Legris Industries has achieved another milestone in its growth strategy by acquiring MEP Group, an Italian company with consolidated sales of €52m and a workforce of 280. MEP designs and manufactures precision metal-cutting equipment for steel, aluminium and other metal alloys, providing automatic and semi-automatic systems and solutions to many industries.

Thanks to its capacity, range of products and modern production infrastructure, MEP Group is now a major global player in its market, with industrial sites and sales units in Italy, Canada, the United States, China and Brazil. Through its network of distributors, the many products offered under the MEP and HYDMECH brands are sold in over 60 countries. A part of Legris Industries, MEP will be able to step up its growth by tapping into group resources.
In the past two years, MEP’s business has expanded by more than 25%, and the group will work with its existing management team, led by William Giacometti, to continue that growth.
Erwan Taton, chairman of the Groupe Legris Industries’ executive board, says: “In acquiring MEP we are pursuing our diversification strategy by integrating a company that meets all of our investment criteria. A major player in a worldwide niche market, MEP has powerful technical expertise that generates continuous innovation to drive growth.”
Stefano Guidotti, managing partner of the seller Aksia Group, a leading Italian private equity player, adds: “We’re really proud of having contributed to the growth and internationalisation of our portfolio company, and are firmly convinced that Legris Industries is a perfect fit to bring MEP Group up to a further phase of development.”
Says William Giacometti, CEO of MEP Group: “To join Groupe Legris Industries is for MEP a great opportunity and will have a positive effect in the acceleration of our growth path.”
For further information www.legris-industries.com

Geismar’s teams have successfully completed the installation of a carbide rail sawing and drilling machine ordered by SNCF, which is now part of its installation in Saulon, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

According to the national rail operator’s expectations, this fully automated machine tool contributes to the operations of its “Centre d’excellence rail”, the only workshop in France which includes a production line dedicated to short rails.
Said to be highly versatile, the Geismar carbide rail sawing and drilling machine allows precise cutting and drilling operations on 3 to 36 m rails, meeting customer standards and expectations. This latest generation technology offers high efficiency thanks to its drill spindle with high power output and a hydraulically driven blade which eliminates all vibrations.
Fully integrated into a cabin, the whole installation includes the machine, control panel and hydraulic power unit, as well as the electrical cabinet, thus representing a turnkey solution for SNCF.
This final stage marks the project’s completion, for which SNCF already expressed full satisfaction and ongoing trust in Geismar.
For further information www.geismar.com

Sawing machine specialist Kaltenbach will be present on stand F52 in hall 15 at EMO 2019 (Hanover, 16-21 September).

The company reports that it will be happy to advise visitors on their particular applications and show how the entire Kaltenbach range can be tailored to specific requirements.
A number of machines will be performing live demonstrations at the exhibition, including the fully automatic KKS 463 NA circular sawing machine. The KKS 463 NA features the KDV vertical drilling axis, which enables the full range of machining tasks to be performed on a single machine. What’s more, with the new stacking function, several profiles can be sawn automatically to achieve a further increase in output volume.
Also undergoing cutting demonstrations will be the KKS 400 U semi-automatic circular saw for universal applications, as well as the semi-automatic SKL 450 H circular saw for aluminium, which is said to offer ease-of-use and fast handling. Regarding the latter machine, an optional NC turntable is now available for mitre cuts, in addition to the standard version.
Elsewhere on the stand, Kaltenbach will demonstrate its KBS 750 DG versatile bandsaw with mitre unit, as well as the new KDU 250 drilling unit for the KKS 450 H circular sawing machine – the material is fed in by a pusher, then drilled in up to three axes, cut and ejected on the out-feed side.
For further information www.kaltenbach.com

Hydro Components recently invested £9.6m in the refurbishment and re-opening of its manufacturing plant based in Bedwas, Wales.

This work involved the introduction of three Mecal Kosmos four-axis machining centres and one Mecal Geos MDT five-axis machining centre, the first of its kind in the UK, along with the restructuring of the entire plant. All four machines were supplied by Addison Saws.
“At first, Hydro needed to outsource the CNC machining element as issues with their previous machinery meant they lacked the functionality to produce the parts themselves,” recalls Mike Grogan, Addison Saws’ regional sales manager. “Hydro began to use a local subcontracting company operating three Mecal Kosmos machining centres, which were ideal for producing the required parts. However, it soon became apparent that bringing the operation back in-house would be more beneficial in terms of turn-around time, overall cost and allowing greater control over the manufacturing process.”
After the successful installation of the Kosmos machines, Hydro’s production manager at the Bedwas plant was interested in setting up a single step automated production line, eliminating the need for the company’s additional saws. And, after in-depth discussions, Hydro placed an order for the new five-axis MC 302 Geos MDT 8.6 m CNC machining centre.
Addison Saws then flew key members of the Hydro production team out to Mecal’s factory in Italy to view the machine in action. Along with seeing the factory, the management team was reassured knowing that the Mecal software could handle the bespoke program required for complex parts.
For further information https://addisonsaws.co.uk/

Rotech Laboratories has purchased its third Cosen SH-4030 semi-automatic bandsaw machine from UK agent Sawcraft.

The investment was made to facilitate increased production demands at the company’s testing laboratory in Wednesbury. Rotech provides an extensive schedule of UKAS-accredited tests, and is NADCAP certified for cleanliness verification. The company offers a large range of materials testing services to many sectors of industry. Major test work includes failure analysis, product finish testing, microstructural evaluation, mechanical testing and weld testing.
Operations manager David Skeldon, who has worked with Sawcraft for many years, say that “they are very happy with the past performance of the SH-4030 model, as well as the level of service and aftersales support provided by Sawcraft, which made this the obvious saw of choice to purchase”.
The Cosen SH-4030 has the ability to cut up to 300 mm diameter round bar and 400 mm wide plate. Heavy-duty, robust construction makes the saw suitable for applications such as large billets, dies and plate material. Saw features include variable blade speed control, hydraulic clamps and a 3.75 kW blade motor.
The design incorporates an oversize hydraulic cylinder that supports the saw frame with a universal ball joint, accomplishing a smooth and consistent down-feed throughout the entire cutting cycle. Unlike many other semi-automatic models, the SH-4030 includes a split front vice, which is essential for accuracy when cutting small workpieces, says the company.
For further information www.sawcraft.co.uk