to launch a brand-new range of split bearings at the BearingNet User Meeting at the Hilton Hotel & Convention Centre in Warsaw, Poland on October 13^th. This new range of split bearings is already creating quite a buzz within the bearings world with talk of vastly increased capacities through the use of innovative new components; indeed, EIGHT new patents have been filed for the various new parts within the unit. Here we take an exclusive first look at the JHB Split Bearings and investigate just why it is causing such a stir within the industry.

Moving with the times

The split roller bearing is an industry stalwart. It is known throughout the engineering world for its ability to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, increase production and is admired for its time-saving attributes and simplicity of design. It is almost essential for applications where the bearing location is trapped or access is limited. However, with very few developments or upgrades since its invention in 1907, it is starting to lag behind an ever-increasing modern demand for higher capacities. With the monopoly for quality split roller bearings held by just a handful of large bearings companies, design engineers have had little choice but to work within certain parameters.

JHB look set to break this paradigm with a new product that does everything the original split bearing did whilst offering significantly more in the way of capacity, flexibility and simplicity of fitting & maintenance.

A Collaborative Approach

JHB is part of The Bowman Group of companies and has had the luxury of being able to partner with the 3D printing division of the group, Bowman Additive Production, to explore the possibility of how they might improve and innovate on a component whose design has remained largely unchanged for the better part of 110 years. The end product is something that is almost inconceivably advanced compared to anything currently available.

The entire split bearing has been designed around the bearing cage and the numbers are quite breathtaking; the patent-pending bearing cage, Rollertrain®, has an increased radial and axial capacity of up to 70% and 1000% higher than any other split bearing in the world. Indeed, the bearing cage has already been nominated for the prestigious Industrial Product Application Award at the annual TCT Awards. The dramatic capacity increases allow the JHB Split Bearing to replace three series of split bearings with a single series which covers almost all existing requirements.

Independent Axial Load

The rolling elements within current split bearings are unable to properly accommodate axial and radial loads independently; they only allow for a radial load with a significantly downgraded axial load capacity. The JHB Split Bearing can accommodate both loads independently and in so doing enables for the first time the calculation of an axial L10 life. This is a capability that was previously impossible and offers a new dimension of flexibility and design freedom.

Disrupting the market

It is very difficult to overstate the importance of these new bearings. JHB and Bowman have done what good innovators do and have taken an existing idea, added to it, made it more efficient and improved it exponentially. The bearing offers improvements and added value across the board compared to any other split bearing and genuinely has the potential to severely disrupt the market by offering design engineers a more flexible, durable and cost-effective alternative to the original split bearings currently available.

The JHB Split Bearing will be launched officially at the BearingNet User Meeting at the Warsaw Hilton Metropole Hotel on October 13^th. The senior management team of the Bowman Group and JHB will be in attendance, including Managing Director Paul Mitchell, Technical Director Ian Breeze and Commercial Director Lucie Tait Harris.

Get in touch with us to learn more about this new range of bearings!

Bowman AP featured in latest TCT Podcast

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 09:01:00 GMT

Bowman AP has been featured in the Latest TCT Podcast

Its definitely a busy time for our 3D printing division Bowman AP! They have now been featured in the latest episode of the TCT Podcast. This episode previews the show itself and takes a look at a few of the finalists for the TCT Awards, for which Bowman AP are nominated in the prestigious Industrial Product Application category.

Fast forward to 44.12 to hear the team discussing the Rollertrain cages and Bowman AP's chances of winning the award!

We think Bowman AP are in with a great chance of winning their award! The product really is a huge innovation, allowing for a radial and axial capacity increase of up to 70% an 1000% respectively in split bearings.

Make sure you keep an eye on our social media channels to find out how Bowman AP get on at the awards! :-)

Bowman AP @ TCT Show 2018

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 09:18:00 GMT

Our 3D printing division, Bowman Additive Production (Bowman AP), will be at the TCT Show at the NEC in Birmingham on September 25-27 discussing how additive manufacturing can add value to production processes. The event is free to attend and you can register on the show website

It has been a busy year for Bowman AP; they have recently added the new HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer to their manufacturing arsenal and are currently one of the only bureaus in Europe to be using the new HP PA11 material. On top of this Bowman AP's new bearing cage design, Rollertrain® has been nominated for the Industrial Product Application Award at this years TCT Awards. Head of Additive Manufacturing Jacob Turner and Technical Director Ian Breeze will be on hand at the show discussing everything from the merits of additive manufacturing as a production process and their innovative new bearing cage design. Bowman AP will be on stand B35.

