ABRO provides repair and overhaul services across a broad spectrum of vehicles and equipment types to a diverse range of customers including the British forces, emergency services, the public sector and industry.

This requires a level of diversity and adaptability not easily achieved but years of partnership with the British Army have allowed ABRO to develop an excellent level of service and to broaden its expertise to support commercial markets.

Operating from strategically located sites, ABRO employs a dedicated workforce of 2,500 people, handling an annual turnover in excess of $316m. Repair facilities provide comprehensive support for a wide range of defence equipment from infantry weapons to armoured fighting vehicles.

ABRO is at the heart of the maintenance and periodic overhaul of the British Army's complex equipment inventory. Its workload is based on annual programmes developed by the army's individual equipment managers for re-manufacture or in-depth repair. In a typical year ABRO repairs and re-manufactures a staggering catalogue of equipment, including 36 main battle tanks and derivatives and 330 infantry fighting and reconnaissance vehicles. ABRO also works on 1,000 trucks including 200 heavy types, 5,000 vehicle assemblies, 13,000 electronic items and 10,000 small arms.

The ABRO re-manufacturing process is the same for each type of equipment, involving a complete strip-down and the latest technology to diagnose the extent of work needed to restore complete structural and system integrity.

Continuous development

Work is conducted in conformity with the production programme and in line with ISO9000 quality standards. After re-assembly equipment is subjected to a rigorous test regime in ABRO's own test facilities. This includes ABRO's highly regarded calibration service that incorporates the UK's largest electro-magnetic compatibility unit. A steering unit repair-and-test facility enables ABRO to undertake work previously contracted out, for example Challenger 1 and Challenger 2 steering units.

High accuracy in-line boring using advanced machines in a temperature-controlled environment, is a recent development that has placed ABRO at the forefront of highly technical equipment re-manufacturing. This results in more effective customer support and makes ABRO more competitive with other overhaul and repair services.

Responsiveness

To be able to respond to urgent operational requirements is a source of pride throughout ABRO that is becoming increasingly important. Its multi-skilled workforce have the capabilities to switch seamlessly from one job to another, as specialised departments within the organisation's repair facilities undertake operationally urgent work.

These standards of flexibility require that large sites retain a job-shop culture, while machine shops are maximised for short production runs to support the repair process. Long production runs, major programmes for the re-manufacture of heavy armour and SP artillery, IFVs, light armoured vehicles and specialised logistic vehicles provide a launch pad for progressive advances in productivity during their lifetime. However, primary concern is on retaining ABRO's unique degree of responsiveness that is unavailable elsewhere.

On-demand service

ABRO is able to undertake work on an on-demand basis, extending from while-you-wait minor repairs to vehicles, small arms and electronic equipment, to major unplanned repairs that cannot be undertaken at the first or second line. Repair facilities assigned to such support undertake major re-manufacture programmes on logistic and armoured vehicles and electronic and optical equipment.

The changing environment

In meeting demand for volume of work and its own high targets for quality, ABRO continuously works through a process of change. Key to this is the UK MoD's determination to bring benefits of recent advances in industrial and commercial management to the support of ABRO's varying tasks. Set key targets by the MoD for quality and industrial efficiency, ABRO's targets also include financial accountability. All have proved an effective focus on its achievement of commercial performance standards within all business sectors.

The outcome is apparent in ABRO's highly competitive performance and range of opportunities for partnering with industry on equipment support programmes. Both will be developed as ABRO moves closer to trading-fund status in 2002.

Throughout ABRO there is a strongly held belief that the relationships it has established with equipment managers is a positive outcome of the UK MoD's initiatives. ABRO believes its skills base is more attuned to re-manufacture than those of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). There is also an acceptance that the competitive nature of contemporary defence procurement, in particular increased emphasis on integrated logistic support, is certain to intensify competition for repair and refurbishment work. ABRO stresses the enhanced contribution it can make to defence procurement is by linking its distinctive skills with those of the OEMs and partnering.

Steadily, ABRO is extending its position as a source for tri-service land systems support. From its head office in Andover, UK, ABRO co-ordinates activities of facilities throughout the UK, while marketing its capabilities to customers in commercial markets.

International recognition

Promoting itself internationally, ABRO is fast becoming highly regarded as a source for upgrades, repair and modification. However, this is not limited to support of UK-manufactured equipment, ABRO repair facilities provide repairs or service to a much wider range of items. The ability to respond to sudden demands typifies ABRO's support of Britain's armed forces, and has won the respect of foreign customers seeking emergency repair work.

It is in major repair facilities that ABRO technicians re-manufacture heavy and light armoured vehicles, ordnance, heavy electrical equipment, heavy trucks and other vehicles covering the entire range of army equipment. However, many smaller repair facilities also apply their skills to delicate electronic equipment, infantry weapons and all the items on which modern forces rely.

Fast-changing marketplace

The future appears extremely bright for ABRO. The dynamics of a fast-changing marketplace map a road of great opportunity ahead. Capitalising on those opportunities is what drives ABRO into securing its long-term future.

www.abro.mod.uk