Countdown begins to UMEX 2019

The 14th edition of UMEX, Asia’s largest expo for pre-owned machinery, is set to take place on 20-22 September at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India.

At last year’s event, some 468 exhibitors and 11,346 visitors (from 16 countries) attended, which set new standards in terms of footfall, as well as serious enquiries and business generation. The 2019 show is timely as India’s manufacturing sector recently recorded its strongest growth in three months, with PMI rising to 52.7.
UMEX has always been well connected to the European market through partnerships since its inception. For instance, the event is organised in co-operation with MTI, the leading magazine and website for used machinery and associated equipment. UMEX is thought to be the only event of its kind in Asia which focuses specifically on pre-owned industrial machinery, and this year will be co-located with five other exhibitions centring on different industry segments, helping to draw even more visitors to the venue.
For further information www.umexonline.com

Citizen officially opens Midlands facility

More than 150 people attended the official opening of Citizen Machinery UK’s new £3m Turning Centre of Excellence in Brierley Hill, West Midlands last month.

The 680 sq m facility houses a showroom, international conference area, customer training school, applications engineering department and administrative offices. Sales of Citizen machines in Europe have increased year on year and, in 2018, the region sold 1200 units, taking turnover to nearly €600m, the highest ever.
Visitors on the day comprised the firm’s more than 50 UK employees, including those from the headquarters in Bushey, company representatives from Japan and around Europe, dealers and supplier partners from Japan, France, Italy, Portugal, Scandinavia and Israel, and staff from the contractors that realised the difficult building job over disused mine shafts in just 26 weeks.
For further information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Bringing manufacturing back to UK

Kendal-based engineering company Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon has made a seven-figure investment with Yamazaki Mazak to significantly increase productivity and bolster its UK manufacturing base.

Gilkes specialises in the design and manufacture of hydro-electric turbines and cooling pumps for high horse-power diesel engines, with parts sourced worldwide. The company has acquired a Mazak Integrex e-1250V/8 vertical multi-tasking machine, with the intention of increasing capacity at its Kendal facility and ultimately re-shoring the manufacture of vital components back to the UK.
Specifically, Gilkes currently sources fully-machined turbine runners from an Eastern European supplier. The new Mazak machine will enable the company to bring 40% of this machining work back to its facility in Kendal.
Gilkes’ new Integrex e-1250V/8 – one of the largest machines in the Mazak range – is designed for the multi-axis machining of large, complex workpieces. The machine is capable of performing a variety of tasks that would normally be completed by multiple machines, including turning, milling, boring and drilling operations. In addition, Mazak will be supplying a complete tool management system to reduce manual input and set-up times.
“Our current machine tools in Kendal are great workhorses, but we’ve gone about as far as we can with them,” says Rebecca Sandham, head of operations at Gilkes. “With the Mazak, we will be able to significantly increase our productivity levels, which will enable us to continue being highly competitive in our global markets.”
She continues: “The Integrex acquisition forms part of a long-term plan to upgrade our manufacturing capabilities. Ultimately, we want this investment to be seen as proof of our commitment to UK manufacturing operations and our responsibility to provide jobs for the local area.”
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

William Hughes acquires JK

William Hughes, a spring, wire-form and assembly specialist, has expanded its range of services for the manufacturing industry with the acquisition of Liskeard-based JK Metrology & Quality Services.

JK Metrology is an established metrology and quality consultancy that is accredited to ISO 17027 and ISO 9000. The company also offers a UKAS calibration service in line with ISO 17025.
“The acquisition will be of particular interest to our many customers involved in the manufacture of high-specification, high-precision components, where accurate measurement is key to their success,” says Max Hughes, managing director at William Hughes. “By investing resources and people into this established and well respected business, we will be able to offer a range of benefits for customers, including a reduced turnaround time.”
With a worldwide portfolio of customers, JK Metrology is one of only three UK laboratories offering UKAS calibration of gauge blocks by interferometry (Class A). Interferometry is the highest level of accuracy for length measurement, and JK Metrology can measure items up to 1 m long at 20°C ±0.05°C.
The company is also a supplier of metrology equipment, from micrometers and gauge blocks, to CMMs. In addition, JK Metrology continues to supply and service the metrology equipment previously manufactured by Select Gauges Ltd, following its closure.
Says Hughes: “We’re delighted to announce that John Kelly, a director of JK Metrology for many years, following a long career in the world of gauge calibration, will transfer to William Hughes. Here, his range of contacts, depth of experience and wealth of knowledge will be a valuable asset in the integration of the business.”
For further information www.wmhughes.co.uk

Dugard to exhibit Hanwha cobots

The Dugard range of Hanwha collaborative robots is making another appearance at Robotics and Automation, the only dedicated exhibition of its type in the UK.

This year, the show will take place on 29-30 October at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, where Dugard will be found on stand number 412. Dugard has been the sole UK distributor of Hanwha collaborative robots (cobots) for about a year now and has seen interest rise steadily since last summer. Developed and produced in South Korea, Hanwha HCR cobots can generate savings in operating costs, and are easy to install and run, says Dugard.
For further information www.dugard.com