Britain has a strong reputation for its manufacturing, engineering and innovation. Across the world, British companies are renowned for their focus on quality.
Established over 80 years ago, Cox Wokingham Plastics is proud of the role it has played in establishing and maintaining that reputation amongst both its UK and overseas customers.
From our base in Wokingham, Berkshire, we thermoform plastic parts and components for a wide range of applications including buses, aircraft, medical and rail.
Here’s a look at just some of the ways we champion quality.
Made in Britain
Cox Wokingham Plastics is a member of Made in Britain.
Made in Britain is a protected trademark which is internationally recognised and exclusively available to British manufacturers.
As a member, Cox Wokingham Plastics can use the official logo to help UK and international buyers identify that the products and parts we produce are UK-made.
Recent issues surrounding global manufacturing supply chains – including the pandemic and conflict in Ukraine and Iran – have seen a significant increase in demand for domestic manufacturing in the UK.
Both British and European brands are increasingly looking to identify more reliable and quality-focused suppliers closer to home.
As such, we are very proud of our Made in Britain status – helping to reinforce our commitment to local manufacturing and exemplifying the trusted qualities that are associated with British-made products.
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is the world’s leading standard for maintaining a quality management system (QMS).
Created by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), it gives businesses a framework to follow to ensure they consistently deliver products and services which meet or exceed the standards their customers expect.
Its core principles are:
- Customer focus – Making sure Cox Wokingham Plastics meets client needs and boosts their satisfaction
- Process approach – Ensuring we view all work as connected steps that flow together to enhance quality
- Continuous improvement – Encouraging Cox Wokingham Plastics to always look for ways to resolve issues and get better
- Risk-based thinking – Making sure we identify and stop quality issues before they happen
ISO 9001 matters to Cox Wokingham Plastics because it helps demonstrate to customers that our dedication to quality is enshrined throughout our business.
Evolving quality standards for aerospace
Cox Wokingham Plastics is proud to produce plastic parts and components used within aerospace.
This exciting sector is always at the cutting-edge of technology and innovation, including how it ensures the highest quality.
Two ways in which this manifests itself are First-Off Component Reports and Production Part Approval Process (PPAPs) – and Cox Wokingham Plastics are experienced in delivering both.
A First-Off Component Report provides evidence that the first component produced from a new or changed manufacturing process meets all the engineering requirements.
In the case of thermoformed plastic parts, this can relate to:
- Every dimension and tolerance
- Material grade and certification
- Surface finish
- Manufacturing processes
- Relevant functional requirements
- Manufacturing and inspection records
- Traceability of the material, batch, machine or tooling
All results are recorded against the specification and anything outside tolerance is identified and remedied.
Production Part Approval Process originated in automotive manufacturing but is now an important requirement in aerospace supply chains too.
A PPAP goes beyond the initial product to demonstrate that the supplier has fully understood the customer’s requirements and has a controlled, capable production process that can repeatedly manufacture compliant components.
Evidence within the PPAP can include:
- First-Off Component Report
- Design records
- Process Flow Diagram
- PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
- Control Plan
- Measurement System Analysis
- Dimensional results
- Material certificates
- Special-process certificates
- Capability studies
Typically associated with larger manufacturers, Cox Wokingham Plastics is proud to deliver both of these important quality assurance measures, helping maintain our status as a trusted manufacturer and supplier for aerospace companies.
ISO 14001
Sustainability is a primary focus of all modern businesses – including Cox Wokingham Plastics.
ISO 14001 is the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective Environmental Management System (EMS) to help organisations reduce their ecological footprint.
An EMS is a structured framework of internal rules and processes that guides how a business manages its environmental responsibilities.
The core goals of ISO 14001 are:
- Preventing pollution – stopping harmful waste or emissions before they occur
- Increasing resource efficiency – such as using less energy, water and raw materials
- Legal compliance – to meet all international, national and local environmental legislation
- Continuous improvement – finding ways to improve our environmental habits and further reduce our impact on the planet
Achieving ISO 14001 is important for Cox Wokingham Plastics as it demonstrates our commitment to reducing our ecological footprint, identifying ways to continually increase our sustainability and working towards Net Zero.
Quality at our heart
Cox Wokingham Plastic’s journey began in 1943, producing canopies for Spitfires engaged in the Second World War.
Since then, our operations have grown and modernised as we’ve delivered thermoformed plastic parts and components to a wide range of UK based companies in many manufacturing sectors.
Our customers demand and deserve consistency in the products we produce. As such, throughout our history, we’ve always placed quality at the top of our priorities.
We’ve done so in a number of ways…
- Quality Control (QC) – Inspecting products or services both during and at the end of the process to identify and reject defects before they reach customers
- Quality Assurance (QA) – Monitoring steps throughout production to prevent errors occurring in the first place
- Total Quality Management (TQM) – Making quality a core responsibility of every worker in our business, from leadership to production line
- Continuous Improvement – Using the principles of Kaizen to make small, ongoing changes to eliminate waste and improve efficiency
- Quality Management Systems – achieving and maintaining ISO 9001
Furthermore, becoming a member of Made in Britain reinforces our dedication to UK manufacturing and the trust our customers place in us as a quality supplier.
Why choose Cox Wokingham Plastics?
Cox Wokingham Plastics is a leading producer of thermoformed plastic parts and components.
The pieces we produce are intrinsic to products in many sectors, including aviation, rail, buses and coaches.
More than just a manufacturer, we can help with every step of the process – from concepts and prototyping, through toolmaking and production, to support and aftercare.
Our focus on quality is also supported by our facilities, including equipment like our GEISS T10 – one of the UK’s most advanced pressure formers which can apply up to 44 tonnes of pressure.
If you’re seeking fast, flexible and dependable production of quality parts and components – from a trusted British manufacturer – we’re ready to help.
To find out more, get in touch with our experienced team.