Established in 1988, SG Equipment (SGE), was created by the Hyde Group in response to the demand for a national specialist in the design and manufacture of aerospace and avionics ground support technology.
Nearly 25 years later, they’re the pre-eminent provider of this type of equipment with all their main capabilities accessible under one roof across an impressive 25,000 sq. ft. facility in Audenshaw, east Manchester
SGE has a fully-furnished machine shop with a range of CNC and conventional machining to support all their milling, turning, fitting and engraving requirements. Furthermore, they offer a 24/7 support team available for emergency onsite call-outs, having delivered crucial ground-level support in the UK, Italy, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia and Australia in less than 48 hours.
SGE has an extensive array of testing apparatus and are capable of carrying out pneumatic pressure testing to 10,000 psi, hydraulic pressure testing to 25,000 psi and electromagnetic compatibility testing. They use helium as a search gas across their vacuum leak detection test facilities and have personnel trained in CE marking of equipment. To complement these testing capabilities, SGE also offer ultrasonic cleaning using aqueous fluids to BAE Systems’ aircraft oxygen standard.
Additionally, SGE encompasses a state-of-the-art design suite. Employing leading 3D modelling and stress analysis software, their design team can take even the vaguest customer problem and produce a viable, technically acceptable and quality-assured solution. Moreover, the design department provides a project management role, overseeing, monitoring and controlling all work from the initial design stage through to manufacturing.
The company has a national reputation for their work in the electrical and electronic sectors., designing, manufacturing, testing and installing a broad scope of electrical and electronic ground test and support equipment. Utilising LabVIEW software they’ve developed many complex programmes that control equipment for blue chip clients across the globe.
Some equipment they supply requires annual servicing and calibration and the SGE team provides this at either the customer’s site or their own Manchester facility. They are also ATEX certified, so are qualified to work with equipment to be used in an explosive atmosphere.
Finally, SGE offers extensive commercial sewing capabilities. Despite the high demand for quality sewing providers, they are becoming increasingly challenging to locate. SGE’s commercial sewing department takes pride in this, practising the maxim ‘a difficult to find service we make easy to access’.
SGE’s highly specialised commercial sewing facility provides the design and manufacture of fully-approved aerospace soft covers, webbing and straps, all produced to the most exacting AID specifications, including UK MOD standards. Examples of the soft cover and specialist fabric products manufactured are strapping, webbing, bespoke equipment covers, full aircraft covers, pipe lagging, debris guards, banners and pennants, sensitive apparatus protection and bungs.
The ongoing recruitment of new employees is one of the challenges facing the wider engineering industry and SGE is committed to maintaining working with local apprenticeship schemes. The Hyde Group is particularly proud of winning Tameside College’s Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Award 2022.
“2022 is going to be another highly successful year for us and we’re confident we can continue to grow the business through 2023 and beyond”, states SGE’s Managing Director, Andrew Dobson. “We’re keen to speak to potential clients about building future trading relationships and we expect a prosperous and sustainable future for all of us at SG Equipment.”