Product category:
Electronics Manufacturing Services
News Release from: MRP Electronics
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 04 February 2008
UK CEM gains heavyweight backing
Now, as part of the Asteel group, Bedford-based MRP Electronics has become one of the largest contract electronics manufacturers in the UK.
Bedford-based MRP Electronics has been acquired by Asteel, a French group of companies specialising in electronic and electromechanical subassembly manufacture Established in 1999 and headquartered in Paris, Asteel has 11 manufacturing facilities in France, two in Tunisia and one in Romania
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Further, the acquisition of MRP (which was set up in 1987) comes a little over one month after Asteel's acquisition of Flash Electronics, which is headquartered in Fremont, California and which has four manufacturing facilities in Silicon Valley and two in China.
The acquisition of MRP produces an electronic manufacturing service (EMS) provider with annual revenue in excess of US $750 million and a global manufacturing floor space of more than 1 million square feet.
Existing and potential customers will benefit on many levels, as the Bedford-based CEM now offers much broader services and can offer reduced component costs, thanks to Asteel's considerable buying power with distributors.
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Mike Perry, Managing Director of MRP comments: "We can also extend relationships with growing companies in the UK, and in some respects this acquisition could not have happened at a better time, as some of our larger customers were considering taking their high volume work to the Far East".
"Now they can keep their MRP contacts even for high volume production".
Prior to the acquisition, MRP, which last year had a turnover of GBP 12 million, was just one of many medium-sized CEMs in the UK, and was some distance behind the "big CEMs".
Now, as part of the Asteel group, the Bedford-based company has become one of the largest CEMs in the UK.
Georges Garic, Asteel's Development Director, comments: "While there are many CEMs of MRP's size in the UK our selection was based on its manufacturing capabilities, its healthy attitude towards investing in the latest production and test systems, the company's reputation and its growth potential".
"Also, MRP and Asteel management have very similar mindsets and approaches to business".
Garic goes on to summarise the Asteel Group's benefits and strategies as: reactivity, flexibility and competitiveness; an interest in highly diversified small scale productions; an aggressive, global purchasing strategy (components and materials); design centre support and plastics production facilities; low-cost production centres (China, Tunisia and Romania); and the formation of local teams dedicated to customers.
MRP's customers will benefit from greater support for prototype work, better costs for start-up volumes and, if needed, even assistance with product design.
For example, in addition to the manufacturing sites in France, Asteel has a dedicated product development centre in Grenoble.
There, the company undertakes activities such as embedded system design, software coding, designing for EMC compliance, and mould design for injection moulding.
Nick Fairhead, MRP's Sales Director, notes: "Asteel also has some very impressive practices for dealing with RFQs".
"For example, all quotes have three parts".
"First, a quote against the bill of materials as supplied by the customer".
"Secondly, a quote against alternative parts, predominantly passives and connectors".
"Both of these MRP used to do, but the third option is that we can quote against minor redesigns, for example switching from one PLD supplier to another, and implementing any circuitry (and code) changes that may be required".
MRP employs 130 personnel, has a floor space of 3000m2 and four production lines (one of which is given over to fast track prototype assembly).
Supporting its manufacturing processes is an extensive range of test and inspection equipment including, three Teradyne ATEs (one configured with over 4000 test points), a Spea Flying probe and four Mirtec AOIs.
Perry concludes: "At a fundamental level it will be 'business as usual' for MRP's customers, as all business relationships will remain unaltered".
"Indeed, we hope to grow with our customers, building on and extending relationships".
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