SG Equipment - specialists in the design and manufacture of aerospace and avionics ground support technology explains how a highly successful 2022 sees the company looking to grow it business. Aerospace Manufacturing reports.
Established in 1988, SG Equipment (SGE) was created by the Hyde Group in response to the demand for a national specialist in the design and manufacture of aerospace and avionics ground support technology. Nearly 25 years later, the company is the pre-eminent provider of this type of equipment with all its main capabilities accessible under one roof across a 25,000ft2 facility in Audenshaw, east Manchester.
SGE has a fully-furnished machine shop with a range of CNC and conventional machining to support all its milling, turning, fitting and engraving requirements. Furthermore, the company offers a 24/7 support team available for emergency onsite call-outs, having delivered crucial ground-level support in the UK, Italy, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia and Australia in less than 48 hours.
SGE has an extensive array of testing apparatus and is capable of undertaking pneumatic pressure testing to 10,000psi, hydraulic pressure testing to 25,000psi and electromagnetic compatibility testing. SGE uses helium as a search gas across its vacuum leak detection test facilities and has personnel trained in CE marking of equipment. To complement these testing capabilities, SGE also offers ultrasonic cleaning using aqueous fluids to BAE Systems’ aircraft oxygen standard.
Additionally, SGE encompasses a state-of-the-art design suite. Employing leading 3D modelling and stress analysis software, its design team can take even the vaguest customer problem and produce a viable, technically acceptable and quality-assured solution. Moreover, the design department provides a project management role, overseeing, monitoring and controlling all work from the initial design stage through to manufacturing.
The company has a national reputation for its work in the electrical and electronic sectors. SGE designs, manufactures, tests and installs a broad scope of electrical and electronic ground test and support equipment. Utilising LabVIEW software the company developed many complex programmes that control equipment for blue chip clients across the globe. Some equipment SGE supplies requires annual servicing and calibration and its team provides this at either the customer’s site or its own Manchester facility. SGE is also ATEX certified, so is qualified to work with equipment to be used in an explosive atmosphere.
Access made easy
Finally, SGE offers extensive commercial sewing capabilities. Despite the high demand for quality sewing providers, they are becoming increasingly challenging to locate. SGE’s commercial sewing department takes pride in this, practising the maxim ‘a difficult to find service we make easy to access’. SGE’s specialised commercial sewing facility provides the design and manufacture of fully-approved aerospace soft covers, webbing and straps, all produced to exacting AID specifications, including UK MoD standards. Examples of the soft cover and specialist fabric products manufactured are strapping, webbing, bespoke equipment covers, full aircraft covers, pipe lagging, debris guards, banners and pennants, sensitive apparatus protection and bungs.
SGE has a range of capabilities, but its success lies in its staunch belief of investing in and developing its team. Over 20% of SGE’s employees started with the company as apprentices, having been funded through college and university. Additionally, around half of those obtaining degrees have gone on to be financed by the company through a further master’s degree. The SGE management team take an ‘open door approach’ with further education; always exploring courses their staff wish to undertake to enhance their already multifaceted skillsets.
The ongoing recruitment of new employees is one of the challenges facing the wider engineering industry and SGE is committed to maintaining working with local apprenticeship schemes. The Hyde Group is particularly proud of winning Tameside College’s Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Award 2022.
“2022 was a highly successful year for us and we’re confident we can continue to grow the business throughout 2023 and beyond,” states SGE’s managing director, Andrew Dobson. “We’re keen to speak to potential clients about building future trading relationships and we expect a prosperous and sustainable future for all of us at SG Equipment.”
