High-end precision fabrication specialist LTi Metaltech is already building on its growth success in 2018 with the addition of a new Ridder waterjet cutting machine, which has just been installed at the company’s Abingdon factory.

The waterjet provides crucial extra capacity to serve newer growth areas of LTi’s business, in addition to its ongoing cryogenic work for long-time client, Siemens (for its MRI machines). With its twin-head cutting capability, larger cutting area of 8 x 4 m and, most crucially, high-pressure water pump with increased capacity of 75 kW, the waterjet will allow LTi to ramp up its production going forward.
For further information http://lti-metaltech.com/

On 28 February the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) staged its annual dinner at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster.

The event was attended by over 500 guests from across the MTA’s membership, the wider manufacturing community and beyond. MTA president and director of Yamazaki Mazak Marcus Burton said in his keynote speech: “With the opportunities of the 4th industrial revolution we can leapfrog the past and invest in the future. Digitalisation is going to dominate the future of our industry – in fact manufacturing is already being recast as a digital industry. We in this room have everything that is needed to move productivity forward.”
For further information www.mta.org.uk

Family-owned precision engineering firm JJ Churchill of Leicestershire has secured more than £100m in contracts, increased its headcount by 35% and its export forward order book from under £1m to more than £37m after five years on the Sharing in Growth productivity and competitiveness programme.

The Market Bosworth-based company was one of the first aerospace suppliers selected for Sharing in Growth in 2013 when its ambitions were to overcome risks caused by the oil crisis. JJ Churchill now has plans to hit more than £38m and add around 20 new jobs by 2020.
For further information www.sig-uk.org/apply

Machining specialist Wilson Manufacturing has purchased a Quaser MF400UH five-axis machining centre from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) to complete a £310,000 investment drive. The acquisition, which complements the earlier addition of a mill-turn centre, will help the company improve lead times and drive efficiencies.

Based in Hampshire, Wilson Manufacturing, which supplies precision parts into the aerospace, marine, medial and oil and gas sectors, will use its Quaser MF400UH to increase capacity, boost quality and reduce set-up times. The move marks a successful year for the Ringwood-based company, which has seen it create two new jobs and increase sales by 25%, putting the business on course for a turnover of £1.35m.
“Customers are spread across a number of demanding sectors and there is an increasing need for more complex components, a trend that we’ve met head-on with the purchase of the five-axis CNC machine,” explains director Andy Wilson. “We discussed our requirements with ETG and they spent a lot of time getting to understand our processes and the parts we make. This was crucial in providing a complete picture of where we wanted to go, and led to them suggesting the Quaser MF400UH.
“Although it has only been up and running for a few months, we have already been really impressed with the performance,” he continues. “The control, spindle speed and ability to machine multiple faces of complex parts have been game changers – in some instances we have improved cycle time by 30%. This makes us a lot more competitive and, at a time when speed-to-market is crucial, gives us another USP when exploring new business opportunities. We could well make a return on our investment within the first two years.”
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Pryor has become a member of the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

As part of being a Tier 2 Member, Pryor has installed an advanced laser marking system at the AMRC’s Factory 2050, the first of its type at the facility. Pryor’s laser will be integrated into a fully automated robotic cell for marking components, to demonstrate part traceability and data capture in production assemblies. The demonstration will involve two robots that will load pen components into the laser cabinet for marking before assembling the parts into a working pen.
For further information www.pryormarking.com