Kuka aims to grow subcontract welding services

Rob Wilkes has joined the Halesowen-based company with a brief to win new business for Kuka’s in-house services which include joining components for manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive and construction machine sectors.

Mr Wilkes has extensive experience not only in selling welding equipment, but also building and servicing friction welding machines. He will be responsible for promoting Kuka’s facility, one of the largest in Europe, which offers subcontract friction welding, induction heat treatment and metallurgical analysis and testing services.

“Rob’s process knowledge and experience in the industry means he’s been able to hit the ground running both in terms of strengthening relationships with existing customers and developing valuable new contacts,” explained Jayne Shimwell, Kuka’s technical services manager.

The facility has also been boosted with the addition of a refurbished friction welding machine specifically for joining piston rod components. It means there are now nine machines at the site for handling a wide variety of rotary and linear friction welding process applications.

Plans are already underway for the operation to move into larger premises near its existing site later this year as part of Kuka’s ongoing investment programme in its advanced welding systems and services in the UK.

Kuka www.thompson-friction-welding.co.uk