New agency hits the ground running for Hardinge

As of the beginning of the fourth day of the show, the company had taken around 120 enquiries for the German machine tool range from Matec. A family of modular vertical machining centres with linear motor-driven X axes from 1,300 mm to 50 m, the range has a dozen base machines to which various elements can be attached. The company can deliver special machines but on a standard base, says the company's Albert Halletz, project manager sales, and at prices below that of a special machine. According to Hardinge Machine Tools' sales and marketing director, David Andrew, this range starts where its existing Bridgeport range leaves off, with the modular nature of the machine fitting well within the company's new Spectrum Initiative (see already published story on this site). The various permutations include bar-fed versions - proving of interest to turbine blade manufacturers - high speed or high power spindle - which can also swivel to deliver angular and horizontal access, turntables offering rotation speeds up to 6,000 rpm, twin spindle models and more. Matec, located in the heart of Germany's machine tool manufacturing area around Stuttgart, makes some 150 machines per year, having been established in 1992, drawing on personnel with a machine tool industry background. It employs 160. To date, Matec has had limited presence in the UK – indeed, there is only one machine installed here. With the backing of a major brand such as Hardinge, potential for the previously Germany focused Matec has been uncovered very quickly, and Mr Halletz - and Hardinge - have been pleasantly surprised, to say the least.