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Coleman Milne invests to increase capacity
Coleman Milne, a specialist in funeral cars and limousines, has revealed details of a £500,000 investment, following the installation of three new spray booths and a new purpose-built quality hub at the company’s manufacturing facility in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester.
The three new STL Cyclone spray booths feature downdraft technology to extract excess overspray via an underfloor pit. The booths feature a full LED lighting system, a high-power aerofoil fan system to move 44,000 cubic metres of air per hour, and an aqua-dry air agitation blower system to dramatically speed-up drying time. These latest installations increase Coleman Milne’s paint-shop capacity to five full-size spray booths, each with a volume to accommodate the largest hearses and limousines.
Coleman Milne has invested in new spray booth technology and a purpose-built quality hub / Picture: Coleman Milne
Lee Hudson, managing director at Coleman Milne, said: “This investment is a clear demonstration of our commitment to continuous quality improvement. The latest STL Cyclone spray-booths provide unrivalled levels of performance and efficiency. Their installation strengthens our position as the leading ceremonial vehicle producer in the UK and throughout Europe, and we will continue to invest in the latest technology and product development to deliver a range of funeral vehicles that offer exceptional operational value and outstanding quality.”
Significant investment has also been made in Coleman Milne’s quality assurance and control. Utilising proven Six Sigma quality assurance methodology, and raising the standards of quality through the implementation of a systematic quality management approach, has set a benchmark for excellence. To support this, the company has recently invested in an on-site ‘quality hub’ to ensure every vehicle is produced to the very highest standard.
Coleman Milne’s manufacturing facility is based in Westhoughton, Greater Manchester / Picture: Coleman Milne
The quality hub provides independent and consistent analysis to benchmark product quality and to remove any deviation from the finished vehicle. The process relies on precise data-driven problem solving based on world-class practices to which Coleman Milne’s ceremonial fleet will now be subject.
Matt Tyrer, quality and manufacturing engineer, added: “The aim is to bring the voice of the customer into the factory, while at the same time emphasising to our employees that their own fastidious attention to their individual processes is key to overall product quality. The new quality hub comes after years of OEM luxury vehicle quality and problem-solving experience, and it will be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure we continuously improve the quality of our vehicles.”