Centre of Attraction

Mills CNC is vowing to wow visitors attending this year’s Manufacturing Solutions – Ireland
Show on 11-12 June. The company, already boasting a strong presence in Ireland, intends to
strengthen its position there further by showcasing one of its latest multi-axis machines on
stand T1/T22. DN Solutions’ new DVF 5000 (second generation) simultaneous five-axis
machining centre, featuring the new Siemens Sinumerik One CNC and its associated digital

twin technology, will be making its debut at the event. Tony Dale, Mills CNC’s group CEO,
says the machine will “make one-hit machining a reality for many manufacturers”.
More information www.millscnc.co.uk

CBM Recognises Metal Stars

Leading stars of the metal industry were recognised earlier this month, with a
Gloucestershire manufacturer of vehicle structures securing the main award. G-TEM, which
works with many major carmakers, was named as the Confederation of British
Metalforming’s ‘Company of the Year’ at its gala dinner in Birmingham.
More than 200 industry leaders also saw Sertec Group claim the ‘HSE Initiative of the Year’
for its ‘all about the people’ campaign that has reduced accidents on site by 43%, while
metal pressing specialist Brandauer took the ‘Energy Efficiency’ title for its factory re-
organisation that has seen it cut carbon footprint, boost productivity by 26% and achieve
savings of £300,000.
More information www.thecbm.co.uk

Hexagon Launches Digital Factory-as-a-Service

Hexagon says it is transforming manufacturing agility following the launch of its digital
factory-as-a-service on 1 April 2025. The new service enables manufacturers to digitise their
factories in a matter of hours using millimetre-accurate 3D laser scanning, rather than the
weeks required by traditional methods.
Rapid access to detailed digital replicas allows plants to test different production scenarios,
integrate new technology and optimise space more efficiently. Already in use by major
automotive and aerospace companies for mapping and modelling brownfield facilities in
preparation for production increases or introducing new lines, the service has been shown
to deliver four times faster planning, a 70% reduction in site visits and a 23% cost saving.
More information www.hexagon.com/mi

Hypertherm and BLM Group begin partnership

Hypertherm Associates and BLM Group are commencing a strategic partnership agreement aimed at expanding the market reach of their respective solutions. The two industry specialists will collaborate to offer solutions to customers through BLM Group’s laser cutting and tube bending systems and Hypertherm Associates’ plasma and waterjet cutting products and software.

The partnership includes a minority stake investment in BLM Group by Hypertherm Associates and a commercial agreement to expand the demand generation for BLM Group’s tube cutting and bending systems, pipe and plate cutting systems, and 3D robotics systems, in North America and Europe. The combination of BLM Group’s expertise in laser cutting technology and Hypertherm Associates’ experience in integrated solutions presents a significant opportunity for both companies to strengthen customer relationships and respond to evolving market needs.

This new strategic partnership permits each company to maintain its current leadership structure, operations and other strategic priorities, allowing for continuous innovation and consistent operational management.

BLM Group has a legacy as a global family-owned company, with its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Cantù and Levico Terme, Italy. Hypertherm Associates is a 100% employee-owned company based in the US, with plasma manufacturing facilities in New Hampshire, waterjet production in Minnesota and Washington, and laser consumables manufacturing in Sasso Marconi, Italy.

This strategic agreement marks the beginning of a promising collaboration that aims to elevate industry standards and create sustainable value for both companies and their customers.

Lincoln International and Advant Ntcm advised Hypertherm Associates, while BLM Group was advised by Studio Grimani & Pesce e Studio Gianni & Origoni during the agreement’s development.

More information www.hypertherm.com

Into the future with precision and innovation

In May 2024, Alfred Wagner Stahl-Technik & Zuschnitt GmbH took a significant step towards technological innovation and increased productivity by investing in an Element cutting machine from Messer Cutting Systems. Building on this success, the company decided to further modernise its machinery park. This time, the choice fell on the OmniMat from Messer Cutting Systems, a particularly robust cutting machine for complex applications.

“Our existing system has become outdated,” explains Christian Aufreiter, operations and project manager at Alfred Wagner Stahl-Technik & Zuschnitt. “Moreover, for the first time, we wanted to integrate a drilling unit into the cutting machine to enhance our productivity.”

After careful evaluation of market offerings, the company selected the OmniMat from Messer Cutting Systems for CNC oxy-fuel or plasma cutting. The machine is equipped with a drilling unit, a three-fold tool changer and four Alfa torches, enabling cuts up to 300 mm. The company selected this model for its modern technology, intuitive operation and

high precision.

“The OmniMat was the logical choice for us,” states explains Christine Wagner, the company’s managing director. “We already had an excellent experience with the first machine from Messer Cutting Systems, the Element. Its quality and Messer’s service convinced us.”

The OmniMat is a robust CNC cutting machine designed for demanding applications in metalworking. It offers working widths of up to 13 m and supports various cutting processes such as oxy-fuel, underwater or dry plasma cutting, as well as marking and drilling. The open OPC UA interface on the Global Control system allows easy integration into Industry 4.0 environments, enabling the efficient monitoring and control of machine processes.

More information https://uk.messer-cutting.com/