Within a year, the Bedfordshire-based business had attained process carbon neutrality and celebrated achieving carbon net-zero at the start of 2021. Financed independently, Midas introduced a myriad of green methods as part of the #MidasGreenInitiative, including a farm of 650 solar panels which powers the plant, 100% LED lighting and a compressor system which uses 30% less energy.
On top of this, all packaging is shredded and recycled, single-use plastics are banned, and no waste goes to landfill. “There’s been a lot of hard work and investment in the last two years, but it’s certainly been worth it,” says managing director Alan Rance.
Part of this world-leading initiative means updating and investing in the most efficient equipment possible. Following the purchase of a colossal VF-11 in 2021, Midas has just taken charge of brand-new VF-9 and VF-4SS vertical machining centres.
“The VF-9 and VF-4SS have slotted straight in. They perform just as well as the larger machine, and they’re a known quantity for rapid reliability and capacity,” Rance says.
“This level of investment gives both our existing and new customers more confidence when placing orders with us. They see we own the right equipment for the job and feel protected and assured by what we can offer. We have a long-term vision for ourselves and our clients.
“The new Haas machines vastly increased our capacity, our versatility and improved our turnaround. We can now machine much larger jobs in one hit, so we’re not spending time setting up multiple parts. So it’s certainly more efficient.”
Midas Pattern’s new Haas VMCs share many energy-saving features, including an ‘Auto Power-Off’ setting that turns the machine off after a specified number of minutes idle. ‘Power-Off at M30’ sets the control to start a 30-second timer that will turn off all power unless interrupted. Sleep Mode puts the machine into a low-power mode for a programmed length of time.
Midas has enhanced its latest purchases with high-speed machining for greater efficiency in cornering, and the VF-4SS boasts a super-speed 12,000 rpm spindle. The VF-11 and VF-9 have ample room for large parts with an envelope of 3,048 x 1,016 x 762 mm and 2,134 x 1,016 x 762 mm respectively. All three are equipped with a 30+1 side-mount tool changer.
“The side-mount tool changer is great as it keeps your tools outside the machine. This may not seem like a big deal, but the tool holder and spindle tapers stay clean, leading to less wear and tear.”
The company was founded over 30 years ago in St. Neots by Alan Rance, to manufacture precision pattern equipment for the local foundry industry before moving down the A1 to Bedfordshire. Since then, the site and the business has grown in stature and in capabilities. Midas now commands over 30,000 sq ft and has diversified into a world-class precision polyurethane moulding company supplying a wide range of life-changing and life-enhancing industries, the largest of which are medical, medtech devices and scientific instrumentation.
Midas has been a Haas customer for 25 years; their first Haas investment was a VF-3 back in 1997. “We knew Haas is perceived as a good brand,” says Rance. They have a name for reliability and accuracy. If we’re happy with a brand, why wouldn’t we stick with it? The first machine and the support we got from Haas gave us the confidence to come back time and time again.”
