A Machine for Every Customer

Tech Aluminium in Cannock is a successful aluminium fabricator with a list of commercial clients which includes the likes of London Zoo, Digbeth Coach Station and Merry Hill Shopping Centre. It also supplies windows, doors, bifold and sliding doors and balustrade to retail customers across the Midlands.

It enjoys a reputation for craftsmanship and bespoke design work, much of it based around the fact that, for a long time, its products were essentially fabricated by hand using only a standard double mitre saw and manual routers.

However, as the business has expanded, the team at Tech Aluminium recognised the need to invest in automated machinery in order to increase its productivity.

Last year, the company approached Emmegi (UK), which had supplied its original saw, for advice and chose a new automatic saw and Phantomatic T3A 3-axis machining centre, complete with eight position tool magazine.

For Tech Aluminium, the new machinery has transformed the way it operates. Production manager Wayne Douglas estimated that it is equivalent to having two extra fabricators working in the factory.

“We get all the accuracy and consistency we need in our products, but at speeds which just weren’t possible before when we had to manually adjust the routers every time we fabricated something different,” he said. “We estimate that this investment will pay for itself within just a few months.”

For Emmegi (UK)’s managing director Ian Latimer, the installation at Tech Aluminium is a perfect illustration of how investing in the right level of machinery can transform a business of any size.

Alongside Tech Aluminium, which has just made its first investment in CNC machining, he cites the example of Compass Windows in Dungiven, which has just invested in a top of the range Emmegi Quadra L1 12-axis machining centre to work alongside its existing Phantomatic M3 machining centre and Classic Magic twin head saw.

Like Tech Aluminium, Compass wanted to increase productivity and take on larger scale projects and, following the investment, it has actually secured a £multi-million supply and installation contract for four new apartment blocks in central London.

“The Emmegi product range is incredibly broad so we really can supply exactly the right machine to fit any customer’s needs – whether that’s an entry level CNC or a 12-axis cutting and machining centre like the Quadral,” Ian said.

“We will always visit a customer, look at their set up and then make our recommendation. With upwards of 25 machining centres in the Emmegi range alone and more than 20 twin head saws, it’s never a question of shoehorning something from our range into their factory, rather a case of finding the perfect match for their requirements.”

This is a view endorsed by Patrice O’Hagan, business development manager at Compass, who said: “Because they have so many different machines in their range, we were confident that Emmegi (UK) would be able to offer us something which fitted our specific requirements when we were looking to expand and the Quadra L1 does exactly what we need it to do.”

Ian said that Emmegi (UK) is proud of the fact that it has long term relationships with so many of its customers so it can generally anticipate their requirements and make suggestions based on a solid understanding of their business objectives.

“When customers partner with us, we can give them expert advice not just on which machines to choose but also how to use those most effectively within their production operations,” he said. “Just as we have machines to suit any size and type of operation, we also have training options available that we can tailor as required.”

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