SUBCONTRACTING NEWS

Ex-Dyson MD joins AMufacture as new chairman

A UK additive manufacturing (AM) company has appointed the former managing director of Dyson as its new chairman. David Hollander (photo, centre) is taking on the role at Portsmouth-based AMufacture to support its rapid growth and international expansion.

AMufacture, founded in 2018 by Craig Pyser and Will Howden, says it has grown into a leading contract manufacturer in the AM industry, specialising in marine, automotive and defence contracts. It recently benefited from significant follow-on investment made by private equity firm Maven Capital and Scottish-based co-investor Turner, which has been helping ambitious companies to grow for more than 100 years.

Hollander, who has more than 40 years’ experience in leading and transforming businesses, says: “I’m delighted to join AMufacture at such an exciting time in the company’s development. We now have seven times the capacity we had two years ago with the opportunity ahead to develop either in other areas of the UK or, more importantly, overseas. What I’m bringing – from my time at Dyson and other companies – is experience of having been there and done it before. I greatly admire Will and Craig’s ambition and the progress the company has made to date. I’m also impressed by the focus and support that comes from the investment they have received.”

He continues: “The potential for growth is huge. AM has historically been used for R&D but is now at such an advanced level that it’s very cost effective for relatively short manufacturing runs and for situations of rapid change where a client does not want to commit to a long run. It allows customers to prepare for multiple scenarios in the most cost-effective way.”

More information https://amufacture.com/

Maxiforja starts production on large forging press

Founded in 1963, Maxiforja located in Canoas, Brazil, serves numerous manufacturers of heavy trucks and agriculture equipment.In order to expand production capacities for large knuckles up to 40 kg, the company has installed a record-breaking 6500 tonne forging press from Andritz Schuler, which has now gone into operation.

“This is the world’s largest forging press featuring a kinetic energy recovering system [KERS],” reveals Nicolas Drevon, director global forging at Andritz Schuler. “Thanks to KERS, the power demand will decrease by up to 40% compared with conventional forging presses in this size.” 

This energy reducing technology helps Maxiforja to reach its sustainability goals. At the same time, the company benefits from high quality and productivity thanks to the state-of-the-art technology offered by the new line.

The GLK 6500 type press was developed by Andritz Schuler’s Italian subsidiary Andritz Farina and built at the site of Prensas Schuler in Brazil. Apart from KERS, the line also features a Scotch Yoke working directly in the slide, which allows for a compact design and improved component accuracy. Maxiforja already operates forging presses ranging from 800 to 4000 tonnes capacity, but for the first time decided to invest in Andritz Schuler technology.

Andritz Metals is – via Andritz Schuler – a global supplier of technologies, plants and digital solutions in metal forming. The product portfolio also includes automation and software solutions, process know-how and service. In the metals processing segment, the business area offers innovative, sustainable solutions for the production and processing of flat products, for welding systems and furnaces with its own burner solutions, as well as services for the metals processing industry.

More information www.schulergroup.com

Eco-composites power supercar down under

BAMD Composites, a specialist in advanced and sustainable composite manufacturing, has been selected by Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia to supply a full suite of eco-composite body panels for the all-new Toyota GR Supra Supercar, set to debut in the 2026 Australian Supercars Championship. Designed, tooled and manufactured entirely at BAMD’s high-tech Oxfordshire facility, the project showcases the company’s end-to-end capability – from early design optimisation and tooling through to final manufacture and global delivery – all completed within just 12 weeks from concept to race-ready eco-composite body panels.

More information www.bamd.co.uk

UK’s first HBZ AeroCell 160-400 machines installed

With demand in the aerospace sector continuing to rise, Moyola Precision Engineering has taken a bold step forward in its production capabilities – investing in the UK’s first HBZ AeroCell 160-400 five-axis horizontal machining centres from Bavius. The machines mark a major milestone in Moyola’s ongoing commitment to performance, innovation and global competitiveness.

In response to continued growth and increasing demand across the aerospace sector, Moyola launched a strategic R&D initiative to expand capacity and transformed its manufacturing approach for a major international aerospace programme. The project focused on developing a new method of manufacturing, incorporating innovative tooling strategies and a reimagined, highly efficient production workflow.

Central to this initiative was the installation of two HBZ AeroCell 160-400 machines – the latest arriving in February 2025 – configured as a fully integrated twin-pallet manufacturing cell and tailored for high-speed machining of large aluminium aerospace parts.

Lee Averill CADCAM engineering manager at Moyola, says: “The HBZ AeroCell set up has played a pivotal role in redefining our approach to large workpiece machining, consistently exceeding expectations in both speed and precision.”

Today, the AeroCell machines are operating at full production capacity. Thanks to optimised engineering, intelligent pallet handling, and a well-balanced takt time, Moyola

benefits from a highly stable and continuous machining process with minimal downtime an ideal setup for scaling production while maintaining precision and consistency.

This new capability has allowed Moyola to deliver on critical production commitments with greater flexibility and efficiency. The combination of high-speed machining and ultra-precise output means Moyola can continue to meet the demanding requirements of the aerospace sector with confidence.

More information www.engtechgroup.com

Motorsport Inspires RPH’s Hurco Machine Investment

RPH Manufacturing, a tier-one supplier based in Wimborne, has consistently prioritised precision, efficiency, cleanliness and innovation throughout its long history. At the helm is owner and managing director Richard Haim, whose passion for engineering, which began 57 years ago, led him to start his own company in 1981. Upon asking him why he has a preference for vertical machining centres from Hurco, he says: “I like the brand because I know a lot of the Formula 1 Teams are customers of theirs. I have been a lifelong motorsport enthusiast and I thought there could be no better endorsement to purchase a Hurco machine tool.”

Four Hurco VM-series machines, equipped with Max 5 twin-screen controls running proprietary WinMax conversational programming software, today form the backbone of RPH’s workshop. They enable the company to deliver more than 45,000 parts per year to a wide range of industries. Just-in-time and Kanban systems offer customers reliable, often daily supply of parts keep their businesses running and minimise their stockholding.

Haim is always open to innovations and new working methods that can make his business perform more efficiently. A good example is the way in which he has embraced Hurco’s Solid Model Import software. Already a user of Hurco DXF software, he was easily able to realise the additional benefits of applying dimensions directly from a STEP file into a conversational program. 

After 44 years in business, Haim is as committed as ever to running his VM-series machines and has set his sights firmly on reaching RPH’s 50-year trading milestone, which will be in 2031. His unwavering commitment to Hurco underscores the value the machines have brought to his business and his confidence in the supplier’s ability to support his continued success in the future.

More information www.hurco.com