Any company successfully operating for over 55 years has to be one that recognises emerging market trends and adapts and evolves to meet those needs. Padstow based D&D Smith Metal Pressers is one such company.
The company was established by Dennis Smith and his business partner Bruce McEwan as McEwan & Smith. Their business began with just a couple of machines in Dennis’s fathers back shed but after the first year of operation they had grown enough to begin renting a property. Later that decade they bought the premises and Dennis built a new factory with his own hands on the site.
The company took advantage of the boom in metal stamping that occurred in Sydney during the 1980s and soon became an acknowledged expert and leader in the metal-stamping industry.
Dennis was passionate about improving quality and efficiency and during this period implemented a fully accredited quality system to ISO9002 standards.
Current owner Daniel Smith, son of Dennis, began working for the company in 1998 when he was 22 and the company was subsequently renamed D&D Smith Metal Pressers and Production Engineers P/L.
In 2001 the company had outgrown its original premises and relocated to a larger factory in Padstow.
It was at this stage that Daniel recognised the need to broaden the company’s capabilities, resulting in the company moving into manufacturing metal door framings, roller doors and specialist equipment for the mining industry.
Due to the competitive nature of the industry, Daniel has always strived to ensure D&D has a clear point of difference by offering outstanding quality combined with quick turnaround.
Dennis was passionate about improving quality and efficiency and during this period implemented a fully accredited quality system to ISO9002 standards.
Current owner Daniel Smith, son of Dennis, began working for the company in 1998 when he was 22 and the company was subsequently renamed D&D Smith Metal Pressers and Production Engineers P/L.
In 2001 the company had outgrown its original premises and relocated to a larger factory in Padstow.
It was at this stage that Daniel recognised the need to broaden the company’s capabilities, resulting in the company moving into manufacturing metal door framings, roller doors and specialist equipment for the mining industry.
Due to the competitive nature of the industry, Daniel has always strived to ensure D&D has a clear point of difference by offering outstanding quality combined with quick turnaround.
“When you’ve been involved in metal stamping/toolmaking you get used to tight tolerances. We always go the extra mile to ensure the highest quality of the finished product,” Daniel said.
“We pride ourselves on our personal service and excellent lead times – something only a true Australian business can deliver. This has been the key to us both retaining current customers and acquiring new ones. Once we start a relationship with a new company they tend to stay with us,” Daniel said.
Another emerging trend that Daniel spotted more recently was in contract laser cutting. “Many local manufacturers and fabricators couldn’t justify a laser cutter for themselves but still wanted the quality of cut and quick turnaround that only a fiber laser cutter can provide,” said Daniel.
To capitalise on the potential of contract laser cutting and to offset a downturn in business that occurred at this time, Daniel purchased an Yawei HLF-1530 (4kW) model in 2018.
“I chose the Yawei as it offered high performance and quality of cut at a very competitive price. Plus, the benefit of using a local supplier like Applied Machinery with its technical expertise and support was the icing on the cake,” he said.
The simplicity of the programming and the cutting speed of the Yawei allowed D&D to handle short production runs, produce custom moulds and build prototype designs of the highest quality.
“We no longer needed to invest in expensive and time-consuming tooling; we could just build the form part and laser cut the blank die. All of a sudden we halved the tooling expense and sped up turnaround making small runs much more viable whilst opening up niche opportunities for us.
“The new fiber laser enabled us to talk to customers we’d never spoken to before - it essentially transformed my business,” Daniel went on to say.
The company’s focus on quality saw Daniel purchasing a specialist machine to operate in tandem with the new fiber laser. This machine’s ability to remove any sharp edges ensures the highest possible quality and finish of the end product.
Fast forward to the present day and whilst D&D still manufactures mining and metal stamped products, the major growth has occurred within the contract laser cutting side. Today this segment represents an impressive 50% of turnover vindicating Daniel’s decision to move into this market.
It is this remarkable growth that led to his decision to purchase another Yawei fiber laser - this time a high powered HLF 15kW model with a 2m x 4m bed. There were a number of key reasons why Daniel wanted to add a new machine and in particular, the 15kW model.
“I wanted to add a new fiber laser that wasn’t just faster but also cut thicker and longer – I wanted an addition not just a duplication.
“Given contract cutting represents such a large part of my turnover, I also wanted to protect myself against downtime for planned or unplanned maintenance on my lasers. A second machine gives me that protection. I pride myself on our speed and efficiency and I can’t afford to let customers down,” he said.
A significant part of the company’s contract work necessitates cutting numerous 8, 10 & 12mm thick plates. The work has also increased in this area and lead times were starting to stretch - another reason for the decision to purchase the new machine.
“Because the new 15kW machine is so powerful, it just smashes through these plates quickly and easily,” Daniel enthused.
In addition to the quality and value the Yawei brand offers, it was Daniel’s relationship with Applied that has proven equally satisfying. “Over the years we’ve developed a really good working relationship with Applied. We get on very well with all the staff and any teething problems we work together to fix – the support and back up is excellent,” he added.
“The new fiber laser will further broaden our capabilities and ensure we continue to look after our current customers with the quick turnaround we’re renowned for. It also provides us with a competitive advantage in the marketplace - we can cut much quicker but at the same hourly rate,” In just a few short months the impact of the new fiber laser is obvious. “My numbers over the last few months have been the biggest ever so this new machine has come just at the right time,” Daniel summed up.