If you would like to book a one-to-one consultation with Jacob or Ian during the show, feel free to drop Bowman AP an email at info@bowmanap.com

"How to fit a Plain Bearing" has now been translated into German

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 08:15:00 GMT

Our tutorial on fitting a plain bearing using a hydraulic press has proved to be a useful resource for many of our customers therfore we have translated it into German to assist our customers and partners in the DACH region.

Watch the video

If you would like to see this video translated into any other languages, feel free to drop us a line on info@bowman.co.uk and we will do our best to accomodate it.

Dont forget to hit like and subscribe to our channel to keep up to date with all of our latest videos and tutorials!

Bowman AP Announced as Finalist for TCT Award!

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 09:01:23 GMT

Bowman International’s 3D printing division, Bowman Additive Production, have been announced as a finalist for a prestigious award at the annual TCT Awards in September. Bowman AP’s patent-pending bearing cage design, Rollertrain®, has been nominated for the Industrial Product Application Award, which aims to recognise notable 3D printing solutions which drive innovation and development within the industrial products sector.

The Rollertrain® bearing cage is arguably the most significant development in the design of split bearings in over a century. The new design creates a reduction of space between rolling elements allowing for more rollers which significantly increase the life of the cage (x3) and, with improved gloving of the rolling elements, increases the load capacity by 30-40%. Fitting time of the cage is also slashed by approximately half as the design features a unique interlocking method which eliminates the need for joint clips or pins.

The Rollertrain® bearing cage forms part of an exciting new venture with another Bowman division; John Handley Bearings. The cage is an integral part of the new JHB Split Bearing which will be brought to market in the autumn.

The TCT Awards take place on 26^th September at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham. The ceremony coincides with the annual TCT show (25^th-27^th) which is the UK’s largest trade show for the 3D printing industry. Bowman will be at stand B35 and the team will be showcasing the Rollertrain cage as well as various other innovations that are making a splash in the world of 3D printing!

Make sure you keep an eye on our blog and our social media channels for updates on how Bowman AP get on and for the latest news and information about our products and services!

While you’re here, why not sign up for our monthly newsletter? You can keep up to date on everything from new products to where each of our divisions will be exhibiting as well as industry insights and topical articles. Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to subscribe!

Bowman is on YouTube!

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 09:46:00 GMT

We have posted our first video on YouTube! Bowman is producing a series of instructional videos to help our customers and partners get the most from our products and services. Our first video is a short tutorial on how to fit a plain bearing using a hydraulic press. Click the link below and let us know your thoughts!

Watch how to fit a plain bearing

Is there a subject/product/service of ours that you would like us to produce a tutorial on? Feel free to leave a message in the comments section on YouTube, or alternatively drop us a line directly on info@bowman.co.uk and our production team can explore your ideas!

Bowman AP @ Subcon / The Engineering Expo

Tue, 29 May 2018 12:38:00 GMT

Bowman Additive Poduction, our 3D printing division, will be exhibiting at the Engineering Expo at the NEC in Birmingham from June 5th until June 7th. The show is colocated with the Subcon show. Bowman AP will be at stand A43 and will be talking about how they can assist businesses maximise their potential with additive technologies without the learning curve and the risk typically associated with a new manufacturing technique.

The Engineer Expo is a brand new event dedicated to providing UK engineering professionals with the latest in-house manufacturing and design solutions, alongside cutting edge developments in advanced engineering technologies. The show provides a unique platform for engineers to source the latest advanced engineering technology, products and services, enabling them to optimise production and process throughout the manufacturing cycle.

For more information about Bowman AP or to book a one-to-one consultation at the show with either Jacob turner, Head of Additive Production or Ian Breeze, Technical Director, contact Bowman AP on sales@bowmanap.com.

We're on the front cover of Industrial Technology!

Wed, 02 May 2018 08:06:00 GMT

We recently wrote an article for Industrial Technology magazine on how demand for bearings that can cope with extreme conditions was on the rise and its on the front page of the magazine this month!

The article deals with the fact that the engineering industry is increasingly looking for manufacturers who can supply bearings that can handle more severe conditions and how Bowman International is at the forefront of bearing innovation for such applications. Its a good read....if we do say so ourselves!!

