Sumac Precision Engineering Ltd
About us
Sumac Precision Engineering: Excellence in Precision and Innovation.
Located on the south coast of the UK, Sumac employs a talented and dedicated team of 110 professionals from the local area. Over nearly four decades, the company has evolved from its humble beginnings into a diversified, technologically advanced and vertically integrated manufacturing solutions provider, supporting a broad range of industries and markets within the manufacturing sector. The business is accredited to ISO 9001, 2015, and holds various approvals & memberships, including JOSCAR, Cyber Essentials, MAKEuk & WEAF.
Vision, Mission and Values
At the heart of Sumac’s success lies a clear and inspiring vision: “To be the supplier of choice.” This vision encapsulates the company’s commitment to fostering enduring relationships with customers who choose Sumac not out of necessity, but because of the exceptional value and service it offers.
Our mission is equally ambitious: “To utilise technology and innovation, combined with traditional skills, to develop our processes, our people, and our capability, resulting in a best-in-class experience for our customers.”
These guiding principles drive Sumac to continuously push boundaries, embrace cutting-edge advancements, and deliver outstanding results.
Comprehensive Capabilities and Expertise
Sumac has established itself as a leader in precision machined parts, fabricated solutions, and assembly services, offering unparalleled expertise across the manufacturing spectrum. Our end-to-end capabilities enable us to support customers from the initial stages of design through to final product delivery, ensuring seamless transitions and superior results.
Advanced Machining Capabilities
The company boasts a comprehensive suite of over 50 machine tools including:
• 3,4 and 5 axis CNC machining with capacities ranging from 1mm to 4250mm in length.
• A multi-axis turning section, featuring sliding head capabilities and advanced 6-axis large turning, capable of producing precision turned parts from 1mm to 330mm in diameter
Robotics and Automation
In the past five years, Sumac has integrated seven automated robotic machine loading solutions, allowing a remarkable 75% increase in production capacity without the need for additional staffing. This automation enhances efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
Fabrication Excellence
In 2017, Sumac expanded its capabilities with the establishment of a bespoke fabrication department. Equipped with cutting-edge tools for laser cutting, profiling, bending, folding, and forming, this capability supports the manufacture of complex projects, including codified MIG and TIG welding solutions for fabrications up to a maximum of 12.5 tonnes.
A recent investment in a 30kw laser cutting system in 2024 has further strengthened our vertical integration strategy. This advanced laser, with a capacity of 3000mm x 1500mm and a maximum cut depth of 70mm thick, has allowed the business to insource all external laser-cut profiles. By doing so, we’ve reduced our lead times by 7-10 days and minimised our external supplier quality issues, and regained control over input costs within the manufacturing process.
Assembly Capabilities
Sumac’s comprehensive assembly services include three dedicated areas for both electrical and mechanical assembly of pre-machined and fabricated components. This holistic approach ensures seamless integration and streamlined production for customers across various industries. The assembly capability allows our customer base to simplify its supply chain and reduce the quantity of purchase orders they have to raise and manage. Using Sumac as a supplier the customer only has to raise a single purchase order that replaces the need for hundreds of individual piece part po`s to be raised on multiple suppliers within the machining and fabrication supply chain.
Customer-Centric Solutions
Sumac’s commitment to its customers extends beyond manufacturing. By engaging in design for manufacture (DFM) and new product introduction (NPI) processes, our engineering team actively collaborates with customers during the design phase. This proactive involvement ensures optimal manufacturability and a smooth transition from concept to production.
"Your Partner of Choice"
Sumac Precision Engineering is more than a manufacturer; we are a trusted partner and solutions provider to the manufacturing sector. Whether you require precision machining, advanced laser, fabrication, and assembly expertise, Sumac stands ready to meet your needs with innovation, flexibility, resilience and a steadfast commitment to excellence.
Products & services
Precision machined manifold
Precision machined stainless steel manifold blocks.
Robotic arm mounting, loading & guarding system
This is an example of Sumac`s multi-faceted capability, the product combined all the capabilities that the business offers under one facility. The product under went various disciplined processes including, front end design for manufacture, conventional machining, laser profiling, folding, welding and assembly to offer the customer a vertically integrated solution, and the need for a single purchase order to be raised. "Sumac is your manufacturing solutions provider"
Precision machined components up to 4200mm in length
Sumac has a long history of precision machining going back over 40 years. Its current offering includes over 50 machine tools, including 3, 4 & 5 axis cnc milling machines, with a length capability ranging from 1mm to 4200mm. This is well supported by a comprehensive cnc turning section, up to 6 axis and including sliding head machines, that supports component manufacture ranging from 1mm diameter up to 330mm diameter. This is just a small sample of the varied product from electrical enclosures, manifolds and large rail beams.
Design For Manufacturing & Assembly Process (DFM)
The first step in any product is the "design for manufacturing and assembly process." Sumac supports and engages direct with its customers engineering teams to develop, an optimised component’s design, that will improve the efficiency of the product and streamline the production process, and at the same time reduce manufacturing costs. The benefits to both the customer and supplier are worth the investment in time and effort to support the DFM process. Sumac offer this service free of charge based on successful award of the manufacturing contract.
