Delapena and Gehring Technologies join forces to offer broader range of products and services

With over 200 years of honing experience between them, the partnership agreement between Delapena and Gehring Technologies will deliver significant advantages to their respective customer bases. Both companies can now offer a full and diverse range of honing products and services, creating a one-stop-shop for customers who no longer have to rely on multiple sources for honing related technology. "Our product ranges are fully complementary and we target different sectors of the market with only a small overlap between the two businesses," says David Arthur, managing director Delapena Honing Equipment. Typically, Gehring Technologies targets the OEM market with honing machines and systems, while Delapena has a strong presence at all levels below the OEM, supplying honing machines and an extensive range of tooling and fixturing. In the UK, this new agreement will provide Delapena with access to the OEM sector through working as Gehring Technologies' partner to provide hone tool refurbishment services; Delapena will also act as the UK point of call for the high end honing machines. For Delapena's new and existing customers, it provides them with genuine single-source supply for all of their honing requirements. As these customers expand and develop their honing capabilities, Delapena will be able to seamlessly service their needs and to ensure that the highest level of support is available; all relevant staff will be fully trained on the intricacies of the different honing systems. David Arthur continued: "This agreement with Gehring Technologies will provide a complete solution for our customers, through which we can manage every aspect of their honing needs. It also offers Delapena the potential to expand its already successful honing tooling/fixturing business, this will be achieved by working with Gehring Technologies' extensive, and global, customer base. From a honing machine tool standpoint Gehring Technologies machines will now be available through our worldwide network of distributors, bringing the Delapena approach of providing direct sales support to the Gehring Technologies range of machines. "By bringing everything honing related under a single point of supply, we will create a unique proposition to put in front of customers. They now have available to them everything from tooling and oils through to the traditional manual Speedhone machines; specialised Deephone (Tubehone) machines for horizontal production of large, low volume, parts up to 15 m in length; and highly sophisticated vertical honing systems for high volume production environments, with only one point of contact. This represents a major milestone and will generate significant advantages for both parties." Commenting on behalf of Gehring Technologies GmBH, Peter Lang said: "We are extremely happy to have developed this partnership with Delapena. The long histories of both our businesses can now be combined in a joint strategy to develop the honing market and bring a level of service and support to our customers that would be more difficult to achieve working alone." Image, left to right: Philip Williams (head of sales, marketing and business development , Delapena); Gerald Kauderer (director sales, standard machines Gehring Technologies); Bill Smith, (business development director Gehring Technologies UK); David Arthur,(managing director, Delapena); Peter Lang (sales director Gehring Technologies; Martin Elliott (managing director designate, Delepena)