You can order your free copy from the good people at Industrial Technology by email on it.info@itmagazine.uk.com or read the online PDF

Bowman on Brexit

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 09:28:00 GMT

Paul Mitchell (MD) and Paul Hancock (Chairman) sat down with DPA magazine this month to discuss the effect that Brexit has had on Bowman International in the 12 months since the UK invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union and what their predictions are on the future trading relationship with the EU for companies like Bowman.

Read the interview in full below or read the abridged interview on the Design Products and Applications magazine website.

Lets Talk Brexit with Bowman International....

Investment by Britain’s manufacturers has seen a reality check in response to the continued political uncertainty surrounding Brexit, according to a study by EEF and Santander.

Bowman International’s Paul Hancock (chairman and founder) and Paul Mitchell (managing director) offer some opinions about the impact of Brexit on the UK manufacturing industry.

What impact has pre-Brexit had on Bowman? And what impact, if any, do you see post-Brexit having?

PAUL MITCHELL: For Bowman the reverse is true and we have seen growth in all sectors that we operate in. Our margins have been hit however as a result of the weakened GBP against USD which impacts negatively on our purchases which are predominantly in USD. On the flip side we are able to be more competitive as we grow our sales into the Eurozone.

In Germany we have seen continuous growth but there is a fear with our customers that trade will become more complicated with the UK if a hard Brexit is realised. This does not seem to have impacted on sales to date.

PAUL HANCOCK: Since the vote to leave the EU, Bowman sales have risen by 35 percent and the forthcoming year is set to rise at least another 25/30 percent.

After Brexit we see further gains could be had if trade agreements are signed with countries such as USA, Canada, New Zealand and India as we already export to these territories.

We invested heavily last year in new plant and equipment and even more will be spent over the coming year in order to become more competitive and increase our exports further.

We see Brexit as a win-win situation!

The EU is currently Britain's biggest trade partner. Once the UK leaves, what effect will this have on the UK manufacturing industry?

PAUL MITCHELL: At this moment in time it’s difficult to see what effect Brexit will have on trade into Europe as this is so dependent on the final deal. At the end of the day businesses are very good at adapting to situations and after the politicians have finished with it both sides will still want/need to trade. The uncertainty of the outcome cannot help trade in the short term but Bowman has seen little evidence of this affecting turnover.

PAUL HANCOCK: The EU is our biggest trading partner, but it must be remembered that it comprises 26 countries. The USA is by far our biggest trading partner if you consider it is one country.

The EU has hardly grown over the last eight years whereas other larger markets have expanded much more. The EU has only 450 million people whereas the rest of the world has over 2 billion.

The world is the manufacturing industries oyster if only they get far more export minded as the UK was prior to joining the EU.

According to the UK statistics authority, UK manufacturers currently employ 300,000 EU citizens, representing about 10% of the workforce. What effect will a post-Brexit world have on our already depleted workforce? And what can businesses do to combat the problem?

PAUL MITCHELL: We will still need labour from the EU post-Brexit. The hope is that we can be more selective about who enters the UK. The uncertainty of Brexit will obviously put some people off wanting to come and work in the UK in the short term. Once the post Brexit rules are known then businesses can move to attracting workers to the UK.

PAUL HANCOCK: We think that the UK will still be attractive to EU citizens after Brexit as long as they have skills that our country requires. Much will depend on what the government negotiates on this subject.

A system comparable to the one operated by Australia needs to be introduced which only allows immigrants to come in if they have skills that are needed and if they have a job to go to.

With the UK manufacturing industry in mind, what key components do the Government need to bear in mind when negotiating to leave the EU?

PAUL MITCHELL: Obviously the most important aspect for manufacturing will be the deal on trade. Any trade restrictions or tariffs will not help UK manufacturing. This does, of course, work both ways and as the EU imports more into the UK it may not be in the interest of the EU to push this.

PAUL HANCOCK: Since the trade balance with the EU is heavily in favour of the EU, they have far more to lose than the UK. It is therefore in their interest to come to a reciprocal arrangement.

If WTO rules come into play then the duties levied by the UK on EU imports will far outweigh the duties imposed by the EU thus giving the UK government a large pot which it could distribute to UK exporters, enabling them to still deliver at the same price i.e. duties paid on exports into the EU.

Which sectors do you see being affected the most post-Brexit?

PAUL MITCHELL: I think the most at risk will be the financial sector but with regard to manufacturing it may be that investment in the UK by global companies will be put off by trade or labour restriction impacting the most. SMEs will find a way to cope with any changes which may include a shift away from EU trade.

