North West manufacturer celebrates golden jubilee
17/02/2023
North West manufacturer Dean Group, a specialist metal casting manufacturer with manufacturing facilities in Manchester, UK, is celebrating 50 years of high-quality manufacturing services.
80 guests attended the Black Swan in Warrington to celebrate the company’s past achievements and bright future. As well as employees and their families, the event included many influential members, such as key suppliers and executives who witnessed the founding of Dean Group. In addition, current Managing Director Graham Stubbs gave an impassioned speech about the company’s journey that was emotionally well-received by everyone, including Chair Christopher Dean.
In 1982, Christopher Dean joined the company, followed shortly after by his sister Carol Hutchison in 1985. This family-run business has grown significantly over the last 50 years from Dean Groups’ initial UK facility in Stretford in 1972, before moving the company to a purpose-built facility in Irlam, Manchester, with no loss of production.
With this full-fledged foundry established next to a major UK city, Dean Group has spent decades creating made-in-the-UK castings with superior precision and short lead times.
Christopher became Managing Director of Dean Group in 1995 and led his team to several accreditations and award nominations over the years, with Dean Group recently being shortlisted for ‘Made in the North West 2022’. The company has also won several prestigious awards, such as the Prestigious Salford Business Award for Technology (2010) and the Gold Environmental Award (2019).
Dean Group is now a three-generation company, with Sam Dean supporting this family business as an Estimating Engineer and Jack Hutchison recently promoted to Deputy Production Manager.
All attendants enjoyed the vibrant celebration as the close-knit teams shared stories, anecdotes and memories of Dean Group’s long journey to reach this golden jubilee moment. With any landmark event about past achievements, thoughts inevitably turn towards the future.
Graham Stubbs, Managing Director at Dean Group, commented: “Dean Group is energised to welcome the next decade and our plans for the next ten years. We are heavily investing in the UK foundry while continuing to develop our partner route further.”
Over the last 50 years, Dean Group has developed innovative solutions to maintain its position as a manufacturing industry leader.
Developing new processes has been the company’s focus, while maintaining the highest-quality investment casting and die-casting services.
Dean Group International also provides a fully risk-managed and quality-assured low-cost supply of higher-volume investment castings, die castings, commercial grade investment castings, forged parts and metal injection moulding (MIM) from China, including additional processes of machining, heat treatment, assembly and various surface finishes. To evaluate the materials’ properties without causing damage, the company uses various NDT techniques and examinations, which are available to all of its customers as required. As standard, all parts, whether produced in the UK or by one of its supply partners, are supplied with dimensional reports and chemical certification.
With ISO and TS accreditations, along with UK foundry and stocking facilities, the company ensures continuity of supply with full visual, dimensional and chemical analysis. As well as having fast-track rapid prototyping facilities in Manchester, Dean Group also provides 3D CAD design and product development support using its 3D CAD software and bespoke casting simulation package.
Dean Group has acquired extensive expertise in working with a wide cross-section of industry sectors, including oil & gas, specialist and mainstream automotive, rail, mining, renewables, aerospace, fire & safety and many more with a specific focus on Baseefa/ATEX and other critical applications.
A significant part of Dean Groups’ recent commitment to its UK facility was the £200,000 investment it made in a highly advanced 3D printing room. These machines significantly improve daily operations, such as providing the ability to create accurate prototypes much more efficiently.
Dean Group is set to continue investing in UK foundry, ensuring they are reliably supplying the highest-quality results for all of its made-in-the-UK castings for the next 50 years and beyond.
