Category: News & Updates

Here at European Springs Ireland, we get the opportunity to work with a wide scope of industries, manufacturing and producing custom and bespoke springs, wire forms, and pressings to our clients’ exact specifications for use in a long list of applications. From the medical sector to agriculture, our range is expansive, but one of our favourites is the toy industry.

Yes, that’s right, springs are used in manufacturing some of the best childhood toys, including old classics such as the Slinky and new, more modern devices. So, to celebrate the festive season and show off yet another application for our versatile springs, we’re delving into some toys produced using springs that you may see gifted this Christmas.

Slinky

Quite possibly the most iconic spring used in the toy industry; the Slinky. Born in 1943, the Slinky has stood the test of time and still reigns popular as one of (if not the) best spring-based toys available on the market today. But do you know how it came to be? In the early 1940s, navel engineer Richard James accidentally pushed a tension spring off his desk, and when he did, he noticed it appeared to roll before landing upright. Two years later, the Slinky was flying off the shelves. Now, it is considered a staple in the history of springs and a bestseller at Christmas, with many still gifted each year.

Pull-Back Toys

Springs can be found in many pull-back toys, providing fantastic fun for children of all ages. They’re used for racing rally cars, animals, and even launching robots across the room. Of course, we have all used a pull-back toy before and can agree that as a child, it’s exciting to pull the tiny vehicle back just a small amount and see it fly forwards, but how do springs play a part in this fun?

Well, Newton’s Third Law of Motion states every action has an equal and opposite reaction, which is precisely how a pull-back toy operates. Energy is stored in the spring built into the toy, which is then released when you let go, allowing it to ‘spring’ into action and launch forwards.

Remote-Controlled Cars

Remote-controlled cars are one of the best presents to receive and are always certain to put a smile on a young racing enthusiast’s face at Christmas. In fact, they’re often the first to get ripped out of their packaging and test driven across the mountains of wrapping paper across the floor. But have you ever wondered which springs are involved in their manufacturing?

Just like actual cars, many different spring types go into producing a remote-controlled vehicle. From motor springs that provide torque to shock springs and suspension springs, various components are used in their production.

Jack-in-the-Box

The jack-in-the-box was once one of the most popular children’s toys available on the market and dates back as far as the 16^th century. Now, we see less of the classic children’s Christmas gift, but it’s still interesting to take a step back in time and explore what went into creating the toy.

Clowns or other children’s characters are connected to compression springs before being pushed inside a box, contained with a lid, and sealed with a catch. The catch is then released, allowing the character to pop up and provide laughs (or screams).

Pinball Machines

Springs play a prominent role in the pinball machine, which dominated arcades in the 80s and 90s. Now, they can be purchased for home use and make a brilliant Christmas gift for retro lovers and children who have it all.

Spring-loaded knobs are pulled back before being released to send a ball up the playfield, dodging barriers and aiming for the target. Players must choose their spring strength to get the perfect force to reach the goal. Of course, you may think about this a little differently when you play on a pinball machine now, and perhaps you have the knowledge to beat the high score and be crowned the winner!

Electronic Devices

Does the dreaded “does not contain batteries” label give you flashbacks to unplayable gifts as a child? Well, to help you remember to purchase AAs, AAAs, and other battery back-ups to save disappointment this Christmas morning, let’s take a look at how springs play a part in your battery-operated electronic devices.

When you pop in a battery, you must remember to load it correctly, matching the plus and minus symbols with what’s on the inside. Another way to remember is that the minus side must be pushed onto the spring, and the plus side has a small nub that tucks into the battery case. The spring allows the battery to sit securely inside the case and be removed easily.

As you can see, springs are all around us during the festive period. So, whether you’re watching your little one unwrap a remote-controlled car or you’re putting batteries into their many electronic devices on Christmas morning, think about the spring manufacturers like ourselves that helped create their gifts.

A steady supply chain is vital to any manufacturer’s daily operations. Consequently, new supply chain options have been created to reinforce their chains against the various unprecedented environmental, economic and political problems.

