Name:

Andy Simpson.

Age:

52.

What is your business called?

Angus 3D Solutions Ltd.

Where is it based?

Brechin.

What does it produce, what services does it offer?

Reverse-engineering, design, rapid prototype and production requirements using both Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) and traditional manufacturing technology.

Longer established methods (turning on lathes, milling on machining centres etc) involve material being removed to produce the desired product. Additive Manufacturing is the opposite - parts are made by only applying material layer by layer, where needed, to create the product - allowing very complex parts to be manufactured.

The technology is continually being developed and new materials being introduced regularly. These range from plastics, metals and even human tissue. The technology allows very complex and challenging parts to be manufactured which can’t normally be done using traditional methods. It is used in industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical and even by individuals who want to explore the inventor in themselves. We’re getting close to ‘if you can imagine it, we can print it’.

To whom does it sell?

General manufacturing businesses, the oil and gas industry, medical businesses, inventors, designers, SMEs and anyone who wants to explore the benefits this technology can bring.

What is its turnover?

£250,000.

How many employees?

Two and a cocker spaniel.

When was it formed?

January 2017.

Why did you take the plunge?

To take control of my work-life balance and career destiny. I also saw an opportunity to develop additive manufacturing and bring a new service to the Scottish manufacturing industry.

What were you doing before?

I spent more than 35 years in manufacturing - managing several privately-owned and international manufacturing companies in the UK, Europe, Russia and the Middle East, including a purpose-built multi-million-dollar oil and gas manufacturing plant in the Middle East.

My move from working in a large oil and gas corporation to running my own business was driven by spending a significant amount of time closing manufacturing facilities and moving work overseas, which was not something I enjoyed.

I also saw Additive Manufacturing wasn’t being adopted or being used by typical Scottish manufacturing industries and I wanted to change this. The change to self-employment has been exciting but also scary as I no longer have the large corporate support for sales, marketing, IT, HR or accounts departments etc to lean on. I must wear all these hats daily, but that is also fun.

How did you raise the start-up funding?

We believe in the future of this technology, so the start-up was self-funded.

What was your biggest break?

A £175,000 grant from Zero Waste Scotland, announced in October 2018. This has allowed us to bring the first Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) 3D metal printer to Scotland. Others in the UK are used internally by universities and F1 teams. The printer will support efforts to develop a circular economy in manufacturing and make the technology accessible to companies and industries in Scotland.

A circular economy is focused on making products last longer - ‘Make, Use, Remake’ rather than ‘Make, Use, Dispose’. The goal is to keep products and materials circulating in a high-value state of use for as long as possible and to maximise resources. This is achieved by designing products smartly with their whole life cycle in mind, reusing and repairing to extend their useful life and then, when their life is deemed over, remanufacturing to create new products from old.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?

Independence, having control of my destiny and meeting and working with various companies and individuals. They all come from different industries and backgrounds and have different ideas and requirements. It’s also great to see how many innovative businesses there are on our doorstep and to be involved in their exciting projects.

What do you least enjoy?

The ‘hoops’ you have to jump through to get help at times, usually resulting in wasting limited and valuable time, which is very frustrating.

People claim there is an endless amount of financial funding and help available but the innovation funds are tailored for big companies or academia, not start-ups. The future of Scottish manufacturing is dependent on innovation and innovation depends on start-up businesses, not big businesses, so helping start-ups to innovation funding is important.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

Scotland has an impressive engineering and manufacturing history. I want to contribute to maintaining and further developing this reputation by offering the latest manufacturing technology and encourage the next generation to look at engineering and manufacturing as a career choice.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help?

Make support available to SMEs to complete applications for the sourcing of grants or funds when it comes to innovative projects, as these are heavy in detail and take up too much resources to complete. The route and access to funding must be made clearer for start-ups.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

Things take far longer than plan, especially if you deal with public bodies. (Their passion for innovation isn’t the same as your passion).

How do you relax?

I love walking Jasper our Cocker Spaniel around the Edzell countryside.