New machine expands markets and growth

Staffordshire Precision Engineering, based in Parkhouse Industrial Estate, Newcastle-under-Lyme, has purchased a VTC-800/20SR vertical travelling column 5-axis machining centre from Yamazaki Mazak UK.

The investment follows increased demand from both existing and new customers and will enable the company, which turns over £3 million, to move into the manufacture of larger, high precision components for the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as the medical and scientific instrument markets.

Gary Smith, director at Staffordshire Precision, comments: “The last 18 months have been a very exciting period for the businesses and we believe our recent purchase of a Mazak VTC-800/20SR will allow us to meet growing customer demand for larger and more complex parts which, up until now, were beyond our capabilities.

“We’ve already won new business off the back of the purchase. We can now also machine bigger parts, such as housings, to go alongside the medical and scientific instrumentation components we manufacture for existing customers, which means customers can consolidate their subcontract work into one supplier.”

The purchase of the VTC-800/20SR follows a highly successful period of expansion and investment for Staffordshire Precision Engineering. The company, which currently employs 49 people – including a highly successful apprenticeship programme, recently moved to a new 28,000ft² site and created nine new jobs, with a further six likely to be added in the coming year.

It is the fourth Mazak machine the company has invested in, having purchased two Quick Turn Smart 250M lathes and one Variaxis i-500 5-axis multi-tasking machining centre in 2016 as part of its expansion.

Mr Smith continues: “We like the fact that we can go to one supplier and source multiple machining solutions. The two lathes were needed to service an aerospace contract, and the Variaxis has been a huge asset to us as well. We have paired it with a pallet loader to increase production efficiency and it has already generated a lot of enquiries for highly complex aerospace parts.

“The fact that Mazak is another Midlands manufacturer, and that they offer robust aftersales support, is one of the reasons we purchased the VTC-800/20SR. Our relationship with them goes above and beyond purchasing machines and our Mazaks are central to our plans for future growth.”

Yamazaki Mazak UK www.mazakeu.co.uk

STAFFORDSHIRE PRECISION ENGINEERING www.staffsprecision.co.uk