Airbus Invests in UK Capabilities and People

Airbus is accelerating its global industrial strategy, converting its former A380 wing production facility into an A321 line in Broughton, UK. Set for completion by the end of the year, this latest investment ensures the Airbus ‘Home of Wings’ is well prepared to meet future aircraft production targets.  

Once complete, the facility will host six wing production jigs, an equipping line and paint shop, specifically designed to feed the backlog of around 7500 A320 family aircraft, of which around 75% are A321s. Across the Broughton site, Airbus has also created around 480 new, high-value jobs in 2026, including 250 positions in the refurbished factory. These roles join the 6000-strong workforce in Broughton. 

More information www.airbus.com 

Tungaloy and NTK Cutting Tools Set to Merge

Tungaloy Corporation and NTK Cutting Tools are set to merge, effective 1 January 2027, marking a new chapter for both organisations. The integrated organisation will operate under the Tungaloy corporate name, while retaining the NTK brand. NTK Cutting Tools will operate as a dedicated division within Tungaloy, building on the technology, heritage and expertise that have established its strong reputation in the cutting tool industry. Alongside the integration, plans have been finalised for a new headquarters and state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for NTK Cutting Tools in the Nagoya area of Japan.  

More information www.tungaloy.com 

Hurco Demo Deals Day meets all targets

Now a regular feature in the Hurco calendar, the company’s recent Demo Deals Day in High Wycombe facility gave customers an opportunity to secure special discounts on used equipment and ex-demonstration machine tools originally prepared for the MACH 2026 exhibition. The day was regarded by the supplier and its visitors as a resounding success. 
 
Within a week of the event finishing, orders had been confirmed for the showroom’s Hurco VC500i five-axis VMC automated with Kawasaki PC25 robot loading system, the Hurco VMX30HSi three-axis VMC, and the Roeders RXP400 high-precision, high-speed VMC. All of the ex-demonstration Hurco turning centres had also been sold by that time. Hurco is now looking forward to its Christmas open house and supplier village on 1 and 2 December.  

More information www.hurco.com/uk 

Demonstrating How to Meet Accelerating Production Demands

Mazak showcased advanced machine tools, automation and digital solutions designed to help manufacturers increase throughput and do more with fewer resources at IMTS 2026 in Chicago earlier this month. 

With production demands accelerating across sectors including semiconductor, aerospace, medical, oil and gas, and defence, manufacturers face increasing pressure to boost output while managing labour and cost constraints. Mazak will demonstrate integrated machining and automation technologies through live part-cutting demonstrations. 

“In an environment of rising labour costs, tariffs, inflation and other economic demands, we maintain our focus on providing high-value, high-performance and productive solutions,” said Dan Janka, president of Mazak. “Today’s shops are under tremendous pressure to increase their production in less time. To succeed, they need to do more with less.” 

Among the 15 machines on display were models from Mazak’s NEO Series, Multi-Tasking range and SYNCREX Swiss-style production turning Series. The INTEGREX i-200ST NEO multi-tasking machine featured gantry loader automation. 

Mazak also demonstrated its DONE IN ONE® processing on QRX-50MSY and QTE-100MSY Multi-Tasking machines. The QRX-50MSY combines milling, a second turning spindle and Y-axis functionality for efficient production of small components including EV shafts and valve fittings. The QTE-100MSY, equipped with a gantry loader, features a second turning spindle, milling and Y-axis off-centreline machining. 

A Quick Turn 350 Multi-Tasking machine showcased Ez LOADER compact collaborative robot automation. Combining a cobot arm, vision sensor and dedicated software, the system is designed to improve production with minimal operator intervention. 

More information www.mazak.com 

Precision From The Black Forest: Kammerer Relies on WFL

For more than 75 years, Kammerer Gewindetechnik has specialised in high-precision ball screw drives, linear guides and customised screw drives. The 150-strong family business supplies the automotive, medical, mechanical engineering and packaging sectors and has relied on WFL MillTurn multi-tasking machine tool technology for several years. 

Following positive experience with an M40 MillTurn installed in 2021, Kammerer invested in an M30-G with automation and a Kardex storage tower. 

Says lean manager Martin Huber: “The tolerance between the thread pitch and the deflection system is a real challenge. Here, hundredths of a millimetre determine whether a part works or is rejected.” 

The M30-G machines ball screw nuts from 100CrMo7 and 1.4112 stainless steel, combining turning, drilling, thread cutting, milling and deburring in a single process. Tolerances of ±0.015 mm must be maintained across multiple features. 

Automation is central to the system. An articulated robot removes finished components and transfers them to the storage tower, which accommodates up to 300 workpieces across 28 shelves. Automatic jaw changes allow different part types to be processed without manual intervention, while production can run autonomously for up to 21 hours. 

The results demonstrate the machine’s repeatability: of 600 components manufactured to date, just six have been scrapped. The automated system also enables production from a batch size of one, while typically handling Kammerer’s batches of 10 to 15 components. 

“The WFL gives us the stability and accuracy that we wouldn’t otherwise achieve,” states Huber. “Tools that don’t work on other machines run smoothly here.” 

The partnership extends beyond machine performance, with Kammerer also praising WFL’s process expertise, customer service and rapid availability of support and spare parts. 

More information www.wfl.at/en