_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Avon
Group
manufacture over 12 billion seals every year for the global marketplace and need to find a solution to guarantee zero failures . Ideally , we need to inspect every single seal that we ’ re manufacturing , and up until now , finding the equipment that can move fast enough to check all our criteria has been very difficult . We currently use batch sampling , but we ’ re hoping with the use of AI , we ’ ll be able to find a way to inspect 100 percent of our products throughout the process .
“ We have invested over £ 30 million over the last ten years and are set to spend at least another £ 3 million this year ,” he confirms . “ This level of investment is probably much more significant than a business of our size would ordinarily make relative to turnover .”
As part of his overall growth strategy , Mark hasn ’ t shied away from investing in other businesses . Most recently , automotive component manufacturer , Interflex has been added to the fold . Mark explains : “ As a manufacturer of automotive insulation products and specialist die-cut and formed materials Interflex had significant synergies with Avon Group . The company fell into administration in 2024 , and following our acquisition much of its machinery and many of its staff have been integrated into AER Stafford , our principal automotive plant , in the West Midlands . The management team and staff at Interflex bring additional engineering skills and capability to our group that will propel our automotive business forward at an even faster pace . It was an obvious and natural fit in a market that is looking for increased consolidation and scale .”
Mark continues with details of another innovation . “ One of our recent and significant investments , at one of our plants that specializes in automotive NVH materials , has enabled us to solve a difficult issue for a major UK automotive OEM . Often when NVH materials are fitted into new vehicle interiors , they release small fiber particles into the air which settle in the cabin and are also
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