BDK hits milestone anniversary as success set to soar

BDK, based in Levington, Suffolk, is celebrating its 60th anniversary – marking six decades of precision engineered manufacturing.

The company produces engineered adhesive components for a range of industries including medical, security and aerospace.

From the manufacture of adhesive pads for car logos in its early days, to precision manufacturing of medical diagnostic materials today, the company has taken an opportunistic approach to the manufacturing market, moving and flexing to suit demands. This, coupled with brave, but planned investment, is what Managing Director, Nick Falconer sees as the root of their success, with 2019 forecast to be its strongest year.

BDK is celebrating its 60th anniversary and 2019 is set to be its strongest year yet / Picture: BDK

Managing Director Nick Falconer, said, “I’m extremely proud to be leading BDK in its 60th year. For me, our success is down to our forward-thinking, flexible approach to giving our customers what they need, and the fact that we’re not afraid to invest to make ourselves strong for the future.

“We produce adhesive components that manufacturers need to bring their designs to market, so over the years we have adapted our capabilities so that we can offer them the very best solutions.

“Ten years ago, we recognised the potential in the medical sector so invested heavily in equipment and in the introduction of quality standards to secure our entry to this market. For me, it was clear that the manufacturing of healthcare equipment, which requires such stringent quality standards, would stay within the UK rather than overseas. We, therefore, started with the purchase of one clean room, which was a big financial investment at the time, and now have three, with staff working 24/5 shifts to meet demand.

“Today, around 80% of our business is within healthcare so we’re solidifying our reputation as a leader within this market and it’s something I hope to grow.  This is set to be the strongest year in BDK’s 60-year history and we’re looking forward to continued growth as we enter new markets next year and beyond.”

A recent example of BDK’s work is for an innovative wound dressing for patients who have undergone surgery.  BDK’s team identified that their current adhesive processes would not provide a suitable solution for the product developer, so they researched and developed a new technique through radio frequency welding that would ensure the product was fit for purpose.  Major investment in the machinery needed to achieve this was made, the product went to market and BDK has added the capability to their client offering.