Sky+HD – made a lot closer to home than you might think.
Ask a Sky + customer about their viewing habits and they’ll tell you than this piece of equipment has revolutionized the way they watch TV. The arrival of HD version not only provides access to stunning visual effects, but also a larger memory making it possible to record more and more programmes.
Most people expect this type of technology to come with a far eastern logo, and to be designed and manufactured in the same region. So it will come as a surprise to find that the HD box was not only designed in the UK but is also manufactured in Europe.
In early 2008 we were approached by the purchasing department of Celestica, a Canadian multi-national subcontract electronics manufacturer with plants all over the World, and specifically for Clamason, Oradea on the Slovak/Romanian border.
Celestica were in negotiation with Amstrad (soon to become Sky) to manufacture their version of the HD box at their Romanian mega-site, Celestica, a mere four hours drive from our facility in Nitra, Slovakia. They (Celestica) had done a great deal of work on the project, specifically the comparative cost of Chinese manufacture, and subsequent shipping costs, against local European production with the obvious benefits of transit time being measured in hours and days rather than six weeks by sea. At the time oil prices had shot through the roof, plus Celestica were able to show that Pace, an Amstrad competitor were already successfully making set –top boxes in Eastern Europe.
A contract was agreed in later November for Clamason to make the metal pressings needed for the HD box, whilst the moulding would also be made in Slovakia by an existing Celestica sub-contractor, and Far East transplant, CFM. However we were unable to make all the parts at our Slovak facility due to the type of product versus our available equipment.
Two sets of transfer press line tools were made using a UK agent for Chinese toolmakers, specifically the chassis and cover – although the HD box has the appearance of being a plastic product this is simply aesthetics; underneath the black moulded surround is actually a fully formed metal box to dissipate heat, and control RFI (Radio Frequency Interference).
Four other parts were also required; three internal aluminium pressings, and the printed rear panel, these were all made at the Clamason facility in Kingswinford in the West Midlands, and either shipped direct to Oradea (in the case of the aluminium) or to Nitra in the case of the rear panel where the labour intensive two colour printing was applied, - proving yet again that the UK is as competitive as anywhere in the World when the process is automated.
Mass production started in January 2009 and ran for 12 months, with almost 200,000 units being supplied before the design was superceded for 2010 to comply with EU stand-by power regulations.
A physically smaller unit, again designed in the UK, and built in Oradea using European sourced components.
