Amada Co Ltd of Japan has appointed Paul Mansfield to the position of managing director and COO at Amada UK Ltd. With almost 25 years of service at the company, Mansfield is well known to staff and customers throughout Europe and brings extensive knowledge and management experience to the role. The new position will run concurrently with his existing role as COO of Amada Maquinaria Ibérica in Spain. Mansfield succeeds Steve Basford, who remains with the company as a special advisor, focussing on customer relations. Amada UK continues its 50th anniversary celebrations this year with a two-week exhibition starting on 27 June.

For further information
www.amada.eu

FourJaw, which offers a manufacturing data analytics platform that the company says can unlock five-fold increases in shop-floor productivity, has secured a second round of angel investment and Innovate UK funding. Worth £1m, the funding will further accelerate FourJaw’s growth and support high-value-added manufacturers across the country. FourJaw secured the investment with support from many within the UK investor community, notably NorthInvest and SFC Capital, along with a substantial six-figure grant from Innovate UK, to help develop next-level data analytics tools for SME manufacturers.

For further information
www.fourjaw.com

Grinding technology and abrasives specialist Tyrolit had a very busy and successful week exhibiting at MACH 2022 in April, with over 300 enquiries recorded across the week. Showcasing over 120 individual products on the stand, Tyrolit exhibited its latest range of new products and services, with specific solutions for industries such as medical, automotive, aerospace, tooling and gear manufacturing. Notable was live demonstrations of the ToolScope modular assistance system, with an interactive display, introducing visitors to the digitalisation of grinding technology.

For further information
www.tyrolit.co.uk

Tooling and work-holding specialist Ceratizit UK & Ireland enjoyed its best-ever performance at MACH 2022 last month with enquiries, orders and positivity all at very high levels. Indeed, the company recorded over 1500 requests for information or visits over the course of the week-long show. Managing director Tony Pennington says: “The vast majority of visitors to our stand were reporting strong order books and a commitment to invest in the latest technology. Many accept that there will be some peaks and troughs but, in general, the consensus was that the next few years look extremely promising.”

For further information www.ceratizit.com

Investment in Ficep UK’s automated drilling and profiling lines has helped Wolverhampton-based Advanced Cold-Formed Sections (ACFS) to maximise its levels of factory pre-fabrication, reduce fabrication time, improve quality and save significantly on material costs.

ACFS, which is part of the Metek group, manufactures light steel frames, stud and tracks, as well as floor and mezzanine cassettes and cladding rails, primarily for the residential, hotel and student accommodation markets. The investment in two new Ficep systems, which include an Excalibur 12 drilling system, comes as part of ACFS’s continued commitment to driving innovation and meeting long-term sustainability objectives.

The new Excalibur system is now in situ at ACFS’s 7900 sq m facility in Wolverhampton. Since purchasing the machines, company owner Oliver Rogan reports a 120% increase in output of materials and a significant reduction in welding time with 42% fewer welders needed to produce the product range.

ACFS’s Excalibur is a CNC drilling system with an 18-m bed that allows ACFS to carry out tasks that include scribing, ID marks, notches and copes, as well as drilling. The system’s milling capability has enabled components to be connected with a single bolt, helping with cost reduction. According to Rogan, the Excalibur alone has enabled ACFS to process a record-breaking 60-tonne job in five days with only five welders. It also allowed the company to process beams beyond the capabilities of its stockholders.

Ficep’s software interface is another huge benefit. The Excalibur’s CNC software allows for remote diagnosis that allows Ficep’s service team to perform system diagnostics and routine checks.

“The results have far surpassed our expectations,” says Rogan. “Ficep’s systems help our welders to speed up production and reduce NCRs, giving us an end result that fits together seamlessly.”

For further information
www.ficep.co.uk