Company Culture
One of the most significant reasons why Structure-flex remains such a strong presence in both the UK and global markets is its culture and attitude towards conducting business. As a family run business, Structure-flex has managed to create and develop a culture of equality and in particular honesty. By remaining an open and inclusive employer corporate vision, strategy and objectives are clearly communicated throughout the organisation. This ensures an environment where everyone is able to clearly articulate what the business does today and what it intends to do for the future.
Brand Identity
Structure-flex Ltd has been a well-respected brand in a number of industries for over more than 35 years. In the Commercial Vehicles market Structure-flex is representative of quality, reliability and high levels of customer service. Within the dry bulk packaging market, the brand is synonymous with long standing expertise in food and pharmaceuticals applications for FIBCs as well as a long track record in uninterrupted supply of PVC bags to the oil and gas industry. The other markets Structure-flex operates in have quickly seen what the brand represents. Structure-flex prides itself of three key attributes; superior quality products, excellent levels of customer service and a flexible approach to providing unique solutions for its customers, whether it be lifting equipment, bulk packaging, digital graphics or bespoke product applications.
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Quality
Operating in a global market subject to rapid advances in technology, today’s manufacturing environment is increasingly competitive. Structure-flex Ltd is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company with procedures at the heart of all our business activities from customer service through to the training of our employees to ensure the manufacture of a fit for purpose product.
All products are tested in line with the latest industry legislation supported through association with the NEL, SMMT, LEEA, MOD, Lloyds British and other leading industry authorities. The quality of Structure-flex Ltd’s products is what has set it apart from the competition since the company’s inception and is therefore at the forefront of our minds when delivering solutions to meet our customer requirements. Structure-flex is continually focussed on finding new ways to design, produce, sell and deliver products by enhancing and improving operational processes, reducing waste and applying effective supply chain management methods.
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Flexibility
Flexibility has been the key to Structure-flex Ltd history of success. It is what has driven our manufacturing philosophy. Operating in markets where customer requirements are ever changing coupled with a diverse array of competitors with compelling offerings; Structure-flex has made significant progress in developing flexible manufacturing facilities enabling the production of a wide range of products based upon diverse platforms. This has allowed the business to better match production with prevailing customer demand. The business has made various investments in plant infrastructure changes, which ensures both its UK and Czech Republic manufacturing facilities can assemble products to suit any commercial vehicle trailer, to handle almost any intermediate bulk powder or construct even the most complex of shapes.
Structure-flex Ltd's flexibility also extends beyond its manufacturing processes. In most cases products can be supplied from one a number of sources in the UK, Europe or Far East. The nature of key international partnerships means we can, in a number of cases, provide local services on a global scale. All of which means Structure-flex can be flexible with how it delivers its flexible products
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Capability
Structure-flex manufacture a comprehensive range of products from reinforced thermoplastic materials including Liquid and Dry Bulk Packaging, tension curtains and covers for commercial vehicles, lifting and safety equipment, as well as bespoke 3D and 2D shaped products for a variety of applications. Structure-flex also have a dedicated promotional graphics division including the ability to apply large scale digital print direct to thermoplastic fabric.
Production facilitiesin both the UK and Czech Republic utilise state of the art High Frequency welding machines including several 20m travelling head machines, many foot welders and hot air welding capability.
On the design and development side we operate CAD design for 2D and 3D applications. We also own a CAD/CAM plotter 20m long x 3m wide, which can be used to develop more complicated product shapes.
Structure-flex continues investment in widening its capability to manufacture products from flexible thermoplastic fabrics such as PVC coated polyester and PU materials. It's latest investment includes the purchase of large scale bulk bag testing equipment.
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Innovation
Over the year Structure-flex has not just developed and made reality the ideas our customers, but also invented its own products to meet the demands of customers and markets. In recent history Structure-flex has been responsible for the production of System Eclipse, a unique collapsible 1000L liquid IBC for non-hazardous bulk liquids. The System Eclipse IBC has proved perfect for the water-based adhesives market with a widening customer base both in the UK and Europe.
In the commercial vehicle market, Structure-flex introduced the Smoothside curtainsider, one of the first ‘buckless' products to provide improve usability, greater surface areas for advertising space and reduced product maintenance. It has also been suggested that Smoothside also does it's bit to improve fuel economy. Structure-flex was the first flexitank manufacturer to introduce the System Voyager, a multi-layer PE tank with PP outer sleeve to suit the world's wine transportation market. The product has since been adopted on a global scale to undertake single trips of a much wider range of bulk liquids.
Today, Structure-flex includes the introduction of new products to the UK market through supply partnerships in it innovation portfolio including Autocar roof systems and lifting and safety equipment from Industrias Murtra. However, our ethos of developing new products continues with dedicated R & D resources and continuous review of customer requirements and market trends.
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Trust
Over time, the trust Structure-flex places with its employees, customers, suppliers and in building close working partnerships has had a direct link with its organisational success. Trust has helped to elevate levels of commitment and sustain effort and performance. Ulitmately high levels of trust has delivered competitive advantage for both Structure-flex and it's customers.
The Structure-flex attitude that trust is a shared belief that each business can depend on the other to achieve a common purpose has led to significant progress in terms of delivering products and services, developing new solutions and undertaking both knowledge and technology transfers. With many years of experience in establishing successful trading partnerships, Structure-flex takes an open and trusting approach to conducting business, accelerating development lead times.
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Collaboration
Structure-flex is happy to work in collaboration with your business to develop a product solution to meet your needs and those of your customers. With expertise in product development, manufacturing, Intellectual property, sales and marketing, it is possible for Structure-flex to provide a complete or partial solution for bringing your product to market
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Partnership
Structure-flex Ltd currently has a number of key partnerships, both for supply of products, but also for distributing products on a global scale. For details of the existing network, please see Our Network section.
At present we are seeking partners to provide proof testing services for cranes using our Proof Test bag products and for UK distributors of Lifting gear and equipment.
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Production
Manufacturing since 1970, flexibility is not just part of product range and service but also core to our production approach. Employing nearly 100 production staff both in the UK and Czech Republic, Structure-flex Ltd benefits greatly from an experienced team, placing a great deal of emphasis on training to ensure consistent high levels of quality. Utilising Just In Time, Lean Manufacturing, 5S and other proven improvement techniques, Structure-flex production staff ensure that each product is manufactured in an efficient and timely manner.
Both production facilities utilise state of the art High Frequency welding machines including several 20m travelling head machines, many foot welders and hot air welding capability.
On the design and development side Structure-flex operate CAD design for 2D and 3D applications and also owns large CAD/CAM plotters, which can be used to develop more complicated product shapes.
More recent investments include wide format digital print technology for trailer curtains and other large advertising formats, bulk bag testing equipment and upgraded bar-coding capability.
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