UK subcontractors report positive outlook and look ahead to post-COVID boom The UK’s subcontract manufacturing sector appears to have weathered the COVID storm and is emerging from lockdown with exceptionally strong sales pipelines, according to a cross-section of the industry’s leaders.
Machined components firm invests in new Hurco machine Wall Colmonoy (UK) has expanded its capabilities with a new Hurco VMX60Ui 5-axis CNC milling machine.
Arrowsmith takes-off with MSC As a prominent Tier 1 subcontract supplier to some of the world’s leading aerospace OEMs, Queen’s Award for International Trade winner Arrowsmith Engineering has a reputation for being a high-quality…
Physics graduate drives subcontract success When physics graduate Paul Cobb asked his father Reg in 1997 to help him invest in a subcontract machining business specialising in CNC sliding-head turning, Mr Cobb senior groaned; he…
Fledgling subcontractor hits the ground running A new precision machining subcontract specialist has invested in ten Doosan machines from Mills CNC in its first three months of operation. PES reports.
Technogroup eyes up post-COVID growth Trying to extract anything positive from the events of the past year or so is like banging your head against the proverbial brick wall, but for forward thinking businesses it…
KMF continues to invest in production and performance Precision Engineering Firm KMF has invested in a significant piece of equipment which will double critical capacity.
Pair of high-speed machining centres duplicated after 20 years For an Oldham manufacturer, sterling service from a pair of Roeders VMCs prompted an almost identical investment 20 years later from the same supplier. PES reports.
A tough machining decision made easy A leading precision subcontractor, searching for a large capacity, powerful vertical machining centre has canvassed the marketplace and opted for a new Doosan machine tool from Mills CNC.
A tube bending machine that’s ideal for subcontractors Tube manipulation and pipe bending subcontractor, T&T Tubecraft, has invested in an new all-electric 130mm diameter multi-stack CNC tube bending machine from Unison.
A turn for the better for Merseyside subcontractor In August 2020, precision subcontractor Bryken took delivery of its sixth Miyano BNE-51MSY turn-mill centre, having bought its first as recently as June 2018. Collectively, Bryken’s fixed head machine investments…
A productive partnership in sliding head technology NSR Engineering, a Bristol-based subcontractor specialising in turned and milled components, is celebrating 20 years of success through its partnership with sliding head lathe supplier Star Micronics GB. PES reports.
Turbocharging productivity ELE Advanced Technologies is a company with an aerospace pedigree that dates back to 1955 when Earby Light Engineers (ELE) was founded to manufacture compressor blades for Rolls-Royce.
UK manufacturing update: Subcontracting bounces back strongly The UK subcontract manufacturing market bounced back strongly in July and August after the COVID-19 lockdown.
Continuous improvement never stops Lockdown investment may have slowed significantly but pockets of activity are still keeping things ticking over.
Subcontractor stays loyal to Okuma Before starting his own contract machining business, Mick Catherine worked for another subcontractor that was in the vanguard of using a Japanese-built Okuma horizontal machining centre to turn large, often…
Positive signs for subcontract market The Contract Manufacturing Index shows the value of the market for contract and subcontract manufacturing services for machining, fabrication and other processes
Call to arms The relentless spread of Covid-19 has shaken the world to its very core, affecting virtually everyone on the planet with a magnitude that has seen medical experts drawing comparisons to…
146 year-old British engineering firm starts £300K investment drive One of the UK’s longest established engineering supply companies is targeting growth after announcing a £300,000 investment drive.
A change for the better Mach Machine Tools, part of the Vigilance Group, has recently supplied Surrey-based, precision subcontract specialist Delavale Engineering with two, new high-performance vertical machining centres.
A pivot point for automation Founded in 1984 and having moved repeatedly to larger premises to cope with almost continuous growth in turnover, subcontractor Norjon Precision Engineering expanded yet again at the end of 2018…
Ten vertical steps to expansion Scottish subcontractor Cowie Engineering, established in 1999 with manual mills and a lathe, has doubled in size and found new markets thanks to its continued investment in Hurco machines.
Significant investment heralds radical changes As technology advances and market conditions change, specialist subcontractor Mini Gears speeds up its internal processes, invests in new Inspection facilities, works towards Industry 4.0 and upgrades its CNC gear…
Faster machines for fast making Rugby-based Raysun has developed its business from a designer and manufacturer of bespoke jigs and fixtures with a well-equipped toolroom facility to become one of the UK’s leading ‘fast make’…