Buyer's guide
Choosing a UK moulding partner.
Not written to sell you TCI — written so that if you talk to us, you can hold your side of the conversation.
Intro
Choosing a UK moulding partner.
There are dozens of UK moulding suppliers, and they vary widely in what they're actually set up to do well. This is our honest guide to how to compare them.
Ask what they actually run in-house
Some 'moulders' are really design shops that outsource. That's fine if it suits you, but you should know. Ask what percentage of parts leave the door made on their own equipment.
Ask about material range
A supplier that only runs one material will always recommend that material. Ask what else is in the workshop. If you get a vague answer, they probably don't run much of it.
Ask for the quality process
Not 'are you ISO?' — anyone can be certified to almost anything. Ask 'walk me through what happens when a tool leaves your door'. The answer will tell you more than any logo.
Ask about first-off approval
You should sign off first parts before the tool is 'released'. If that step isn't in their process, ask why.
Ask what happens when it goes wrong
Every workshop has bad days. The differentiator is how they handle them. Ask for a story of a job that didn't go smoothly and how they resolved it.
Ask what the paperwork looks like
You should be able to look at their material spec document before you order. If it isn't ready to be seen, it isn't ready to be relied on.
Quick reference
A one-glance version of the guide above.
They actually mould in-house
→ Not just design
Multiple materials on the shelf
→ Not just one
First-off sign-off in the standard process
→ Not a special request
A material spec you can see before ordering
→ Not one that turns up with the invoice
A named engineer on your job
→ Not a ticket in a queue
A UK workshop you can visit
→ Not just a UK letterhead
In closing
One more thing.
If all of this rings true when you compare us against others, we'd love to hear from you. If it doesn't, honestly, tell us — we'd rather know.
Related reading
Where to read next.
UK-designed, UK-made, coordinated from one Warwickshire workshop.
Our design and development sits in Bidford-on-Avon. So does the majority of our moulding. Some higher-volume production…
One quality system. Four divisions. Same paperwork, same standard.
Whichever door you came in through, the quality system behind your job is the same. Same procedures, same audit trail,…
About
How TCI Group is put together.
The group
Where this fits in the group
Four specialist teams share our workshop, our engineering bench and a single quality system. Pick a doorway, or ring us and we'll route you.
Get in touch
Not sure which division? Tell us what you're making.
Send us a sketch, a photograph, or a paragraph. We'll come back with the right division, the right route, and an honest sense of what it will take.
Real people, a real workshop
You deal with the people who make it.
No call centre and no middlemen. When you contact TCI Group, you speak to the team who design, build and check your mould.
- A real Warwickshire workshopUnit 15, Waterloo Park, Bidford-on-Avon, Alcester B50 4JG.
- Real people on the phoneCall the team on 01789 224228, Monday to Friday.
- The same team on every jobDesign, production and aftercare come from the people you see here.
- Five brands, one teamMoulds, culinary, construction and contract products, all run from Bidford-on-Avon. See the divisions.
Thomas LaneManaging Director
George PrestonDesign & Project Manager
Kelly BallingerHead of Partnerships
Jim AndertonProduction Manager
TheodoreEmployee Welfare