EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Master Abrasives names two new partners

Master Abrasives is announcing two new partnerships for the start of 2023: MVK-line GmbH power tools and UVA LIDKÖPING AB grinding machines. UVA LIDKÖPING is a global supplier of precision grinders with its main manufacturing unit and headquarters in Lidköping, Sweden.“As their current UK representative retires, the opportunity for Master and UVA to form a partnership seemed ideal,” states Ian Meredith, Master’s machine tool division manager. “Having installed more than 10,000 machines around the world over 120 years, they continually make improvements to boost accuracy, efficiency and reliability.”
For further information www.master-abrasives.co.uk

CGTech grows sales team

CGTech, the developer of VERICUT verification, simulation and optimisation software, has expanded its sales team. The internal promotion of Dave Woolams from technical support engineer to sales engineer, will ensure even better support for customers in the UK.In 2022, CGTech succeeded in growing its UK customer base, deeming it necessary to create an extra sales engineer position and take the team from five to six. The company has also recruited two new technical support engineers.

Woolams, who will cover Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon,Cornwall,Wales and Northern Ireland, says: “My responsibilities include sales and account management; looking at ways to help customers grow their business, as well as our own. Double-digit growth is always where CGTech wants to be in the UK. We achieved it in 2022, so it would be nice to do the same again this year.”
For further information www.cgtech.co.uk

MBO at Alloy Wire signals investment drive

A UK manufacturer of round, flat and profile wire has completed a management buy-out (MBO) as it looks to target £15m annual sales for the first time in its 77-year history.Alloy Wire International (AWI)’s senior management team, comprising managing director Tom Mander, technical director Andrew Du Plessis and finance director Adam Shaw, has purchased the business from the current owners. The trio have also pressed the button on a near £1m investment drive that will see new wet-drawing and single-hole dry-drawing machines arrive during the course of the year, along with an annealing line spooler.
For further information www.alloywire.com

Okuma announces green credentials

Since October 2022, production at Okuma’s three main machine tool factories in Japan has used only carbon-neutrally generated electricity, a goal achieved earlier than expected. The firm’s machining centres, CNC lathes and grinders are available in the UK and Ireland through sole agent NCMT.

Okuma also says that, from April this year, it will be labelling certain of its products ‘Green-Smart Machines’ if they are able to cut energy consumption considerably. These machines reducepower usage thanks to a trio of advanced technologies: the Thermo-Friendly Concept, whichnegates the need for a warm-up period; ECO Suite plus, which provides autonomous energy saving by monitoring spindle temperature and the pump; and systems for spindle cooling, which Okuma says reduce energy consumption by as much as 68% due to optimised control.
For further information www.ncmt.co.uk

Sheffield Forgemasters partners WaldrichSiegen

Sheffield Forgemasters has signed a long-term partnership with machine tool supplier WaldrichSiegen for the lifetime support of its proposed new machining facility. WaldrichSiegen will deliver a 10-year, through-life and production-support contract, plus the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of 17 new machine tools to create highly accurate, complex machined shapes from ultra-large steel castings and forgings. McDowell Machine Tools represents WaldrichSiegen in the UK.

The machining line will sit in a proposed new building at the company’s Brightside Lane site, and includes a series of large-scale, five-axis vertical turning lathes that form part of a recapitalisation investment of up to £400m over 10 years. Scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2028, the machine line-up comprises: seven heavy-duty VTLs with 5-8 m tables; three gantry mills with 6-16 m turning capability; three RAM hydrostatic boring mills; three heavy-duty horizontal lathes with 24-27 m beds; and one gantry bandsaw.
For further information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com