Editor’s Pick

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

Mills CNC reports strong sales growth

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland, and a supplier of industrial and collaborative robot automation, has reported that 2022, from both a sales performance and market share perspective, was another great year for the company. In fact, with final figures pending, it looks increasingly likely that it could be the best in the company’s history.

Says Tony Dale, Mills CNC’s CEO:“We started 2022 strongly on the back of what was already a buoyant last quarter of 2021 – and maintained momentum throughout the year, especially with many component manufacturers taking advantage of the Government’s Super-Deduction tax scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. This helped to generate significant new business for us at the start, and throughout 2022.”
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Mazak hails success of Discovery Week

Yamazaki Mazak welcomed over 500 attendees to its European Technology Centre in Worcester last month as part of its annual open house. Themed ‘Discovery Week’, the event aimed to address some of the key production challenges facing UK manufacturers and subcontractors, with support from over 25 dedicated partners in the areas of tooling, tool management, swarf management, CADCAM and finance.

Alan Mucklow, managing director UK, Eire and National Distributors, said: “Our annual open house is key to ensuring that we remain connected to UK manufacturers and subcontractors, which has redoubled in importance given the emergence of new market challenges. With the launch of technologies such as the VCN-700 machining centre and Mazak iCONNECT, we hope to help our customers address these challenges and seize new opportunities in 2023, and that UK manufacturing can continue along its upward trajectory.”
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

18th edition of SteelFab set to open

The 18th edition of SteelFab will open its doors at the Expo Centre in Sharjah next week (9-12 January). This international exhibition for metalworking, metal manufacturing and steel fabrication will build on the last event in 2022 when the 12,000 sq m show floor hosted 150 exhibitors from 25 countries. In total, over 6000 visitors from 42 countries were in attendance.

Demand for manufacturing equipment derives from the Gulf region’s steel production sector, with sheet metal fabrication as its largest segment. The sector manufactured 3.3 million tons of steel in 2020 with a value of around US$3.1bn. At SteelFab 2023, special focus areas will include machine tools, tube and pipe machinery, and welding and cutting. The complementary SteelFab Conference will see global leaders, experts and suppliers discuss key challenges and opportunities for the global steel industry.
For further information www.steelfabme.com

ATA acquires cutting tool firm ITC

ATA, an Irish precision engineering multinational, has acquired UK-based cutting tool manufacturer and distributor Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), as well as Dutch manufacturer Van Hoorn Carbide. Along with ATA’s existing operations in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and the US, the transactions bring the group’s pro-forma 2022 revenue to circa €100m and its global headcount to circa 500.

The transactions significantly enhance ATA’s reach and expertise in the carbide round tool market, the largest segment of the more than $20bn global cutting tool arena. Ralph
Van Hoorn, managing director of Van Hoorn Carbide, and Peter Graves, managing director of ITC, will continue in their current roles and join the ATA senior management team.
For further information www.atagroup.com