100 years of Ashmores Press Brake Tooling

Ashmores Press Brake Tooling Ltd is celebrating 100 years of serving the metal-forming industry. Formed on 26 April 1919, Ashmores Press Brake Tooling is a small family firm and the longest established manufacturer of press brake tooling in the UK.

The company was set up by Harold Ashmore and his wife Harriet to make bedstead fittings, before the foundry side of the business was developed for engineering castings. The firm was taken over by James Weaver in 1930, which subsequently led to the production of castings for the machine tool industry.
In 1950, Danny Weaver entered the business and became managing director in 1963, a move that led to the establishment of a machine shop to complement the existing foundry business. Through its strong links with the machine tool trade, Ashmores subsequently began to manufacture press brake tools on a subcontract basis for companies such as Bronx Engineering.
In 1983, Danny Weaver’s son Guy entered the business, becoming managing director in 2000. The severe economic downturn in the early 1980s led to much-needed further diversification. As a result, the company started to market press brake tools directly to companies, rather than on a subcontract basis.
A century after its formation and Ashmores is still flourishing, manufacturing tools for a range of industries, including the computer, light fitting, supermarket shelving, shipping container and motorway barrier sectors. In addition, the company has recently supplied a new set of tools to M-Sport, the Ford Rally team, from which it will manufacture many specialist parts. Together with guillotine blades, both new and re-ground, Ashmores believes that it has the ability to serve the metal-forming industry for many more years to come.
For further information www.pressbraketool.co.uk

Increasing demand for film that protects metal

Rhodes Interform, the Group Rhodes business which specialises in bespoke composite and metal-forming machinery, has seen a sharp increase in demand for ‘Tuff Brake’ film, a product which eliminates markings on sensitive metal materials.

Rhodes Interform is the UK and Ireland distributor of Tuff Brake film, a material which, when placed over metal sheet, eliminates press brake die witness marks. These marks can be caused by the lower die when used for bending stainless steel, aluminium, sheet metal and pre-painted metals.
Steve Jackson, technical sales manager for Rhodes Interform, explains: “Companies producing metal parts are recognising how Tuff Brake Film can help them to reduce manufacturing costs, while increasing productivity. The film protects the workpiece and dies, and means that labour is saved as second operations are avoided. Ultimately, the end result is a better paint finish.”
A spokesperson for user, Durham Sheet Metal, says: “Rhodes Interform’s Tuff Brake is very effective at eliminating contamination and bend marks when forming stainless steel products.”
Tuff Brake Film is available from Rhodes Interform in 0.015″ and 0.03″ thicknesses. Bespoke sizes are available. Known for its longevity, the same piece of Tuff Brake Film can be used many times before there is a need to form fresh material, therefore maximising cost effectiveness.
For further information www.grouprhodes.co.uk

£1.5m export boost at Brandauer

Birmingham-based metal stamping company Brandauer has announced a £1.5m export boost.

The company, which employs 67 people, has secured orders to supply customers in the Netherlands, the United States and, for the first time, Israel. This work has helped the family-owned business increase sales to £9.2m and proved a major factor in Brandauer recently securing a Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Trade) – one of only 16 companies in the West Midlands to receive the accolade.
The management team at Brandauer is focused on doubling turnover to £18m by 2022, and has invested £3m in the latest metrology technology and high-speed presses from Bruderer and Yamada to help achieve the ambitious plans.
For further information www.brandauer.co.uk

Crowds set for 25th edition of Metaltech Malaysia

The 25th edition of Metaltech Malaysia, an international machine tools and metalworking technology exhibition, will take place on 15-18 May at the new high-tech MITEC venue in Kuala Lumpur.

Metaltech Malaysia is being held alongside the 12th edition of automation exhibition Automex, which together will feature over 1500 companies covering over 20,902 sq m of floor place. Familiar exhibitor names will include Bystronic, Amada, Makino, Hexagon and Mitsubishi Electric among many others. The event is expected to attract 20,000 trade professionals.
“Our move to the new MITEC venue for the 25th anniversary reflects our reputation as first-in-class organiser, and dedication to better enhancing the visitor experience and providing them with the right platform to meet and network with key industry players,” says Gerard Willem Leeuwenburgh, country general manager of UBM Malaysia. “Since its launch the event has continued to grow, and is regarded as the right place to engage with quality trade buyers.”
For further information www.metaltech.com.my

Growth backed by global success

Falmouth-based Feritech specialises in engineering systems that operate in the harshest of environments, specifically subsea, where its products are used to survey the sea bed and provide geotechnical data for the oil and gas, military, and surveying sectors. As sales at the independently-owned business have grown, so has the need for machined components.

Initially reliant on external subcontracting, Feritech took the decision to purchase its own machining capacity, which saw the arrival of the company’s first XYZ machine.
With further growth planned the decision was taken in 2018 to bring all machining, where possible, in-house. Feritech did this by creating Carrick Engineering as its bespoke subcontract service contained within the same building. Since then, machining capacity has grown significantly and now features five machines from XYZ Machine Tools: an SMX SLV turret mill, an SLX 555 ProTurn lathe, a TC320 LTY turning centre, a TC 400 turning centre and a VMC 1510 HD vertical machining centre.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com