ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1969
50 Years of Experience
The origins of Wye Cylinder can be traced back into the 1950s to its original owner and founder Mel Bayliss. Born in 1928, Mel had a passion for engineering and in particular, motorised travel. So much so in 1959, Mel built his first “Fastakart” racing Kart, which was all the rage at the time.
Less than 10 years later, however, there was a turning point and Mel was asked to build his first hydraulic cylinder for one of his customers, By early 1969 Mel had manufactured his first farm tipping ‘ram’ and his new business was born.
Fast-forward to 1972 and Mel was joined in the business by his son Ken, who can be seen in the middle of the motorbike picture as a little boy in shorts! Ken completed his engineering training and by 1975 Ken was in charge of the entire Bromyard factory, at the young age of 25. By the time he was 36 Ken was running the company and since then has taken the business to new heights.
To this day, Wye Cylinder remains a family business producing high-quality hydraulic cylinders to a wide range of sectors including waste management and mining, but farming and agriculture remain at its core. At 50 years young our manufacturing has changed a lot, but our core values and family involvement have changed little.
Investment
Wye Cylinder
Our Objectives
WCE has a clear set of objectives within its ambitious 2020-2023 strategic plan
- Deliver superior levels of product quality & customer service
- Provide an environment where people thrive & achieve their potential
- Reduce the impact of our operations on the environment
This strategy is supported by £1.8m of our own investment.
Wye Cylinder
Our Values
Fair – in the way we interact with our customers, suppliers & staff.
Strong – through the combined effort of all our skilled & dedicated staff.
Loyal – to those who support our integrity, passion & vision.
Honest – in the way we do business with everyone.
Inquisitive – making sure we let no opportunity go to waste.
Resilient – so we can deal with anything that comes our way.
Strong Values
CNC Machines
Wye Cylinder
Our Facilities
Our production facility of 30,000ft2 hosts 20+ top of the range CNC machines. We have invested over £4m into our machinery which has seen the introduction of robotics, barfeed systems, 5-axis machinery & vertical machining centres. This dramatically reduces our unit cycles time meaning we can provide savings on cylinders produced.
Other features of our facilities include:
- In house welding & automatic welding with MIG / MAG
- Ultrasonic cleaning of all components prior to assembly
- Assembly shop fitted with crane facilities
- Purpose-built test rigs
- 2 pac painting system
Click here to visit our gallery with more pictures of our production facility.
Quality, Competitively Priced
Wye Cylinder Quality
Working with some of the finest technology and machinery available in manufacturing today, our products are British made, with all major components manufactured on site within our factory. Precision is key, so we work to tight quality management systems and test all products throughout the manufacturing process to ensure you only ever receive the highest quality.
Every product receives a computer controlled final test before leaving our factory, and with a comprehensive route card system to track production, we can update you on the status of your order at any point and work back through the entire history of each product that we manufacture.
Our helpful and knowledgeable staff will guide you through the entire process. Whether you are looking to purchase a standard product from existing stock, a standard product with slight variations, or a completely bespoke product designed to your specification, our sales and design team will work with you to gather your requirements before recommending the best solution.
Units Per Year
%
Customer Satisfaction
Customer Service & After Sales
Customer Service
Meet Our Team
Ken Bayliss
Managing Director
As MD, Ken’s main focus is to provide strategic direction to the company and to ensure that all departments are delivering product and service to our customers’ needs and expectations.
Richard Williams
Operations Director
Richard oversees the entire manufacturing process, from material procurement through to final testing of each and every hydraulic cylinder, ready for packaging and delivery. Richard’s focus is on maximising the quality of the product whilst reducing lead times for customers.
Phil Watkins
Engineering, Sales & Marketing Director
Phil has a broad portfolio of responsibility including all aspects of product design, development and sales to all new customers. Combining a technical skillset with sales means that customers’ expectations are set right first time and are not ‘sold’ what we can’t deliver on!
Adam Bayliss
Customer Services Director
Adam looks after all our existing accounts and customers. His role is key to customers receiving goods on time and to specification. Adam maintains close links with our customers and scrutinises customer feedback not only on a daily basis but also via our annual customer survey.
Nick Berry
Resources Director
Nick manages all information/communication systems, finance, software, hardware, buildings & equipment at Wye. This can vary from network support and managing the ERP database, to negotiating new contracts with infrastructure suppliers.
Darryl Richardson
Technical Engineer
Darryl oversees all aspects of the CAD system from producing 2D production drawings to 3D modelling of conceptual customer designs. Upon design approval, Darryl will set jobs up within the ERP system ensuring a smooth workflow throughout the factory.
Patricia Jones
Accounts Administrator
Patricia’s main role is to maintain and administer the accounts office procedures, she also handles all internal personnel issues. If you already deal with WCE, you’ve most likely spoken with Patricia on the phone.
