Matthews Brothers Engineering (MBE) has established a reputation for designing and manufacturing robust road construction equipment. The MBE team takes Roads & Infrastructure behind the scenes to learn more about its highly refined production process.
How do you reinvigorate and innovate consistently? It’s a question that the team at MBE has been asking itself for decades.
For the specialised road construction equipment manufacturer, it’s the many fine details that make up a sprayer, spreader, or tanker where continued improvements can be made.
MBE has been manufacturing specialised bitumen handling equipment since the 1970s, designing and producing such machines in-house, built for Australian conditions and applications.
Sally Rolfe, MBE Operations Manager says the company has polished its equipment and methods over time, resulting in a production process that satisfies the varying needs and desires of its loyal customers.
“Being a part of a small business, I wear many different hats. I do all of the new sales, help with fleet management, conduct operations management, as well as finance management,” she says.
“Through my work with Paul (Matthews) I was introduced to a lot of our new or existing clients, so I became his support person in that space. When his role eventually changed, I was primed and ready to step up.”
Rolfe’s role is highly dynamic. She’s also at the very top of the traditional production process, starting and maintaining the initial conversation with committed and prospective clients.
A unique aspect of Matthews Brothers Engineering’s machinery and equipment is the adaptability, through customisation. With bountiful options available, Rolfe works closely with the customer to develop a design that can satisfy their requirements.
As she explains, a number of factors dictate the final design.
“Those early conversations are very much around ‘how do you use it? What environment do you work in?’ It’s about getting an understanding of how and where they operate their machinery,” Rolfe says.
“There are options that you need if you’re working in the middle of Australia, but if you’re working in metropolitan Melbourne, you might need something completely different. It’s important to reach that understanding before moving on to the design.”
MBE has placed a particular emphasis on improving this step of the process, aiming to simplify the many options for customers, ensuring that they’re not overwhelmed. Rolfe also utilises the knowledge of different MBE departments to mould the initial concept.
“A lot has changed in the way that we present information,” she says. “We want to make sure that the customer can have a clearer understanding of the options that we offer. We’re massive on constant refinement, looking at improvements internally around how we can better articulate our offerings at a price that’s as cost effective as possible for the customer.”
Once clients under Rolfe’s guidance have selected their ideal setup, she’s tasked with developing a build list that can then be passed on to MBE’s design and engineering team.
Every stage of the design development process can be carried out by MBE’s team, who are equipped with the latest modern design capabilities, as well as decades of industry experience between them.
This also applies to equipment requirements that may fall outside of MBE’s existing product range.
“We’ve also done a lot of work internally to make sure there’s clear build lists and communication around what the client wants, that way you’re not just looking at 30 boxes that need to be ticked on a piece of paper,” Rolfe says. “Once the build list is handed over, our crew can ask questions and reconfirm a few details if need be.”
Multi-disciplined design
A big part of MBE’s manufacturing process is its pre-production design review. This step comprises the development of a final design using three-dimensional CAD software.
This is especially important in producing detailed fabrication, machining, and general arrangement drawings, as well as laser cutting profiles.
Deepak Nair is MBE’s Design Engineer and is responsible for working through the build-specific features, concentrating on aspects of detailed design.
As Nair explains, this stage is important for two key reasons. The first being clear communication to the production team on what needs to go where. The second, is to provide a clear three-dimensional concept for clients to review, as well as a detailed file to keep for future reference.
Throughout the detailed design stage, Nair consults with other departments to ensure that all aspects of the multi-disciplined production process are considered.
“I begin to put together the unit in a virtual three-dimensional world using a software called SolidWorks. It’s very important that I can discuss the design with other team members, as there’s a number of things that we can do in the 3D world that can’t be reproduced in the real world,” he says.
“There are people that have been working here and building the same units for 30 years, so there’s so much knowledge that I can benefit from. There’s always a better way of doing things.”
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Once the three-dimensional model is complete, Nair and his team begin the process of completing part drawings, assembly drawings and manufacturing drawings. A list of components for order is then finalised, before everything arrives at the workshop.
Nair says the dynamic nature of his role, as well as the team spirit, are big reasons why he enjoys his role at MBE.
“Whenever I look for a role, I look for three things. The first is the opportunity to learn, the second is the opportunity to contribute and the third is the excitement and doing something different on a daily basis,” he says.
“The business is 100 years old, so there’s a tonne of experience there. I’m constantly learning new things every day, there’s always something new happening. I get a great sense of satisfaction and pride as well that I’m helping the company to achieve its goals.”
Last checks
Once the production drawing is finalised, Martin (Marty) Barker, MBE Production Supervisor is tasked with overseeing the final build for the designed MBE unit.
Barker is one of MBE’s most experienced team members, having been at the business for just shy of 25 years. If a client has ever operated an MBE sprayer, there’s a good chance that Barker has had a hand in its production.
“Because I’ve been around for so long, quite often people will come to hear what I think about a particular design or part,” he says. “They really value my input and it’s a proper team effort.”
Barker’s wealth of experience makes him ideally placed to support members of the production team throughout the build, acting as a conduit between production and engineering to ensure a seamless flow of information.
“It’s my role to check in with the team on the floor to see how they’re tracking and if there’s any potential hold-ups to their progress,” Barker says. “I also assist if there’s any drawing or design issues. Sometimes it’s about finding a better way or altering the build, that’s where we’ll revisit and share with the design and engineering team.”
Throughout the build process, Barker and Rolfe will regularly touch base, allowing clients to be frequently updated with the build. Whether it’s via telephone conversations, emails, or by sharing images of the build as it progresses, these product updates are usually well-received by the client.
On top of seeing the end product fully designed and built, Barker says another aspect that fills him with a sense of pride and purpose is the knowledge exchange between generations.
“Being able to teach something new to one of our younger team members is a great part of the job, one of the aspects that I enjoy the most,” he says. “I can talk about a lot of this stuff for hours and hours!”
Barker says it’s a highly dynamic environment, with each build presenting its own set of opportunities and challenges. Rolfe agrees, saying the construction of each unit takes much more than just the right tools and teamwork.
“Our production team aren’t just production line workers, they are much more,” she says. “If we’ve got a new design or concept, it’s up to them to think outside of the box. They’re very skilled in strategising to make sure that we can turn a drawing into reality.
“We’re constantly learning, and it’s fast-paced around the shop. There’s a real flow now from design to the workshop, which only improves the outcome of the product in the end.”
Rolfe says that MBE is still fine-tuning and improving its production process, with it being far from a perfect picture. As she explains, the progress already made is a positive indication of what’s to come.
“The positive feedback that comes through is essentially around our technical support, our training capabilities and how intuitive our trucks are,” she says.
“The Matthews Brothers Engineering brand just shines through. A lot of our customers aren’t novice operators, they’re people who have been in the sector for a number of years. They’ve been in the game for a long time, and they know their stuff.
“They all rave about Matthews Brothers Engineering trucks. That feedback is as good as you’ll get.”
This article was originally published in the September edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.