Changes in the German machine tool industry; Dugard Machine Tools develops a new
showroom and offi ce facility; MTTA reports trade defi cit in UK machine tools industry;
Ajax Machine Tool Co launches a new Premier range of manual/CNC centre lathes
february 1996
25 years ago
Atwo issue month, and in the rst, our comment piece
50
discusses the fundamental change in Germany, the world’s
second largest machine tool industry as measured by its
production. We report that according to VDW, the German machine
tool industry’s representative body for the leading suppliers, the
industry as a whole enjoyed an upswing in 1995 after a tough few
years, and at the end of the rst six months, production had risen by
21 per cent compared with the same period in the previous year.
Despite this, the severe recession has caused a sea change in the
industrial landscape and philosophy of machine tool companies in
design, production and sales.
In news, we report how British-based Dugard Machine Tools has
purchased a showroom and of ce facility in Coventry, while Derek
Robinson Machine Tools, Midlands distributor for Colchester Lathe’s
turning machines, places an order worth over £1m for Tornado CNC
Lathes, to meet strong demand, as it is forecasting sales of more
than 100 machines in the Midlands by the year-end.
Meanwhile, machine too distributor William Watts has returned to
British ownership; WDS Cutting opened its in-house manufacturing
facilities to external customers; the 600 Centre is appointed as sole
UK agent by Okamoto of Japan; and a new made-to-order broaching
cutter service is launched by Universal Drilling and Cutting Equipment.
In feature articles, we have: a special focus on gear production and
how a recent market report on the current position of the European
mechanical power transmission industry indicates that production
levels could be at the highest level for more than ve years;
and report on how software has cleared the path to an
integration system
developed by US machine
builder Gleason, bringing
together – design, production
and inspection.
We also have a detailed
international report on the
changing face of the German machine tool industry, looking at three
well-known lathe makers, discovering that new company groupings,
design, production and sales philosophies are much in evidence.
In the second issue of February 1996, our comment piece
re ected on the Machine Tools Technologies Association (MTTA)
annual dinner in January, attended by Tim Eggar, UK Minister for
Industry and Energy. In his speech, MTTA president Malcolm Taylor
lauded the greatly improved UK consumption of machine tools for
1995, congratulating the machine tool industry on both its use and
development of manufacturing technology, while also pointedly stating
that manufacturing matters, and that a pre-requisite for its success is
a strong machine tools industry.
In news, a trade de cit in machine tools was reported by the MTTA
for the rst nine months of 1995, as exports of machine tools
increased by 21.7 per cent over the same period in 1994, reaching
£319m, imports grew by 56.1 per cent to £386.7m – giving a de cit
for the year so far of £67.7m; and Ajax Machine Tool Co launched a
new Premier range of manual/CNC centre lathes encompassing ve
models offering centre heights from 165 to 310 mm.
Meanwhile, Northampton-based Reason & Pickles is saved from
receivership by a £1m management buy-out that safeguards 67 jobs;
Omega Dynamics and Lewis Automation merged to create Lewis
Omega; and centrifugal pump manufacturer Stuart Turner has reduced
its turning section from 20 machines to just over six in the last ve
years, but overall output has increased due to the installation of two
Mazak Super Quick Turn 18 turning centres.
In feature articles, we look at the latest stories from the rebuilding
sector; hear how Norwegian shipping company Ulstein has
restructured its worldwide production sites, including moving all
machine propulsion system manufacturing to Scotland; nd out about
four interesting and innovative machining centre applications that
didn’t make the shortlist for the 1996 Machinery Awards; and nd out
how CAM software player Pathtrace Engineering Systems is setting its
sights on making acquisitions in the growing market. ■
Key Events
philip kinsey /stock.adobe.com
Microgen /stock.adobe.com
Fiona Hanson/PA Archive/PA Images
▼
The coatings for
the highest performance
For more information:
cutting.tools/en/dragonskin
feb 96
Take That is to
disband, leading
the government
to set
up counselling
phone lines
Stephen Hendry wins his
sixth Masters snooker title
by defeating defending
champion
Ronnie O’Sullivan
10–5 in the nal
Serbian
forces withdraw
from Sarajevo,
ending the longest
siege of a capital city
- 1,425 days
Bence /stock.adobe.com
▼
Trainspotting
directed by Danny Boyle,
is released in cinemas
▼ ▼ ▼
British
supermarkets
begin to stock genetically modi ed
tomato puree – the rst genetically
modi ed food to be sold in the country
Sarajevo
▼
/stock.adobe.com
/stock.adobe.com
/stock.adobe.com
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