Queensland-based Evolve Group is proving the extraordinary value to the Australian economy of innovative advanced design and local manufacturing, with exports from this multiple-award winning company destined for more than 130 countries.
Founded in 1978, Evolve Group’s status as a company at the very forefront of competitive Australian manufacturing has never been more apparent than in its response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. In a vivid demonstration of the benefits of manufacturing in Australia, Evolve Group was able to provide an advanced design and a commitment to manufacture 100,000 P2/N95 respirators and medical face masks per day, with the construction of a clean room and production commencing within just two weeks.
Working closely with local Queensland hospital surgical teams, Evolve Group’s design of a new face shield is now being heralded as the most comfortable face shield in the healthcare industry. Studying how a face shield is used by medical professionals has delivered the outcome of a shield featuring a comfortable gel pad relieving pressure on the forehead of the wearer, a removable vent cap for ventilation, an easily replaced shield with anti-fog and scratch properties, and an ergonomic design for all-day comfort. With the further benefit of one size fitting all, this advanced design medical face shield is already attracting interest from the USA, South Africa and Europe.
“So many companies source product from overseas in the belief that it is cheaper,” says Mayer Jung, Evolve Group’s Design & Development Manager. “Yet as a company, we have been successfully reshoring manufacturing to Australia and expanding our exports with a competitive advantage and shorter lead times for our clients.”
To meet the critical time frame and the precision tooling required, Evolve Group invested in the latest Okuma MB-56VA S15 CNC vertical machining centre, with an OSP-P300MA control. Featuring an extremely rigid double-column structure and a large bed size incorporating a high-speed 32 position automatic tool changer, the machining centre is providing greatly enhanced additional capacity, consistent precision output that does not require finishing, plus the ability for long multiple unaided production runs.
With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, the installation and commissioning were successfully and seamlessly completed remotely, with all training undertaken by Okuma’s National Technology Manager Karl Cory, via online meetings applications such as Zoom and TeamViewer. Further training will be undertaken by Okuma as required by Evolve Group engineers once the current pandemic restrictions are eased.
“In looking at CNC machining centres, Okuma was our first choice based on our experience,” explains Jung. “It is considered to be top of the range and the machine we needed was immediately available.
“For the operators of the Okuma machining centre there is the ability to produce more tooling in-house. The operating system is good to work with, there is a dramatic increase in utilisation of the machine and the quality of the finished product is exceptional.”
“Our company has had a long-term relationship with Okuma and still operates a 20-plus year machine that has served the company well. And back-up service and technical advice from Okuma Australia is amazingly supportive.”
Wide-ranging capabilities
Headquartered in Crestmead, in Brisbane’s southern suburbs, Evolve Group has been innovating and expanding its wide-ranging capabilities for many years. Today the company employs a highly skilled team of more than 100 staff, and services a diverse range of markets including medical; automotive; electrical; heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration; building and DIY; plumbing and gas fitting; pool and spa; fishing; industrial; and general engineering.
Evolve Group’s extend design and manufacturing capabilities encompass injection moulding, over-moulding, material sourcing, tooling and fabrication, robotics and automation, supply chain and distribution. The company utilises the latest rapid tool and conformal tool verification technology, and every injection moulding machine on the floor is equipped with a servo-driven robot with a custom-made end of arm to retrieve specific parts in the most efficient way.
Design, development and sustainable marketing is at the heart of this innovative ISO 9001 accredited company, winning it awards such as the coveted 2016 Good Design Award of the Year, and also the prestigious Best Product Innovation Award for the design, manufacture and optimisation of the Flow Hive, an inventive beehive system. The company has been named in the top 50 most innovative companies in the Australian Financial Review Awards, plus multiple Australian Good Design Awards.
“Our team not only designs new products but works closely with customers to refine and/or improve a design to maximise efficiency, reduce the cost of production and improve return on investment for your clients,” says Jung. “Our ability is getting it right the first time, at the lowest possible cost, in the shortest time-frame with minimal risk, but we also look and advise customers on the marketing aspects for long-term sustainability of a product.”
A recent demonstration of the advantages of reshoring manufacturing production back into Australia has been Evolve Group’s involvement in the innovative Seabin Project. Created by two Sunshine Coast residents and a Byron Bay local, the Seabin collects tens of thousands of discarded plastic bags, disposable cups and plastic bottles from waterways, currently operating across 52 countries. Seabin production has recently been relocated from France to Evolve Group’s facility in Crestmead – a decision taken both on a sound economic basis as well as the advantage of supporting local jobs.
The company is already looking at acquiring additional sites to provide for further expansion of its design, manufacturing and logistics facilities.
“At Okuma we understand the importance of competitive manufacturing to Australia and the need to adapt service levels to meet customers’ essential service requirements in the current climate,” said Dean McCarroll, Managing Director for Okuma Australia. “It is a pleasure to work with such an innovative company as the Evolve Group in commissioning latest Okuma CNC machining technology, and an example of what can be achieved to ensure Australian manufacturers remain highly competitive in the international market.”