Despite the events of the past few years, many companies have managed to maintain their crucial supply chains by exploring new methods of fulfilment. This involved re-evaluating every aspect of the chain, from discovering local suppliers to new transportation methods and investigating more environmentally friendly options.

Supply chains have been stabilised for many manufacturers, but this is no guarantee for the future. The only sure way to ensure a robust supply chain is to constantly work on improving your connected chain.

Results of Supply Chain Disruptions

Unprecedented world events have put a significant strain on supply chains and threatened the productivity of many suppliers.

Supply chains have two sides, upstream and downstream, with manufacturers in between. Upstream refers to receiving items such as raw materials, and downstream involves passing on your manufactured goods and fulfilling your client’s orders.

The main challenge that harmed various supply chains was the erratic nature of upstream. Many international companies rely on raw materials from countries like China. As a result, unexpected delivery disruptions would extend lead times, increase costs and affect the chain downstream.

The transportation of goods is still struggling to recover from these disruptions. Ship shortages, port shutdowns, and shipping container shortages create potential delays for supply chains. Whether a Chinese port in a quarantined province or delays at UK’s Felixstowe port, manufacturers need to assess their resources routes for their time and cost efficiency.

These challenges revealed the importance of the international supply chain to the economy. The ripple effect of a supply chain disruption will affect every element of its connected chain and have potentially dire consequences for associated businesses.

Effective supply chain management is crucial for spring manufacturers who wish to avoid as many disruptions as possible and maintain their productivity.

3 Supply Chain Management Phases

Maintaining a solid supply chain involves employing management methods and customising them to best suit your specific operations.

International supply chains are not as reliable as they used to be. Managers can no longer assume the estimates they once did and must reassess the situation with every order. Fortunately, three straightforward techniques will build a resilient supply chain.

• Design is the initial planning stage. An essential time when you’ll create a plan for sourcing the raw materials needed from suppliers and how best to transport them.
• Planning has a similar sounding function as design but with a unique difference. The design will create a detailed plan for a durable supply chain, but planning will add necessary contingencies so you can adapt to any unforeseen changes. Supply and demand is a fluid element of business that changes throughout the year. Therefore, an adaptable supply chain is far more successful than a rigid one resistant to change.
• Execution is how your planned designs will be enacted and their progress. Manufacturers will need to monitor the progress of their sourced materials and distribution to their clients. Any potential disruptions should be identified early and compensated for to prevent the supply chain from weakening.

Supply Chain Management Benefits

As an international springs and pressings manufacturer, we deeply understand how vital a robust supply chain is to maintain high productivity. Every link in the chain needs to be relied upon to create the most robust supply chain possible and not interrupt your planned daily operations.

One valuable technique is diversification. Diversification helps compensate for any erratic behaviour along the supply chain and limits the collateral damage of any disruptions. By committing your upstream materials to a single route, any disruption will be catastrophic to your plans. Diversifying your materials across various transportation routes (or from several suppliers) will guarantee that you receive at least a portion of your raw materials without delay.

Another method is to explore closer suppliers. International logistics are an increasingly complex operation to monitor; the farther your goods travel, the likelihood of problems increases. The distance can also affect the financial cost of delays that will compensate for the problem. With less distance to travel, your chain will encounter fewer obstacles and be more reliable.

A managed supply chain is a strong one. Doing so can increase your chain’s visibility and improve your collaboration with suppliers up and downstream. In addition, persistent corrections to agreed-upon deadlines will lower your business partners’ trust in your company. Effective management will also reduce additional costs and help you maintain an open, honest dialogue with your clients regarding lead times.

European Springs are one of the leading manufacturing companies in Ireland, producing the highest quality springs, pressings and wire forms for a broad range of clients globally.

The gender gap is an issue many male-dominated industries are looking to close. It became such an issue that in 2018, any business or company with over 250 employees must report gender pay gaps, which still applies to date. This enforcement of reporting inconsistencies encourages companies to address their equality in paying wages.

