SUBCONTRACTING NEWS

£10m heavy engineering plant

Subcontract manufacturer, WEC Group, is constructing a state-of-the-art 60,000 sq ft heavy
machining and fabrication facility in Blackburn. The development marks a significant
milestone in the group’s ongoing expansion strategy and is set to become one of the largest
subcontract machining plants in Europe, serving sectors such as nuclear, defence, offshore
and general engineering.


The facility will feature six large CNC machining centres capable of handling components up
to 20 m in length and 5 m in diameter. This will significantly expand WEC Group’s existing
capabilities, which include a trio of large Correa and an Asquith Butler travelling column
milling machines. The new plant is expected to create 60 new jobs, including 10 additional
machining apprentices.
For further information www.wec-group.com

Injection mould maker automates machining

Based in Budapest, Euroform provides an injection mould-making service from design to
production. The firm currently uses eight machining centres from DMG Mori for tool
production, including DMU monoBLOCKs, an HSC 75 linear and, most recently, a DMU 100 P
duoBLOCK. The latter features a PH Cell 2000 automation system for pallet handling to allow
unattended production at night and during the weekends.
The five-axis simultaneous machining of workpieces up to 1100 mm in diameter by 1600
mm long and weighing 2200 kg has already taken place on a DMU 100 P duoBLOCK.
Euroform’s experience with the machining centre was consistently good, leading to the
purchase in 2022 of a latest-generation model with a 1000 × 1250 × 1000 mm working
envelope.
When Euroform ordered the new DMU 100 P duoBLOCK, DMG Mori already had a large
pallet handling system in development, based on the smaller PH Cell 300. The bigger
capacity automation system handles pallets measuring up to 1100 mm in diameter, so is
able to deploy Euroform’s 1000 × 800 mm pallets. The PH Cell 2000 has 12 pallet positions
on two levels and can accept workpieces up to 1350 mm tall.
As Euroform almost exclusively manufactures one-offs, pallet handling such as the PH Cell
2000 is the optimal solution. Operators set up jobs offline on several pallets using a zero-

point clamping system while machining is in progress on another mould, so production
downtime is minimal, even at night.
Another focus area that supports business development at Euroform is digitalisation. The
mould maker is an enthusiastic adopter of the digital ‘my DMG MORI’ app when it comes to
online service requests.
For further information www.dmgmori.com

The die is cast

Phase two of a demolition project has started at Sheffield Forgemasters to make way for the
UK’s largest open-die forging line. Unused buildings on the Sheffield Forgemasters site,
north of Brightside Lane, are being removed as the second phase of work gets underway to
create space for a new 13,000 tonne heavy forge and its 12,700 sq m housing. Victorian-era
forge and foundry buildings will make way for the new facility, creating one of the most
efficient open-die forging operations in Europe and the largest in the UK. The demolition will
eventually expose the whole footprint of the new facility, which will dominate the skyline.
For further information www.bit.ly/3Ubjxyq

Barrow funding

A major investment in Barrow-in-Furness can only be good news for supply chain companies and the wider economy. That is the view of award-winning engineering business Forth, which has one of its three Cumbrian bases in the town. The Government’s announcement of a £20m investment in the Barrow Transformation Fund is expected to create more than 8000 career opportunities at BAE Systems, its supply chain and the region’s economy. Forth believes the fund will help it attract engineering talent to the area as well as creating significant opportunities to support new defence projects at BAE Systems.

For further information www.forth.uk.com

Simwon adopts AP & T press-hardening technology

Together with its agent Daekyung International, AP&T has spent many years building up a
relationship with Simwon and MS Autotech in South Korea. In a visit to China a few years
ago, Simwon’s managing director got the opportunity to see how AP&T’s press-hardening
production lines perform in action. It was the start of a rewarding collaboration between

the two parties. In spring 2022, the first line from AP&T was installed at Simwon’s facility in
Austin, Texas. The line’s output is thus far exceeding the company’s very high expectations.
Simwon is part of MS Autotech, a globally operating sub-supplier to many of the world’s
major car manufacturers. Simwon America in Austin, Texas produces press-hardened
components for the American market.
“The new line primarily manufactures door rings for one of our larger American customers,”
says Jeon Incheol, senior manager of the overseas sales team at Simwon. “To meet their
needs, the technology has to run faultlessly, and we need to be able to produce at top
speed. The output is 15-20% higher than our other press-hardening lines.”
The success of the Simwon investment is also of great importance to AP&T.  
“We’re naturally pleased to fulfil Simwon’s high requirements on product quality, cycle
times and machine availability,” says Peter Robisch, sales manager at AP&T. “For us, this is a
strategically important deal that has strengthened our position in press hardening on the
North American market.”
The line includes a hydraulic press with a press force of 1200 tons, automation equipment
and a control system. Thanks to the uniform control system, it is possible to synchronise the
line’s hydraulic presses and linear robots.
For further information www.aptgroup.com