Sab wabco puts Dowding & Mills on track with a three year test and repair contract

SabWabco has awarded Dowding & Mills’ Calibration & Electronics division a three-year contract to manufacture, test and repair the electronic modules for its braking systems fitted to trains.

SabWabco designs and manufactures complete braking systems for the rail industry as well as the parts to service them and, and as a result of the high profile currently being given to safety critical issues of the nation’s railways, it has found itself with a rapidly growing workload.

The contract, which commenced at the beginning of October, will include work on SabWabco’s electronic and electro-pneumatic braking modules. The majority of the work will be carried out at Dowding & Mills’ Bredbury branch, which specialises in electronics and has a UKAS accredited laboratory on site. The UKAS facility was a key factor for SabWabco as it provides the company with the quality reassurance essential in an industry where safety is paramount.

Paul Green, procurement and logistics manager at SabWabco said: "Over the past two years we have tendered out the work to different suppliers but we wanted to consolidate our outsourcing and deal with just one company when it came to electronic braking modules. Dowding and Mills offered the right quality manufacturing, testing and repair work at a very competitive price. In addition, the company works in the same way as us, and, like us were very keen to develop this area of the business."

Kevin Hancox, general manager at Bredbury, said: "We won the contract because we fitted the bill fully, with our technical expertise and quality meeting all of SabWabco’s stringent requirements. This is an important contract for Dowding & Mills as it will enable us to work together as a division. There will be an opportunity for other branches to take on related work. This contract is very exciting and should be beneficial to all involved."