Loan support

The UK machine tool business of 600 Group Plc, Colchester Machine Tools Solutions, has secured a £1.2m new-term loan with a three-year bullet repayment under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).

This loan will help provide headroom in funding the business through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul Dupee, executive chairman, states: “These are unprecedented times. We have taken decisive action to ensure our workforce and technical competencies remain intact through this period of uncertainty so that the group can react quickly as markets improve.”
For further information www.600group.com

HGG partners with Kaltenbach

Kaltenbach and HGG Profiling Equipment, which specialises in high-speed plasma cutting and 3D profiling, have developed a strategic co-operation for the steel construction market across a wide geographical area.

The partnership is focused on thermal cutting, coping, drilling and sawing solutions for profiles and beams.
“In order to push the boundaries of technology and stay ahead of the game, technology suppliers need to achieve a high degree of specialisation,” says Daan van Dee, HGG global channel manager. “By combining the best of thermal cutting with the best of sawing and drilling, we create a total solution that offers a significantly higher value for our clients and stands out from the competition.”
Kaltenbach will add a new coping robot to its product range which is powered by HGG. The new Kaltenbach thermal coping robot is said to be one the world’s most advanced, combining HGG’s software, scanning methods and cutting intelligence with German engineering and manufacturing quality.
“At Kaltenbach we strive to supply our customers with the very best solution for each type of technology,” says Matthias Rummel, Kaltenbach CSO.
In the field of 3D coping HGG has been known for years as the technology leader, and by integrating this technology in our automated steel processing systems we increase the productivity of our customers significantly.”
Right from the start, the partnership turned out to be a perfect fit, and has already been positively received by the market. By combining the development forces of both parties, the possibilities for customers are said to be endless.
For further information https://kaltenbach.co.uk/

RAE award winners

The Royal Academy of Engineering has awarded 19 individuals and teams of engineers with the ‘President’s Special Awards for Pandemic Service’, for exceptional engineering achievements in tackling COVID-19 throughout the UK.

Specially commissioned silver medals will be presented to all 19 winners. Professor Sir Jim McDonald, president of the RAE, says: “I’m incredibly proud of engineers everywhere who have worked round the clock to maintain essential services, critical supply chains and infrastructure in unprecedented circumstances.”
For further information www.raeng.org.uk

Barrett Steel delivers with Ficep solution

Barrett Steel, which operates 30 sites across the UK, including two key sites in Bradford and Shoreham, employs four Endeavour saw-drill lines (among other Ficep machines) and one Tipo A31 Plasma drill at Rotherham, taking the total number of installed Ficep machines to 11.

The family-owned business has been a Ficep customer for many years, but recent growth and site acquisitions generated a need for further steel processing machines with a focus on automation across three of Barrett Steel’s sites.
John Childs, operations manager, says: “We were influenced by the capabilities of Ficep’s automation and the Endeavour in particular. Line automation removes the need for our workers to touch steel between operations, which results in reducing the of risk accidents. This is a major factor in any decision making for us.”
The Endeavour enables operators to put material on at one end and remove it at the other in its completed state. Not only does this improve safety by reducing the need to handle steel, it releases workers to do other productive activities. This one change is contributing to a 40% increase in productivity, in particular at the Bradford site, and has seen machine utilisation running at around 90%.
“The Endeavour machines, at the time of purchase, were, in our opinion, the most sophisticated units on the market,” says Childs. “In the Endeavour, Ficep has a powerful machining centre with a close-coupled saw, while its speed in drilling and milling was much better than the competition. For us, the Ficep-linked automation is ahead of others on the market and it’s enabled Barrett Steel to increase capacity through improved productivity and a reduction in direct labour costs.”
For further information www.ficep.co.uk

Project to identify CO2 coolant benefits

Derbyshire-based Nuclear Energy Components (NEC) is starting work with the Nuclear AMRC to develop environmentally-friendly machining techniques which will reduce the cost, lead time and risk associated with high-value nuclear components.

The project is funded by the UK government’s Nuclear Innovation Programme, and is part of the £40m investment in advanced nuclear technologies announced in July. The new year-long project, called ‘Process Improvement Through CO2 Cooling’ (PITCO2C), will develop the technology to take it closer to production for 316L stainless steel components.
For further information www.nuclearamrc.co.uk