Robert Cunningham Email & Phone Number

Johannesburg, Gp, Za

Experience in project manangement, engineering & design complimented by many years supervisory and management roles in manufacturing of precision components.Capable of being out on the job or running projects from the office

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Partner (40% Equity) in RB Engineering with core business focus on the design and manufacture of hydraulic cylinders which included a fabrication workshop manufacturing tail lifts used in the logistics business. My primary responsibilities included operational management of workshop production with a team of thirty five staff.The business expanded into design and manufacturing of hydraulic power packs to compliment the cylinder business, production of scissor lifts for logistics, roller and ball transfer tables (load carrying capabilities of 9T) which were installed at OR Tambo cargo terminal for offloading cargo airplanes. Notable successes for the business included the design of formwork for high rise buildings which was a hydraulically powered system to enable faster climbing and pouring of the concrete walls and resulted in the award of a contract to supply a hydraulically controlled system to build the lift shafts on a seventy story building in Panama at the prestigious Trump Ocean Club. The success of this project resulted in a contract award for the Phase 2 for the design and manufacture associated with the concrete arcs of the building. In 2008 I undertook personal responsibility for the Phase 2 site installation work which was a successful project and completed on time without a single breakdown on the system and an extremely satisfied client.Despite the successful outcome on a number of other projects the business has been severely impacted by the word-wide recession, particularly in the engineering and manufacturing industries and we were forced to scale business activities down to such a level that it was agreed to independently focus on smaller scale project works in the Johannesburg region.

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Following the divestment of HPE manufacturing capability I was invited to join BPM as Workshop Manager with approximately 80 staff, with responsibility for all of the manufacturing, utilizing 13 large CNC machines, numerous conventional lathes, milling machines, horizontal and vertical boring mills. We also delivered a fabrication, assembly and testing capability of non-core products including electric motor casings and knife gate valves.I set up a workshop production planning system which included the issue of job cards for the purchase of materials, production, quality control and final assembly and testing as well as delivery to customers. An additional key responsibility included servicing an important customer relationship with HPE reflecting the volume of their components we were manufacturing and supplying.

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

HPE is the leader of deep level mining equipment in South Africa and as Overall Workshop Manager of 60 workshop personnel my key responsibilities include recruitment, programming CNC machines, production, fabrication, assembly, testing, and liaison with drawing office, costing of tooling, control of stores equipment and quality control of products. This was an extremely challenging role reflecting the status and success of the business resulting in a high intensity work environment and a strong focus on people culture. In 1997 a strategic decision was taken to divest the manufacturing part of the business for logistical reasons resulting in the sale to BPM.

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

RB Engineering Services produced innovative new products for the mining industry including hydro power products used for deep level mining in the platinum and gold mining sectors, box hole chutes, safety valves, jetting guns, power packs, pipe clamps, working platforms, drilling rigs, loaders and high pressure piping.. My responsibilities included assisting with design concepts, production, assembly and testing. I was promoted to Workshop Manager with responsibility for the production of all the products manufactured using CNC lathes and milling machines as well as conventional machinery, this also required close liaison with the assembly and testing of these products as it was essential to understand the complexity and inherent dangers involved with testing pressures up to 35Mpa. Further responsibilities included purchasing of tooling for the workshop and stores control. In 1994 RB Engineering Services merged with Hydro Power Products and the new company was renamed Hydro Power Equipment

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Primary responsibilities included installation of a new production line (purchased from the USA) on their beverage ring-pull lid plant. The installation programme required the machines to be overhauled at the factory and the new line made ready for production. There were also some challenges requiring modifications to meet the bespoke requirements of the factory layout. Post installation the new line was used to run a special production for the Australian market and despite the innovative design feature of a can top with two buttons, one large one small, this design proved to be unsuccessful

Kokstad Kwazalu Natal Sa

Maintenance Fitter / Turner and key responsibilities included maintenance of a wide range of machinery used in the production of forestry products. This equipment included log reclamation, debarking, saw mills, high speed band saws and frame saws. Kiln driers, finishing plants and finger jointing machines.

South Africa

Turbine Fitter in the turbine workshop and was responsible for the repair of all the high speed Steam and Gas Turbines, Rotary Air Compressors and gearboxes throughout the plant all of which was carried out to extremely high precision and high standards. Further responsibilities included alignment of turbines to gearboxes using sophisticated dial gauges.

Barton-On Humber England

Fitter / Turner with responsibility for maintenance on all of the plant equipment, including ball mills, elevators, crushers, belt and screw conveyors, pumps, overhead cranes, automated bagging and palletizing machines, workshop machinery (Lathes, Milling machines surface and cylindrical grinding machines), also using all of the required hand tools to complete the repair to various equipment.

Durban Area, South Africa

Maintenance Fitter / Turner working on high speed beverage can- making equipment, which included overhauling can forming machines, ring pull lid making machines, internal spraying machines, can testing machines and some experience with plastic blow moulding and injection machines. Promoted to take charge of the maintenance and overhauling of the printing department, which consisted of Heidelberg double offset litho printer machines and coating lines as well as the drying ovens, feeders and off loaders. I also liaised closely with the machine minders running the production to assist in fault finding on the machines which would be essential to maintain high quality printing. I also manufactured components used in the repairs; these would be machined in our machine shop to very close tolerances.

Witbank Area, South Africa

Emigration with my family to South Africa in 1974 and started working for Highveld Steel in their rolling mill department, with responsibilities for the repair and maintenance of the rolling mills, roller beds, hydraulic systems, gearboxes and drive units, also the offloading equipment and heating ovens. Whilst there I was transferred into the central drawing office for a period of six months and gained valuable experience in drawing and designing components and improvements around the plant

Barton-On Humber England

Worked in the maintenance workshop, machining and repairing components used on the plant, we manufacture granulated fertilizers of varying types, the plant equipment included acid and ammonia plants, I would work on the plant from time to time however I was mostly involved with the automatic bagging and palletizing plant, which weighed bagged and transported the product to a palletizing machine for final delivery. Within the workshop I worked an all the machinery from different size lathes and milling machines to surface and cylindrical grinders as well as extensive use of hand tools

Scunthorpe

Apprenticeship at British Steel Corporation, after qualifying I was transferred to the central engineering workshops, working on equipment sent in for overhaul from various departments around the plant, having had had experience in different departments I was conversant with a lot of the equipment, and I was responsible for all aspects of the repair to final completion and testing.

City & Guilds Final Certificate Mechanical Engineering Part 2

Gce O Levels