It has developed systems for a wide variety of machining processes, including milling, drilling, trimming and additive manufacturing, as well as general process automation to carry out packing and pick-and-place operations, and for machine tending of conventional machine tools.
The Liverpool-based company has recently celebrated its milestone anniversary by undertaking a significant expansion of its robot-machining business by adding a second site near its Liverpool base and recruiting five extra members of staff.
The addition of the second site will enable a clearer separation of the company’s business in the supply of standard cells for single functions, typically trimming or drilling, and its innovative R&D projects for more challenging applications.
“Running both services from a single site presented several challenges, not just a shortage of space,” explained CNC Robotics’ founder and chief technical officer, Jason Barker. “For example, we often needed to stop work on confidential projects while prospective customers were visiting to see our standard solutions.
“Having our R&D located on a separate site means that work can continue uninterrupted. Equally, we now have room on our main site to keep a standard demonstration cell permanently on show for clients that need a ‘plug-and-play’ system.”
Along with the five recruits, the management team has been strengthened with the promotion of Philippa Glover to managing director and the addition of former Autodesk and Delcam director, Bart Simpson, as the company’s non-executive chairman.
The expansion follows an increase in turnover of more than 30% during 2019, with the business on course for even higher growth this year.
Alongside the general trend towards increased automation, there is a growing appreciation that robots can often provide a more cost-effective solution than milling machines for the large-scale machining of softer materials.
CNC Robotics has seen rapid growth in the demand for its systems from both industry and higher education establishments. The extra staff will enable the company to meet that increased demand. They will also help to maintain the high levels of training and support provided to customers as the number of clients grows.
CNC Robotics www.cncrobotics.co.uk
