Category: News

  • Alcon signs British Armed Forces Covenant at Goodwood Festival of Speed

In signing this covenant, Alcon undertakes a commitment to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces communities. It provides more formal recognition of the value serving personnel, both regular and reservists, veterans and military families contribute to the business and to the country.

The Armed Forces representative at the signing, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Coton, Commanding Officer of 16 Regiment Royal Artillery said: “On behalf of the Armed Forces I am privileged to be able to sign the Armed Forces Covenant with Alcon Brakes at Goodwood’s iconic Festival of Speed. In signing today, you join over 2000 organisations in the UK who have made a similar commitment”. He added: “The Armed Forces Covenant relies on those people, communities, and British businesses to actively support it in making a difference.  So, the commitments you have made today formally enshrine what we know you have already done for many years and are doing every day – to support the employment of service leavers and reservists in your workforce, their spouses and families, the wounded, injured and sick. I thank you whole-heartedly for these commitments.”

Signing the Armed Forces Covenant has been a natural extension of the ‘Mission Automotive’ initiative, of which Alcon is a founding member. Mission Automotive helps companies to access and retain ex-forces talent and delivers sustainable and relevant employment opportunities for service leavers, veterans and their spouses. Mission Automotive is delivered by Mission Motorsport, the Forces’ Motorsport Charity in partnership with the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, with the support of the Ministry of Defence.

James Cameron, CEO of Mission Motorsport said: “Alcon are an accomplished and innovative company whose products have international impact in motorsport, in automotive and in other areas where their name is less well known – including military applications.  They have for many years been staunch supporters of Service causes, looking to make a difference through their work to help those whose lives have been impacted by military service.  A leader in their industry, their support of the wider Mission Automotive initiative, encouraging others to follow in their footsteps forms powerful advocacy and is to be celebrated.”

Alistair Fergusson, Group Managing Director at Alcon said: “We’re honoured to have been invited to sign the Armed Forces Covenant today and also, to announce our involvement in Mission Automotive. We’re committed to supporting the Armed Forces communities in any way we can. We recognise the considerable talent on offer as people leave the Armed Forces and the contribution they can make to a business environment such as ours, post-service”. He added: “Aside from our core motorsport business, Alcon has been solving braking problems in the defence and security sectors for over 10 years. We’re now the preferred supplier of bespoke performance braking systems to several major global defence vehicle manufacturers, helping to save lives across the world”.

  • Alcon invests in Advanced 5-Axis Machine Centre

Alcon's investment in an advanced integrated close tolerance 5-Axis machining centre brings new unmanned capability.

As part of our ongoing investment into new plant & technology, we are pleased to announce the addition of our new Matsuura MAM72 32 Pallet 5 axis CNC machining centre. This will offer existing & new customers the opportunity to benefit from the higher batch machining opportunities whilst maintaining the very best quality that the Matsuura are renowned for.

Possessing 32 pallets as standard and up to 520 tools, the MAM72-35V is the proven solution for long periods of reliable unmanned 5 axis simultaneous production of components weighing up to 60kg in the Ø350 x H300 range. Spindle utilisation rates of 90%+ are not uncommon with the MAM72-35V.

With a maximum single workpiece size of height 300mm, diameter 350mm and pallet size of just ∅130mm, innovative fixture design within this workspace allows multiple components to be machined from a single pallet, reducing both machine times per component and wastage.

  • Alcon wins prestigious MIA Business of the Year Award

Marking its 25th anniversary, the MIA again hosted its annual Business Excellence Awards at the NEC Birmingham (Thursday 10th January 2019).

The Awards Dinner closed the first day of Autosport International, Europe’s largest pre-season motorsport show, with 400 guests celebrating winners in seven categories. MIA President, The Rt Hon the Lord Astor of Hever, presented the main Business of the Year Award, partnered by Xtrac, to the Alcon Group, suppliers of hydraulic and electronic brake and clutch systems and engine components to the elite of global motorsport.

Alistair Fergusson, Group Managing Director, Alcon said: “What a fabulous acknowledgement of all the hard work and dedication of our talented team! 2018 was a year of records for Alcon in growth, overall sales, and the bottom line. We have welcomed several significant new customers and extended our market footprint through business investments in the UK and USA. Our team are immensely proud to have won this award”.

You have set an exceptional standard of excellence for the rest of our industry to follow. You richly deserve this recognition from your peers, who are the toughest judges of all to please. 2019 will be full of challenges but I am confident our motorsport industry will overcome these as always.
Chris Aylett, CEO of the MIA

The other winners were:

– MIA Service to the Industry Award – partnered by Goodridge / Winner – Nielsen Sports
– MIA New Markets Award – partnered by 920 Engineering and Shiftec / Winner – KW Special Projects
– MIA Technology & Innovation Award – partnered by Ricardo / Winner – Integral Powertrain
– MIA Teamwork Award – partnered by Grainger & Worrall / Winner – Racing Point Force India F1 Team
– MIA Business of the Year Award (sales under £5 million) – partnered by Lestercast / Winner – Precision Technologies

  • Alcon brings GE Precision Engineering Ltd into the Alcon Group

GEP have always had opportunity beyond its immediate capacity to grow, particularly within our core business of specialist engine components. With Alcon’s support, we can capitalise on these opportunities and realise our full potential; combine these elements with the rapidly growing demand from Alcon, and GEP has a very exciting future.
Garry Edwards, Director at GE Precision Ltd

Alcon is pleased to announce that it has completed a process that brings fellow MIA member, GE Precision Engineering Ltd, into the Alcon Group.

GEP has been a valued supplier of 4 and 5-axis machining services to Alcon for a number of years, supplementing Alcon’s own capabilities in this fundamental area.

Alistair Fergusson, Alcon’s Managing Director said, “We have known GEP’s Managing Director Garry Edwards & Engineering Director Scott Bredda for a number of years now, and have always been impressed by the passion and skills shown by them and their team; it became apparent that each business could play an important role with assisting each other in achieving its growth plans, as such, we are delighted to join forces with the GEP team”.

The result is that Alcon substantially increases its capacity in both high-end machining for calipers and other components, and the breadth of its engineering design ability via GEP’s experienced design team led by Scott.

Alcon’s Chairman, Paul Jackson commented, “The GEP team have remarkable talents which we aim to nurture and build upon. Alcon has been enjoying significant strategic growth in recent years and the acceleration that this alliance represents gives real impetus to the establishment of Alcon as a leading performance engineering brand”.