PAUL HANCOCK: This is difficult to answer as we are only in the engineering sector.

What is really annoying is the stance being taken by the CBI which dances only to the tune of large industries. Since the SME sector is larger than the large industry sector why doesn’t the press, BBC etc. cover the SME sector in an equal way?

Paul Hancock concludes:

Since 1946 our industrial base has consistently shrunk to around 12 percent of GDP. Farming has also shrunk. Only once in all that time has it increased and that was under the Thatcher administration. Recently there have been good signs that it is on the increase again.

No one seems to highlight that after we joined the EU our engineering base shrank as we allowed other EU countries to purchase our companies and move them abroad. Maybe after Brexit they will have to move back.

Bowman is Recruiting!

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 08:47:00 GMT

We are hiring!

Due to continued growth we are currently looking for talented sales professionals. There are positions avilable at John Handley Bearings in the West Midlands and here at Bowman International HQ in Oxfordshire. A background in engineering would be a great advantage, but is not required as full product training will be given.

If you are a dynamic, ambitious and most importantly FUN person who wants to further their career in the engineering sector, we want to hear from you! Drop us a line on 01235 462500 or email us on info@bowman.co.uk to find out more and arrange an interview.

Happy Easter from us all at Bowman!

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 14:42:00 GMT

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers, suppliers and friends all over the world a very happy Easter! It seems like Christmas was only last week, yet here we are at the beginning of Spring; although a quick look out of the window would suggest we are still languishing in deepest Winter with yet another blizzard forecast, so dont forget to panic-buy 19 loaves of bread and all the milk you can carry!

The Bowman and JHB offices will be closed Friday 30th through Monday 2nd but the indomitable Steve H will be on hand to deal with any urgent enquiries over the break. Feel free to drop him a line on steve@bowman.co.uk as he will be lonely whilst the rest of us are eating our body weight in Easter Eggs.

Finally, just for a bit of Easter fun, if you can guess which languages these festive messages are from, you could* win a satsuma......but not just any satsuma....an M&S EASY PEELER SATSUMA, the Rolls Royce of satsumas.

1. Frohe Ostern!

2. iFeliz Semana Santa!

3. God påske!

4. Buona Pasqua!

5. イースター、おめでとう !

6. С ПАСХОЙ!

7. Vrolijk Pasen!

8. Veselé Velikonoce!

9. Paşte fericit!

10. 复活节快乐 !

11. Wesołych Świąt Wielkiej Nocy!

12. Feliz Páscoa!

13. pe'SaH DatIvjaj!

Answers on the back of a postcard to the usual address......

* I'm not really going to send you a satsuma. They are mine.

John Handley Bearings moves to a larger facility

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:58:00 GMT

Bowman International acquired John Handley Bearings (JHB) little over 12 months ago and in that time they have gone from strength to strength, and have now outgrown their home in Wombourne and have moved to a much larger (three times larger to be exact!) facility in Kingswinford in the West Midlands.

JHB have vastly increased their stocks of NSK and Thomson linear bearings in recent months and with the move to Kinswinford they are now able to offer free local same day delivery in the region. As well as housing JHB stock the new facility will also hold a significant amount of Bowman products, allowing us to offer our own customers in the region same day delivery on various lines.

To accomapny this move, JHB have launched their brand-new website! www.johnhandleybearings.com. The new site contains all the information needed for selecting the right solution for your application. Have a look around and let us know what you think!

For more information on which Bowman products are avilable on same day delivery in the West Midlands, contact us on info@bowman.co.uk.

For more information on John Handley Bearings products and services contact sales@johnhandleybearings.com

John Handley Bearings can now be found at the following address.....

Bay 6, Building 69
Third Avenue
Pensnett Estate
Kingswinford
West Midlands
DY6 7FD

tel: +44 (0)1902 898 560

The paradox of "optimum stock levels" within the bearings industry

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 09:44:00 GMT

One of the most important assets of any bearings business is stock and the ability to react quickly to customer needs. Equipment, cash in the bank, marketable securities, personnel and accounts receivable are all secondary to being able to supply the commodity that your customers demand. If you cannot efficiently meet demand customers will look for a supplier who can. Here we analyse the myriad benefits of bearings suppliers investing in high levels of stock.

