EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Sunnen celebrates 100 years

Founder Joe Sunnen’s quest to sell his honing inventions started 100 years ago with cross-country sales calls made from the back of his 1916 Hupmobile. Today, Sunnen technology finds use worldwide for making performance engine parts, energy exploration equipment, aerospace components, gears, fuel injectors, fluid-power components and more. 

St Louis-based Sunnen Products Company says it has become the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of precision honing systems with facilities in 14 countries. “As we celebrate our 100thanniversary, Joe would be proud to see that his spirit of innovation lives on in our drive to develop new products and techniques,” says Tom Dustman, Sunnen’sdirector of sales in North America.

More information www.sunnen.com

Hurco Europe to hold Demo Deals Day

Following the inaugural event last year, machine tool company Hurco Europe will host its Demo Deals Day 2024 on 25 September at its facility in High Wycombe. Every machine on show will be available at a discounted ex-demo price. The event will be open from 08:30 to16:30. Premium offers on the day will include a VC500i five-axis machining centre with 40-station tool magazine, linear scales and 500 mm diameter rotary table.Flexible finance is available, including pause payments at the start, and Hurco reminds manufacturers that the 100% capital allowance is still in place for new machine purchases.

To attend email sales@hurco.co.uk

WEC Group acquires Laser Profiles Ltd

WEC Group, the UK’s largest fabrication and contract manufacturing company, is acquiring Laser Profiles Ltd, a laser cutting specialist based near Bournemouth. Laser Profiles boasts an array of cutting-edge technology that includes an automated Trumpf fibre laser cutter for flat sheet and an Adige fibre laser cutter for tube. The company’s capabilities also extend to precision sheet metal fabrication and welding.

By joining forces with WEC Group, which already has 25 laser cutting machines, 23 press brakes, three waterjet cutters, high-definition plasma cutting machines, over 40 CNC machine tools, 13 robotic welding cells, and in-house powder coating and wet painting capabilities, Laser Profiles will gain access to enhanced technological resources and a much broader market reach.
More information www.wec-group.com

Mazak engineer wins drag bike race

A Yamazaki Mazak engineer made waves at Northampton’s Santa Pod Racers Club (SPRC)
drag bike racing circuit, securing first place in her fourth race of the season. Jas Cordelle, a
technical support engineer at Mazak, has progressed through the junior leagues, moving up
to the 850 class in 2022. Now in her third season at this level, Cordelle and her engineering
team have made further bike modifications to provide the power needed to compete at the
top. With a personal best of 7.26 seconds over a quarter of a mile, reaching a top speed of
178 mph, these changes are already starting to pay dividends.
More information www.mazakeu.co.uk

Heller UK celebrates 50th anniversary

Redditch-based Heller Machine Tools Ltd, a wholly owned daughter company of German
machine tool manufacturer Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH, is celebrating its 50th
anniversary this year. Both the parent company and the UK and Ireland subsidiary build
four- and five-axis horizontal machining centres. The UK site is a global competence centre
for turnkey projects and innovative manufacturing solutions.

Heller began its UK operations in 1974. Seven years later, a bespoke factory was built in
Redditch, with the company relocating in 1997 to a nearby facility capable of assembling
more than 200 machines per year. This assembly capability has since been extended to over
300 machines. Today, more than 150 employees work at the facility, which has seen
investment of more than £2m in recent years.
More information www.heller.biz