Build to print "Total Solutions"
Total solution, Sumac supply DFM, build to print, machined, laser cut, fabricated, electrical and mechanical assemblies for the screen print sector. So whether you require single machined or fabricated items right through to fully assembled top level solutions, Sumac are your manufacturing provider and system integrator of choice.
Direct Line Feed (DLF) - Machined kit of parts
Sumac offers piece part manufacture of machined components and the ability to supply a complete kits. The kit shown here is a sample, three part kit machined and anodised to the customer specification. The kitting capability supported by the business can be anything from 2-3 parts up to >30 parts, delivered direct to customer in bespoke packaging, to suit their customer requirements. Sumac also supports various direct line feed processes, including JIT and Kan-ban and will hold the stock as needed at its site in Weymouth, until the customer pull signal window is opened.
Vendor Managed Inventory - Electrical & Mechanical sub-assembly
An example of Vendor Managed Inventory solution offered here at Sumac, a small electrical and mechanical sub-assembly, produced in-house. The product will be held in our stock rooms and supplied to the customers pull demand as they require. We do set time limits on this product/process, so the process is well suited to minimum stock turns of 12 or monthly/weekly call offs.
Laser fine cutting to 70mm thick, in-house capability
Automated 5 axis machining solution
Sumac have five autonomous machine loading solutions to allow for lights out, un-manned 24-7 manufacturing. This allow the business to flex from single shift working of circa 860 hrs per month up to just over 3600 hrs per month, without the need to employ additional personnel. This can be implemented with immediate effect, once the raw material hits the factory. We also hold strategic material stock for customers that share their future demands, enabling the business to support very urgent requirements. This agility allows the business to control input, labour costs and quality without little need for additional overtime and late shift patterns. This protects our people`s well being by avoiding unsociable working shifts.
Hedelius T7 3, 4 & 5 Axis Machine Tool, max length - 4250mm
The Hedelius T7 is a very versatile 5 axis machine tool, the 5 axis table can be locked down to secure an 3 axis capability of 4250mm in Z axis x 750mm in Y axis x 695mm in Z axis. We can rotate the headstock to produce the 4th axis capability and unlock the table and rotate a smaller component using all the 5 axis capability.
DFM to delivery Sumac are your manufacturing solutions provider
Sumac offer a total manufacturing capability from design for manufacture, through to prototyping, new product introduction we are able to offer both conventional and cnc machining capability. The machining processes are further enhanced with automated and robotic loading systems, that enable the business to increase productive hours by in excess of 3500 hrs per month without the need for additional employment. The machining process is enhanced with full fabrication capability, including in-house, laser cutting & profiling, press brakes, form rollers, including tube, with fully codified MIG & TIG welding that also support, electrical and mechanical assembly areas to enable the complete delivered solution to our customer base.
Sliding Head CNC Lathes
Sumac offer two Goodway SW32 Twin Spindle Sliding Heads, with a bar feed of 32mm diameter by 3000mm magazine bar feed . The machines are ideal for lights out, 24-7 machining and the product type best suited, is high volume precision turned and milled parts below 32mm diameter, including spacers, shafts, nuts and bolts, valves etc.
30 kw Laser Cutting
Sumac have recently purchased a Bodor 30kw laser with a working envelope of 3048mm x 1524mm, with a positioning accuracy of +-0.05mm and a repeatable accuracy of +-0.02mm. The laser is capable of cutting ferrous and non-ferrous materials from circa 1mm up to a maximum of 70mm thick in steel. The laser can cut ultra fine mesh profiles and filters and can also finish cut profiles and holes in fabricated components. Due to the lasers processing speed the company also uses it to rough out machined profiled parts prior to final machining, this avoids heavy cutting on our precision cnc machine tools where possible. The laser is set up to use either compressed air or nitrogen dependant on the application.
Conventional Turning, Milling and Grinding Capability
With the need for tooling and fixturing we have conventional machines to support both out internal needs and those of the customer from 1 off`s to NPI low volume products sometimes conventional machining is the way forward.
Large Turning Capability
For your larger turned solutions Sumac has you covered with up to 6 axis lathes available on site to support our customer requirements.
MIG & TIG Welding Capability
Codified MIG and TIG welding is another in-house capability that is used to support the complete fabricated solution, the welding department is housed in a purpose built flexible building within the Sumac business.
Sumac "The One Stop Solution" for all your manufacturing needs
Product examples of our total manufacturing solutions on offer here at Sumac. Whether you require individual component manufacture or fabricated and machined products or even electrical, mechanical solutions Sumac has you covered.
Large Fabrications up to 12.5 tonnes
Here at Sumac we have the lifting capability to support modular fabrications of up to 12.5 tonnes, so whatever your requirements we have a solution.
Quality & Inspection
With 120 employees and over 50 machine tools, quality and our inspection have to be built into our manufacturing process. We believe in preventative inspection rather than reactive inspection. This allows the business, the confidence the product is correct once it completed. All FAIR`s carried out to AS9102 standard.
Large CNC Machining
Sumac offers a comprehensive range of large 3, 4 & 5 axis machines with over seven machines capable of machining above 1000mm in length. This capability supports our customers with larger product requirements, as you can only machine a large job on a large machine, but you can also support multiple smaller products on the same larger machines. This capability offers both a agile and flexible machining solution to our customer base.