The Bucket Manufacturing Company is a privately owned British SME and this year will be celebrating its 20th anniversary
Under Wayne Ridings, who took over in 2012, the Bucket Manufacturing Company(BMC) made a strategic move away from supplying the cheaper type of product into producing higher quality products equivalent or improved on by the more established manufacturers.
Providing bespoke buckets in a busy market
BMC started producing more bespoke attachments to complement our standard buckets, establishing a foothold in the market.
The tidal wave of cheaply produced products from overseas is phenomenal and UK markets keep buying it. We could produce the equivalent for a very similar price, but the market will not pay the little extra.
At present, bespoke design has become very important to the survival of heavy engineering in the UK and we are eager to accommodate a customer looking for the odd or unusual attachment they have in mind.
Our philosophy is about customer satisfaction and supplying them with a quality product while still providing value for money, priding ourselves on exceeding customer expectations whenever possible.
To help us achieve our goals, we have experienced staff to assess what the customer needs and in the case of experienced customers, we give them confidence in our ability to supply what they need. If we give the customer a positive experience with the initial enquiry and eventual purchase, it helps to maintain the manufacturing skill base in the local area.
Training the next generation of skilled manufacturers in the UK
I started my career as a lad at Geith International and worked my way up to workshop manager at their Tredegar site in South Wales and stayed with them for 30 years until they moved their manufacturing from both Slane Ireland and Tredegar in South Wales to abroad.
BMC have taken lads through apprenticeships, helping to maintain a skilled workforce within this country but find that the willing lads supply chain is continuing to get smaller all the time.
I believe there needs to be more information about work opportunities and apprenticeships given to both young school leavers and manufacturing companies. Further education is not for everyone, yet schools assume that all want to go to universities.
The world may be getting smaller, but BMC’s market is only getting bigger
We manufacture most of our products in Chepstow, supporting local suppliers where possible. This is vital to both consistent quality and creating a wealthier locality and could be replicated across the country to national benefit.
There are some big, exciting changes happening in the excavation market at present and it helps our cause here at BMC. These tilt-and-turn couplers have been a revelation since being introduced a couple of years ago and become a common tool on most building sites.
Producing attachments for these has been a pleasure because we’re now making buckets for the Scandinavians which is a privilege, given their high standards for equipment.
The world is getting smaller now and our clientele are from all over the world buying a single bespoke product. We have sent Manual Quick Couplers to the US, buckets to Poland and our flagship four-in-one buckets go everywhere so, we must be doing something right and are proud of it.
Wayne Ridings
Managing director
Bucket Manufacturing Company
00441291 630073
*Please be aware that this is a commercial profile.
