Widely promoted as being one of the UK’s premier advanced manufacturing best practice events, the open house, held at Seco’s state-of-the-art Technology Centre in Alcester, is now in its third year.
Inspiration through Innovation 2016 included: 15 challenging and demanding machining demonstrations using innovative and advanced machine tools, tooling technologies, CAD/CAM software, workholding solutions and metalworking fluids; eight best practice seminars with a common focus on Industry 4.0 and its implications for manufacturers; and over 40 machine tool builders, CAD/CAM, workholding, metrology, tooling, cutting fluid and automation technical partners, each showcasing their latest products, services and solutions.
The event also allowed Seco to demonstrate a number of its own recent business and product solutions and innovations.
Of particular interest in Seco’s ‘Business Solutions Zone’ were the company’s web-based ‘My Pages’ portal that allows Seco customers fast and direct access to product information, cutting data and test reports, and ‘Suggest’ – an optimised product search facility accessed via the My Pages portal.
In Seco’s ‘Product Solutions’ Zone, the company showcased a range of new and/or recently introduced tooling solutions that included Seco’s high feed milling range of cutters; its Duratomic insert technology and a range of shrink fit toolholders.
Mike Fleming, Seco’s sales and marketing manager commented: “We were delighted by the commitment and response from our technical partners. Last year’s event was supported by 30 companies; this year that number rose to over 40.”
Further evidence of the popularity amongst partners was highlighted by CGTech’s Rob Lightfoot who exhibited at this year’s event for the first time: “Last year Seco held a really good show – which we didn’t attend. This year we made sure we had a stand.”
It was a similar situation with Open Mind - a company that also exhibited for the first time this year: “We were really excited about being involved in this year’s event,” enthused sales manager Simon Docker. “Exhibiting at Inspiration through Innovation has not only enhanced our partnership relationship with Seco; it also provided a great opportunity to meet and show our latest innovations to existing customInsers and prospects.”
Seco UK’s managing director, Richard Jelfs had the final word: “Our objective with Inspiration through Innovation has always been to create an inspiring and practical event that is truly customer-focused and demonstrates to visitors and partners alike that significant improvements in productivity, quality and performance are best achieved through collaboration and by sharing best practice.
“This year we wanted the event to be bigger and better than previous open houses and according to feedback from visitors, technical partners and the media, we significantly exceeded our own expectations.”
Seco Tools (UK) www.secotools.com/gb
