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Specialising in lost-wax, investment and die casting, as well as forging, the company makes parts for industries including: electronics, electric vehicles, defence, oil and gas, railways and marine.
“Over the last 50 years, the company has developed innovative solutions to maintain its position as a manufacturing industry leader,” said MD Graham Stubbs. “Developing new processes has been the company’s focus whilst maintaining the highest quality investment casting and die-casting services. We are investing in the UK Foundry whilst continuing to develop our partner route.”
Dean Group is now a three-generation company with Sam Dean (photo left, left) there as an estimating engineer and Jack Hutchison (right) now deputy production manager. In the middle are Christopher Dean (Chairman, joined 1982, MD in 1995) and Carol Hutchison (joined 1985, nee Dean).
It was founded in Stretford in 1972 as Manchester Investment Castings: “We made everything ourselves including the wax injection machines, metal melting equipment and even the fencing” according to the company, which in 1982 moved to its current purpose-built facility in Irlam.
In 1990, before the advent of suitable commercial software, it commissioned its own Unix production, purchasing and estimating system, that was used until 2005.
In 2007 the company changed its name to Dean Group International.
Most recently, the company spent £200,000 on a 3D printing facility for rapid prototyping and making wax objects around which to form moulds for fast turn-around lost-wax metal casting. “Since the pandemic, we have recognised just how important it is to have the technology that makes the investment casting process quicker, right here on our doorstep,” it said.
Eighty guests gathered at the Black Swan in Warrington to celebrate the anniversary.
Dean Group makes products in the UK, as well as transferring manufacture to china for large production runs.
Top photo: Investment cast stainless steel solonoid housing.
Bottom: Investment cast aluminium
