BGB welcomes third generation to team

Family-owned engineering firm BGB has welcomed Alex Holt, son of CEO David Holt, to its
team, marking the third generation of the Holt family to step into the business. Founded in
1976 by David’s father, David Holt Snr and his two partners, Grantham-headquartered BGB
quickly became a stand-out provider in fully engineered solutions for smart rotary
applications. Alex Holt, a business and finance graduate from De Montfort University in
Leicester, will spend the next 18-24 months rotating through key areas of the business as a
management trainee.
More information www.bgbinnovation.com

Progressive Apprentice Academy boost

Edging closer to its 50 th  anniversary, Newbury-based Progressive Technology Group
opened its Apprentice Academy in 2015. For this bedrock for developing the talent of
tomorrow, Tooling Intelligence has donated a SmartDrawer vending solution. The
Apprentice Academy at Progressive Technology enlisted 18 apprentices as part of its 2024
cohort.
With technical partner Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), Tooling Intelligence installed its
first SmartDrawer vending solution at the subcontract outfit in 2014. The most recent
SmartDrawer arrival means there are now four such systems on site. Understanding the
inventory management process is essential for apprentices, which is why Tooling
Intelligence has made its generous contribution.
More information www.toolingintelligence.co.uk

Parklands Capital buys Laser Expertise

Laser Expertise, a laser-cutting fabrication specialist established for 40+ years, has been sold
to Parklands Capital, a private equity fund which invests in established UK SMEs with
ambitious management teams and strong growth prospects. Based in Nottingham and
operating nationally, Laser Expertise has around 2787 m² of workshop space and employs
more than 80 people. The deal was led by Matthew Sibley, associate director of company
sales specialist KBS Corporate.
The staff at Laser Expertise that customers currently deal with for all facets of the business
will remain the same, along with the company name and contact details. With the support
and infrastructure of Parklands Capital, Laser Expertise will be able to continue investing in
the latest technologies.
More information www.kbscorporate.com

Important Appointment at CBM

The Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) has strengthened its offer to the
organisation’s 200-strong membership base with a high-profile industrial appointment.
Maurice Spooner, who has over 40 years’ experience in manufacturing, has joined as the
CBM’s sheet metal specialist, helping companies involved in pressings and roll-formed
products to navigate an increasingly complex business landscape.
“This year promises to be a very interesting period for our members and the CBM will have
an important role to make sure their voices are heard,” says Spooner. “Sheet metal is our
biggest sector of membership, and it will be my role to support these firms by helping with
issues they face and ensuring they are aware of the full range of services we offer.”
More information www.thecbm.co.uk

Dubral optimises cutting precision and quality

Dubral, a Portuguese company specialising in the manufacture of aluminium and PVC carpentry products such as hinges, once again trusts ONA as its supplier of EDM machines. The acquisition of the ONA AV35 model has allowed the company to improve precision in its cutting and raise the standard of quality in its manufacturing process, increasing efficiency and productivity.

In Dubral’s constant search for improvements it faced the challenge of finding a solution that guaranteed maximum precision and quality, with a specific effective travel of 600 x 400 x 400 mm. All this without compromising efficiency and maintaining minimal maintenance costs. In response to this demanding requirement, the 120-employee company turned to ONA.

The solution presented by ONA was its AV35 wire EDM, equipped with a mineral filter. This machine, which incorporates the latest EDM technology, met all the required specifications, offering high performance and low maintenance costs. With the implementation of the AV35, Dubral can make precision cuts in special alloys, raising the quality standard of its manufacturing process.

“It’s very gratifying for us to arrive at our premises every morning and witness the way in which the ONA machine continues working,” say Dubral’s executive directors Carla Costa and João Costa.

The AV35 model is not the only ONA EDM machine present on site. Dubral had already demonstrated its trust in the manufacturer with the previous acquisition of an NX3 die-sink EDM. This latest collaboration reflects the company’s satisfaction with the performance, quality and reliability of ONA products.

More information www.onaedm.com