Laser-cutting specialist FC Laser has announced a record year with 30% growth in the past 12 months. The Derby-based company is doing so well that it will move to larger and more eco-friendly premises by the end of 2017 to help satisfy customer demand.

FC Laser’s new 20,000 sq ft factory has already received planning approval and the foundations will be laid this month. The company expects to receive the keys in December and is arranging for a prominent figure to open the new site. An open day is planned for March 2018 at which visitors will be able to see FC Laser’s suite of Bystronic laser centres, including a new 10 kW machine capable of cutting 30 mm thick materials. In other news, FC Laser has also been taking on new staff. These include account manager Brett Armitage, new business account manager Ellie Miller and apprentice internal sales engineer Will Krafts.
For further information www.fclaser.co.uk

Bowers Group has launched its new ‘Mobile Metrology Centre’ offering on-site customer demonstrations of a range of metrology equipment.
The mobile centre will travel around the UK showcasing optical inspection systems that include the Baty Venture Vision System and the Sylvac Scan optical measuring machine. Also on display and available for demonstrations are the Accretech Surfcom Nex and a Rockwell hardness tester, along with the Trimos V5 height gauge. In addition, customers will have the chance to see a range of Bowers bore gauges and Sylvac Bluetooth hand tools.
For further information www.bowersgroup.co.uk/mmc

This year is year seven of the Productivity Share Scheme (PSS7) run by KMF Precision Sheet Metal. The scheme pays out an annual bonus to any employee who spots an opportunity for cost saving within the KMF Group. It concentrates on the seven key areas of waste: over-production, inventory, transport, process, idle time, operator motion and quality.
A total of 194 employees contributed to the cost-saving scheme this year, resulting in total PSS7 savings for the KMF Group of £530,589.26.
PSS7 is also unique in that it is the first-time KMF Precision Sheet Metal has extended this project across the group to include KMF Precision Engineering. This year’s taster scheme resulted in £31,793.20 worth of savings from 30 contributors. Since 2013, the productivity share scheme has saved KMF over £1.8m and significantly increased efficiency and productivity within the company’s sheet metal fabrication service.
For further information www.kmf.co.uk

Oil mist collector manufacturer Filtermist has invested in an ABB robot for its welding department as part of the company’s continuous improvement policy. The investment follows sustained global growth which saw Filtermist’s sales increase by 23% last year.
The robot has been installed to TIG weld internal drums and outer cases. Here, cylindrical steel blanks are positioned on a turntable inside a dedicated welding cell, and the robot applies the weld while the table rotates.
For further information www.filtermist.com

Bromford Industries, a specialist manufacturer of aero engine and landing-gear components for the global aerospace supply chain, is in the process of installing nine Okuma MU-6300V mill-turn centres at its Birmingham factory. The Japanese-built, five-axis, vertical-spindle machines are suited to volume production of nickel-alloy aero-engine parts to tight tolerances. The machine-tool order, placed on Okuma’s UK agent NCMT, is valued at £7m. Seven of the machines have already been installed and are producing components, with the remaining two due for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2017.
For further information www.ncmt.co.uk