AEGIS RUBBER ENGINEERING LTD.   

The People

     Ernie Cutts PhD (Managing Director and Rubber Expert).  After a spell as a photo-chemist, Ernie joined MRPRA (an institute set up to carry out research on natural rubber). After 10 years at MRPRA Ernie was transformed from a chemist to a rubber technologist with a strong interest in rubber to metal bonding and compound development. As the 'rubber chemist’ at Silentbloc, Ernie was responsible for: 

·      Compound development, specification and testing

·      Bonding specification and testing off both materials and components

·      Setting of moulding conditions and all shop-floor trouble-shooting to do with moulding, bonding, painting and other subsidiary chemical processes

At Silentbloc Ernie also acted as an adviser on part design where the mechanical requirements differed from existing engineering experience.

    Geoff Gray (Sales & Technical Director) Trained as a HND engineer, Geoff joined Silentbloc in 1972 and after a time as an estimating engineer he joined the sales force. To large and small companies Geoff became the principal contact, recommending solutions to vibration problems, consulting with the design and development team at implementing the solution.  At ARE Geoff has continued to act as a principal technical sales contact, drawing from many years of experience in the industry.

    John Hems (Design & Development Engineer) John graduated in 1998 with first-class honours in Mechanical Design Engineering. He continued his studies at the University of Cambridge on an Advanced Course in Design, Manufacture and Management, complementing his engineering education with broad industrial experience. In early 2001 John became a TCS associate at the University of Brighton, working with Aegis Rubber Engineering on the specification of optimum mounts systems for wind generator drive trains. On successfully completing his project John joined Ferrabyrne Ltd, a manufacturer of rubber mounts and anti-roll systems for the railways. During his time there, John concentrated on the design and development of anti-roll system components and Finite Element Analysis of metal and rubber based components, solving non-linear contact and hyperelastic material models and making qualitative and quantitative improvements in component fatigue life. John returns to Aegis Rubber Engineering with a high level of relevant engineering experience of the rubber industry.

    Lee Gaterell (Sales Manager) Lee joined Aegis Rubber Engineering Ltd. in 1994 as a moulder and was quickly promoted to shift-leader. His natural ease with people coupled with his knowledge of the company and its products made Lee the natural choice to work in sales. Lee is now the prime mover in this department providing knowledgeable and friendly support to new and existing customers.

    Miles Beauchamp (Engineering Mentor) (Retired) Miles is a graduate engineer who after engineering gun turrets in the war joined Silentbloc in the relatively new venture of isolating passengers from engine and road vibrations in all forms of road transport. He contributed to the development of the non-bonded concentric bush, which is known as the Silentbloc. He has been involved in solutions of many anti-vibration problems leading to the design and development of many rubber based anti-vibration systems. He has taken on the roles of design, development, and test engineer. As an ageing engineer at home with the pencil and drawing board he gently guides us all, preventing us succumbing to the pitfalls of previous generations. In the development of rubber as an anti-vibration material, if Miles has not been involved, he has known the people who were.

    Debbie Clark (Accounts Administrator) and Leanne Dignum (Purchasing and General Administration) complete our office-based staff.

Our production is lead by Rod Walker and Danny Clark, ably assisted by shift leader, Lee Graham. Between them they have 40 years service with us. Rod had 15 years moulding experience prior to this. All our operators are in-house trained and we employ no temporary staff.

   Jason Wesley employed initially as a moulder, has a natural flair for engineering and now looks after the product quality.

Our precision engineering workshop has a small team of highly trained machinists using state of the art machinery to make our tooling and metalwork. The team is ably lead by Graham Thornton, a traditionally trained toolmaker with 25 years of post apprentice experience

At Aegis Rubber Engineering we employ only trained and experience permanent staff to ensure that we produce unrivalled quality products. Thanks to our unique production we are completive on short to medium sized production runs with no minimum order quantities.

The Cohesive Unit

With our balance of up to date computer design, traditional engineering experience, and knowledge of rubber we are well placed to produce virtual solutions to your vibration problems. With our versatile manufacturing designed for rapid response we can turn these solutions into physical products. With our control of much of the processing we do this economically with no compromise to quality.

Aegis Rubber Engineering Ltd. maintains links with several universities and research organisations working at the forefront of the use of rubber as an engineering material. We acted as prime propose for 2 pan European CRAFT projects on rubber to metal bonding (TARRC was the lead academic institution). We have also run two KTP projects with Brighton University. The first was on modelling vibrating systems; the second was on the engineering properties of rubber.