However, the gender gap goes beyond the wages, with the manufacturing industry having significant gaps in the number of employees representing the female gender. At European Springs, we strongly believe in the positive impact closing the gender gap can have on the road to where equality remains as nothing more than the box you tick for data collection.

The Importance of Women in STEM

Studies have shown that since 2010, there has been a 16% rise in women in STEM studies and careers. This rise took the original 562,000 women to an impressive 963,000 in 2021. Whilst this increase is welcomed by the STEM industries. However, it is a long way off from closing the gender gap.

When there are amble labour and skill shortages, closing the gap is not only to increase the awareness of equality in the workplace, especially one so heavily male-dominated, but also to assist the UK in achieving a complete workforce. Furthermore, by supporting and actively participating in female recruitment, STEM industries could help relieve the pressure off overworked staff and increase productivity and morale within the workplace.

Women are vital, especially within the manufacturing process. Many developments, apps, products and much more are not considerate of the female gender due to the significant lack of women in the manufacturing process. Take Apple, for example. On the release of its health app in 2015, it neglected to equate women’s health requirements. This fault was due to the gap in female leads on the project. Without such, it meant the app was centred around the male physique.

Another example of such is butchering. All the standard equipment that most commercial butchering facilities provide for safety doesn’t equate to the natural size of women compared to men and leaves them with unsuitable health and safety wear which could cause significant issues. With more women in the planning, designing and manufacturing positions, the more these errors would be eradicated.

Opportunities Available for Women

Considering women equate to approximately 48% of the labour market, there is still much work to do to close the gender gap within manufacturing. For example, only 8% of women take up apprenticeships in manufacturing, and only 11% of women are currently in executive director roles.

Whilst there is no official exclusion of women, and they are always welcome to apply for any role within the STEM industries, there is still more which could be done. Positive discrimination and more flexible skill requirements, such as soft skills over hard skills, would help to bridge the gap for women.

Soft skills have historically been associated with women but can offer just as much value to a project as hard skills such as IT literacy. Soft skills such as leadership abilities, organisation and quick learning can offer a company much more valuable assets than industry-specific experience.

However, there are many opportunities that women can take advantage of to help them kickstart their careers in the STEM industries. For example, Brunel University in London offers a very successful program for graduates called Women in Engineering and Computing. Since its rollout, they have assisted over 600 new employees in finding positions within STEM industries. Although they are not as widespread as we would like to see as a spring manufacturer, it is the start of aiming for an all-inclusive sector.

Another fantastic opportunity for women is the Meri Williams Scholarship for the University of Bath. This scholarship is offered to all women or non-binary students who wish to work within the STEM sector and will cover £9,000 for the course. Assistance like this goes a long way to encourage more of these students to follow fulfilling careers and have opportunities to change the world, which many other industries don’t offer.

Supporting Women In STEM Careers

As an experienced pressing company that strives for an equal industry, we offer a fully comprehensive engineering apprenticeship program open to all genders and skill levels. We take on apprenticeships year-round, with most of our apprentices being provided with the opportunity for a full-time career in their area of expertise. We also support development through in-job training, allowing staff to progress in their careers without needing to look for a new position elsewhere.

The STEM industry has significantly upped its self-awareness of the gender gap. With many organisations set up to support women and non-binary into stem careers, including the likes of STEM Women, which showcases all the jobs available, working alongside universities, employers and students to find the suitable match for all.

If you would be interested in a career with us, learning about our processes as spring suppliers, you can enquire online using our contact form. One of our helpful team members will get back to you with more information about all our courses and opportunities accessible for women wishing to begin their STEM careers.

For many years, manufacturing companies have attempted to create a permanent solution to the labour shortage. But unfortunately, these unfilled positions have a distinctly negative impact on the industry, which is why it’s vital to find new ways of supporting people interested in starting a career in manufacturing.

