A North Wales manufacturer is celebrating a major transformation after moving to a purpose-built facility \u2014 unlocking massive growth potential and creating dozens of new jobs.<\/p>\n
Continental Diamond Tool (CDT),<\/strong> has successfully relocated to a new 30,000 sq ft factory in Kinmel Bay after what managers described as a \u201clogistical challenge on par with a military operation.\u201d<\/p>\n The operation involved transporting more than 100 metric tonnes of machinery and equipment to the new base that\u2019s nearly three times the size of its old premises less than half a mile away on the Tir Llwyd Industrial Estate.<\/p>\n The move is part of a \u00a34 million expansion by the company which custom engineers ultra-precise industrial tooling for the aerospace, automotive and oil and gas sectors.\u00a0 Blue chip customers include Rolls Royce, Airbus and Tenneco.<\/p>\n Originally established as Consort Precision Diamond in 1984, the company was acquired and rebranded by American-owned Continental Diamond Tool in 2018.<\/p>\n Production Manager Justin Hughes, whose father, Peter, was a founding member of the business, said the move marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the company.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a new ambition along with the investment,\u201d said Justin, who has worked at CDT for 18 years. \u201cThe future is bright.\u201d<\/p>\n The relocation was carried out with precise planning to minimise disruption, with some production lines back in operation in less than a week.<\/p>\n \u201cIn three days they had transported pretty much all the machinery out of the old factory into the new one,\u201d he said. \u201cProduction was down for a maximum of two weeks for certain products, but for others the down time was less than a week.\u201d<\/p>\n The company brought in help from key suppliers, including Mills CNC, and received support from CDT\u2019s American owners, who have overseen multiple factory expansions in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had help from one of our American colleagues, facility manager Mike Moehring, who even brought forward his exit flight because it had gone so smoothly,\u201d said Justin.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t the company\u2019s first rodeo. They\u2019ve helped us get things right the first time \u2014 and that\u2019s been absolutely invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n With 46 staff currently on site, the company now plans to grow the workforce to around 80 employees over the next two years, with a major recruitment and investment push underway \u2014 particularly in the electro-plating department.<\/p>\n \u201cWe could only fit 14 electro-plating tanks in our old premises,\u201d Justin explained. \u201cHere we can accommodate up to 200. It\u2019s the perfect environment \u2013 less humid, well-ventilated, and much more comfortable for staff.\u201d<\/p>\n CDT is investing \u00a3500,000 in new equipment, and the improved capacity is already paying off.<\/p>\n International orders are growing and the company now has the ability to manufacture five times as many large parts per day and thousands of small parts per week,<\/strong> many destined for the oil and gas industry.<\/p>\n \u201cWe used to have to turn away orders because we just didn\u2019t have the capacity,\u201d said Justin. \u201cNow we can meet that demand \u2014 and electro-plated products are on course to become the biggest part of our business.\u201d<\/p>\n The company is also expanding into Poland, which Justin describes as a \u201cmanufacturing powerhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n The new facility has been designed with staff welfare in mind, with a new canteen and bright, modern working conditions aimed at both retaining current staff and attracting new recruits.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like we\u2019ve moved out of the dark ages into the 21st century,\u201d he added. \u201cWe\u2019ve always been capable \u2014 now we have the tools and the space to reach our full potential.\u201d<\/p>\n Among the longest-serving staff is Joe Bowles, 35, from Rhyl, who began his career as an apprentice and is now CDT\u2019s Grinding Supervisor.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe company has grown bigger but it still feels like a family,\u201d said Joe. \u201cThe American owners have put real money into the business and upgraded our machines \u2013 it\u2019s a huge vote of confidence in the Kinmel Bay operation.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe, a third-generation engineer, takes pride in the firm\u2019s commitment to quality.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is inspected two or three times. Our tolerances are normally within 10 microns \u2013 a red blood cell is five microns \u2013 and sometimes we work to just a single micron. That\u2019s how precise we are.\u201d<\/p>\n For newer members of the team, the relocation was seamless. Nori Aknai, 38, originally from Hungary and now living in Rhyl, joined CDT three months ago as a finance assistant.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI really do like it here,\u201d she said. \u201cThe move was huge but it went incredibly smoothly. Literally, we were working in the old place one day and the following morning we came here and everything was working. The fact that it\u2019s a growing company means it\u2019s an exciting place to work.\u201d<\/p>\n Now firmly settled in their new home, CDT is looking to the future with optimism.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very proud of what we have achieved,\u201d said Justin. \u201cWe\u2019ve laid the foundations to do something really special here in Kinmel Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n