EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

CMZ increases lathe production capacity

CNC lathe manufacturer CMZ has taken a step forward in its growth strategy: setting up its new ‘Precitor’ plant. With the target of manufacturing 850 machines a year, the company has invested around €8m in extending its current machining plant in Elorrio, Spain.The new Precitor plant will be working at 100% capacity by the second half of 2023. Notably, the extension of the plant will help the group to increase the manufacture of cylindrical parts by 55% compared with the existing plant. At the same time, closure of the current plant at Elorrio is planned for mid-2023.
For further information www.cmz.co.uk

National success for MTC Training apprentice

An MTC Training apprentice has become SME Apprentice of the Year and winner of the top accolade, Best of British, in the 2023 Enginuity Skills Awards.The two honours, presented to Anisha Roberts at the Park Plaza in London, recognise the 31 year-old apprentice’s inspirational journey into engineering, as well as her dedication to the profession.

Inspired by an older colleague, Roberts left her teaching assistant role to pursue an engineering career at the age of 29. She felt that university was not a viable option with two small children, so she started an apprenticeship. Judges for the SME Apprentice of the Year category were impressed by Roberts’ support in helping her now employer Williams Jet Tenders (WJT), in Wallingford, become more sustainable, saving the company money in the process.
For further information www.mtc-training.co.uk

£10m HIP Centre

With a £10m investment, Wallwork Group is establishing a state-of-the-art Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) centre at its Bury site in Lancashire. Housed in a newly prepared 2500 sq m facility, the company expects its HIP to be fully operational in September 2023. “As the UK’s premier independent heat treatment, vacuum brazing and advanced ultra-hard coatings company, this is a significant expansion of Wallwork’s thermal processing services and is part of a commitment to invest £20m over the next five years,” says director, Simeon Collins. “It cements our position as the UK one-stop shop for component manufacturers.”
For further information www.wallworkht.co.uk

Largest laser DED AM cell at GKN Aerospace

GKN Aerospace now has the world’s largest known laser directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) cell as part of its new Global Technology Centre in Texas. Cell 3 is the next step in pushing the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing of titanium aircraft structures through the process of laser metal deposition (LMD) with wire.

Shawn Black, GKN Aerospace’s president of defence, says: “Cell 3 will create opportunities to deliver a whole new level of additively manufactured titanium components to the sizes needed for safety-critical air and space structures. The technology is a game-changer and has shown its proficiencies in producing components faster and with significantly reduced lead times.”
For further information www.gknaerospace.com

Emag building Mexico plant

The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony recently took place for the new plant of machine tool builder Emag Group at the San Isidro Business Park in Querétaro, Mexico, marking the start of an ambitious investment programme in the region. Taking shape on a total area of 2880 sq m, the production area will span 1800 sq m and offer 30 machine assembly stations. In addition to the production hall, the new building includes support space on three levels with a total area of 1200 sq m. For instance, the second floor will house offices for administration, quotation preparation, sales and engineering.
For further information www.emag.com