At European Springs, we firmly believe in the positive effect of new people on the industry. Each individual can not only bring a unique perspective on working processes, but they can be a worthwhile investment in managing new technologies and ideas during a long and profitable career.

What’s the Manufacturing Skills and Gender Gap?

Over 270 thousand businesses exist within the UK manufacturing industry, making this industry a prominent part of the national economy and a significant part of the jobs market. However, despite this wealth of positions, there is a considerable recruitment shortage across all STEM sectors.

At the start of 2022, the British chamber of commerce predicted record-low recruitment figures as part of their quarterly recruitment outlook. These figures represented the increased recruitment difficulties that 79% of employers are struggling with, for which there are many reasons, but most commonly, it’s attributed to the lack of skilled labour.

The struggle to find skilled labour parallels the industry’s technological improvements. To remain competitive, STEM businesses are constantly exploring innovations and advancements such as cloud computing, industrial IoT and CNC machines. These improvements allow compression spring manufacturers such as ourselves to significantly optimise our work methods and process, increasing our efficiency while also maintaining higher productivity.

Unfortunately, these changes have led to skills gaps and labour shortages that were a struggle to solve. Upskilling team members into new positions has been an excellent tool for improving the adaptability of the STEM workforce. Still, we believe the long-term solution is to embrace the benefits of engineering apprenticeships.

One element of STEM industries that we strive to change is the misconception that it’s a male-orientated career choice. As expert tension spring manufacturers, we are aware that female representation in manufacturing is relatively low. However, we firmly believe that equally, both genders can bring significant improvements to our industry when the path is taken through one of our apprenticeships or as a STEM graduate initiative.

Progress on Filling the Skills and Gender Gap

Despite these issues, these troublesome gaps are slowly closing thanks to apprenticeship schemes and post-graduate initiatives. New research taken by EngineeringUK has revealed that progress is being made, with a 6% increase in female engineers to 16.5% over the comparative 10.5% reported in 2010. These percentages represent the original 562,000 women employed in STEM jobs which increased to 963,00 in 2021. This coincides with the general staff increase from 5.3 million in 2010 to 5.6 million in 2021. Additionally, thanks to various supportive initiatives, the number of female engineers has been steadily growing even when the total number of engineers dropped in 2020 and 2021.

Changes like this prove that both genders profit from successful careers in manufacturing, and employers can gain a lot from encouraging women to join them as engineers.

Examples of Success

Ireland is home to some of the best institutions for studying STEM, with the University College Dublin, NUI Galway and Trinity College Dublin all providing prestigious courses to get any woman started on her manufacturing career. This can be enhanced by exploring the many funding opportunities available to postgraduates. With the increased innovations being developed for manufacturing each year, the opportunities for female apprentices or postgraduates have never looked better, which has also had a significantly positive effect on increasing the staff numbers for STEM jobs.

Many scholarships and bursaries specifically aim to provide an accessible route into the STEM sectors. For example, Brunel University in London offers a hugely successful program for graduates as well as undergraduates called Women in Engineering and Computing (WiBEC). Since its inception, this mentorship scheme has supported over 600 female students in their goals to start careers in manufacturing or STEM.

In 2021, UCAS data provided by HESA had shown a notable increase in female STEM students to 35%, a total of 112,720 women pursuing their goals of finding a career in manufacturing or other STEM sectors.

The adoption of EDI principles has been a big step in allowing female engineers to help fill the skills gap. In addition, many manufacturers have embraced the equality, diversity & inclusion guidelines (stated in the EDI) to assist in creating a more diverse workforce.

Manufacturing Apprenticeships at European Springs

As experienced spring manufacturers, we at European Springs Ireland support these initiatives with our highly successful apprenticeship schemes. We also celebrate the 23rd of June as National Women in Engineering Day (NWED) annually because we firmly believe that everyone can enrich the industry.

Our apprenticeships follow the Mechanical Manufacturing Apprenticeship framework and award a BTEC Level 3 certificate in Engineering operations and Maintenance. Please contact us directly if you’d like to know more about our apprenticeships.