TDK-Lambda Invests £11.5M To Expand UK Manufacturing Facility
TDK-Lambda announces a 3.5-year expansion plan to boost production capacity at its U.K.-based manufacturing center.
TDK-Lambda, a group belonging to Japanese power giant TDK Corporation, is making a significant upgrade to its U.K. manufacturing operation. The medical and industrial power supply manufacturer plans to double production capacity at its facility in Ilfracombe, U.K., fueled by an £11.5 million ($14.8 million USD) investment rolled out over three and a half years.
Rendering of TDK-Lambda’s upcoming manufacturing redevelopment in Ilfracombe, U.K. (Image courtesy of TDK Corporation)
The plan comes as demand for medical and laboratory power supplies is skyrocketing through the COVID-19 pandemic. The group’s power supply units and other products are used for portable ventilators, virus detection, swab testing and mobile X-ray equipment.
In the announcement, TDK-Lambda U.K. Managing Director Geoff Wilby said that deliveries to healthcare and biodiagnostic customers have increased by six to tenfold since the start of the outbreak.
The announcement also noted that with U.S.-China tariffs coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, customers are seeking reliable and resilient manufacturing networks, especially in the European market. The investment will automate material flow and expand manufacturing and R&D space.
The facility was first established more than 50 years ago in Ilfracombe, along the Devonshire coastline in southwest England. TDK Corporation acquired the Lambda power supplies business from Invensys Plc in 2005 for £134 million, then forming TDK-Lambda Corporation in 2008.
TDK-Lambda went on to expand its U.K. footprint in 2013, opening an Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol. And in May 2019, TDK-Lambda added a £1 million EMC center to the Ilfracombe facility, enabling the company to test and certify its products on site.
The company touts TDK-Lambda U.K. as Britain’s largest manufacturer and designer of standard and configurable AC/DC and DC/DC power supplies. Around 300 people are employed at the Ilfracombe and Bristol sites.
The Ilfracombe redevelopment project will roll out in four phases, starting with new offices and a health and fitness center for employees. Next, the company will expand its R&D and product verification, testing and manufacturing facilities.
New storage facilities and AGVs for material handling will be added to the area between the two factory buildings. The manufacturing space will then be configured with new front end assembly and back end configuration and testing production areas.