The higher the excess, the lower the risk

There is an argument to be had that forecasting “optimum stock levels” and only holding what is needed to cover predicted demand is the best option for businesses. It is certainly the option that most accountants would opt for as it looks great for the bottom line, but what looks good on spreadsheets and financial forecasts does not always tell the whole story. In industries where technology is constantly changing it makes absolutely no sense to stockpile thousands of units for them to only become obsolete a few months down the line. The bearings industry, however, is unlikely to change. Indeed, bearings have not changed much since Leonardo Da Vinci sketched the first one 500 years ago! Bearings suppliers who have the resources and logistical infrastructure to invest in high levels of stock over and above what is “needed” give themselves a huge competitive advantage over those who stick to forecasted optimum stock levels and do so with very little risk.

An uncertain world

In 2010 the volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland caused chaos all over Europe. Commercial aviation was hugely affected all over the region and even as far afield as Canada. The knock-on effect to industry was, thankfully, minimal. The tragic tsunami that hit large parts of the APAC region the following year was far more devastating with many businesses’ logistics across the world badly affected. These are just two recent examples of how vulnerable supply chains are to natural disasters. This is not to even mention things like strikes, transport disruptions and failure of manufacturers which all happen much more frequently. When supply chains are cut for even a short amount of time the result can be disastrous and, in these instances, it is the businesses who are holding stock that customers will look to. In the grand scheme of things, a bearing is a very small part of a wider project BUT it is integral to its functionality. A whole project being delayed because a bearing supplier has a shortfall in its inventory can be very costly. Whilst you can never hope to fully mitigate against the impact of such external factors, bearings suppliers who are able to hold an excess of inventory minimise their exposure to the risk and create a buffer against it.

Passing on the benefits

As with any industry, a bearings company that places large orders for stock will usually benefit from generous quantity discounts. These discounts are able to be passed directly on to the customer in the form of lower prices than those who are working on the optimum stock levels model. In addition to this, it gives the supplier a much greater degree of pricing flexibility; the optimum stock level model is dictated by an extremely rigid pricing structure that ensures X amount of stock is sold for X amount of pounds. Those holding large amounts of stock are able to enjoy a much more flexible approach to pricing as market demand dictates.

Ever ready

In recent years markets have fluctuated wildly. Demand has peaked, dropped, risen and peaked again and again. With the best will in the world it is very difficult to predict these things and the best we can do is react positively to socio-political changes that affect the market. Companies who hold high levels of stock in the bearings sector are much better prepared for this market uncertainty. In times of plenty these companies are easily able to cover a sudden spike in demand for a particular product and when the market drops off they have tangible assets and will not suffer as much from soaring supplier costs and failure of manufacturers.

Stock holding

Interestingly, the most valuable aspect of holding a large inventory is the ability to hold stock for customers and stagger delivery. Many so-called “large companies” in the bearings industry will insist that a customer places a large minimum order, takes delivery of the whole order as soon as possible and pays for the whole delivery in one hit. This can be problematic for SME’s for a number of reasons: Firstly, customers want to take advantage of the discounts available on large orders, but lack the physical space to take delivery of the whole consignment. Secondly, paying for 6 or 12 months’ worth of components, for example, all at once impacts cashflow. Increasingly customers are looking for suppliers who can offer the option to hold stock for them until they actually need it and only pay for what is delivered. This is a much more attractive option for a great number of businesses; they can still take advantage of the price discounts but delivery and payment are spread out over a period of time.

Security of Supply

Bowman International have invested heavily in stock over the past twenty years and now easily boasts one of the largest stocks of plain bearings in the world with a multi-million pound stock profile that covers thousands of catalogue types and various OEM products. Such a vast range of stock enables Bowman to offer its customers an abundance of cost and logistical advantages over many other bearings suppliers. “Security of supply” is the philosophy at the heart of Bowman International, which means they aim to give their customers complete peace of mind. Customers are able to rest assured that whatever they require Bowman will have it in stock and will be able to deliver it no matter what the markets are doing, no matter what is happening in the world!

Due to continued year-on-year growth of the company and constant expansion Bowman are also able to offer an invaluable stock-holding facility. Stock can be held at Bowman’s state of the art UK headquarters in the Thames Valley or at their brand-new facility in the West Midlands.

Bowman International are changing the game when it comes to logistical and cost benefits. More and more customers are realizing that they do not have to be tied to rigid delivery and payment terms and lead times and are taking advantage of the benefits that Bowman’s investment in stock can offer.