PTG gets China business award

Rochdale-based Precision Technologies Group (PTG) was the proud recipient of the Greater China Business Award for the North West, at the Greater China Awards and Chinese New Year Dinner on Friday, 21 February 2014.

The event was held at The Lowry Theatre, Salford, and the Greater China Business Award won by Precision Technologies Group recognised the company’s significant contribution to developing business and network links with Greater China, including bi-lateral trade and investment.

“We are delighted to have been recognised for our efforts with such a prestigious honour,” commented PTG Group Business Development Director, Neil Jones. “That recognition is all the more significant for us as we are founder members of the Manchester-China Forum, an initiative that is passionate about strengthening ties between the city region and China.”

Developing strong business links with China

Precision Technologies Group has been developing strong business connections with China and Taiwan since the 1980s. The business established a Chinese office in 2007 and has enjoyed increased sales into China year-on-year. In 2013, for example, a Zenith 400 helical profile grinder from PTG Holroyd Precision was purchased by one of China’s leading manufacturers of refrigeration compressors. Valued at ￡1.16m, the machine tool is capable of precision grinding screw compressor rotors of up to 420mm in diameter.

Superior welding for China’s high-speed trains

Similarly, Powerstir Friction Stir Welders, from PTG Heavy Industries, have become a preferred choice for creating railway carriage panels for China’s high-speed rail network. A unique method of jointing metals by ‘stirring’ them together, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) provides aesthetically pleasing, highly robust joints that are without the detrimental and sometimes unsightly effects associated with conventional welding. In a joint project with its technology partner, the China Friction Stir Welding Center, PTG Heavy Industries created a 30m x 4m gantry Powerstir machine capable of producing the longest ever single railway car panel weld in China at over 15 metres in length.

Investing in our region

As an indication of the success of PTG’s activities in China, by 2009 the organisation had caught the attention of Chinese industrial corporation, Chongqing Machinery & Electric Co. Ltd. (CQME), who went on to acquire the business in June 2010.

 Since acquisition, significant investment has been made in Precision Technologies Group by its Chinese owners. This has included allowing a considerable proportion of profits for the development of new products and markets, as well as investment in R&D, training and skills.

Sharing best practice

CQME is focused on learning best practice, improving budgeting, design, technology, marketing, talent development and production processes. As such, it sends people to PTG for in-house training and to gain valuable experience. Alongside this, PTG is developing programmes with UK universities, to provide sponsored Chinese students with tailor-made study programmes.

Striking an excellent balance between China and the UK

Philomena Chen, Head of Asia Pacific Development for UK Trade & Investment North West said: “There was an outstanding level of entries for this year’s Greater China Awards, across a wide range of sectors from advanced manufacturing to food production and from IT to chemicals. Our winner, PTG Holroyd,Adidas Fotballsko