Part of Penn Elcom’s medium-term strategy for expansion into China, specialist flightcase and speaker hardware manufacturer Penn Elcom has acquired the majority shareholding in 19-inch rack manufacturer, Forsight.
Forsight will relocate to a newly constructed facility adjacent to Penn’s existing Asian operation in Guangdong Province. The resulting 55 per cent increase in floor space gives the combined operation a total of 17,000-sq-m. The CNC technology used in Forsight’s rack production will further enhance Penn’s existing high-end manufacturing capabilities. There will be full continuity between Penn’s Chinese operation and its two manufacturing plants in the UK.
First off Forsight’s new production line will be a fresh range of high-quality 19-inch rack cabinets for distribution throughout Asia and global markets via Penn’s existing global network of Depots and Distributors. This will include an imperial model geared specifically to the US, and an option of threaded rack rails for the other world markets (eliminating the need for cage nuts) and simplifying the process of populating racks with equipment and panels.
‘Forsight is already an established and well respected manufacturer with a reputation for fine engineering and robust product lines,’ says Penn-Elcom Chair, Roger Willems. ‘In addition, Forsight brings extensive CNC knowledge and substantial hardware investment to the Penn Elcom equation.’
The 19-inch rack market is expanding rapidly for Penn Elcom in Asia and the Pacific Rim, particularly in the A/V, IT and surveillance market sectors. The past five years has seen the company investing heavily to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to tap this potential, and to maintain its capability to deliver products made to the standards of excellence for which Penn is renowned.
Rack design, technical information and production planning schedules will be shared between the UK and China, with a duplication of manufacturing processes, RoHS certification and other quality control procedures at both sites. ‘This ensures not only a continuity of availability, but also maximises global logistics, allowing us to respond immediately to demand from any location worldwide,’ Willems explains.
More: www.penn-elcom.com
