South Korean machine tool maker Hwacheon Machinery celebrates 60 years

Starting life as a simple job shop producing components for the agricultural industry in the area of Gwuangju, Hwacheon quickly developed into something more and by the 1970s the company had designed and built Korea's first NC lathe, following up a few years later with the first CNC milling machine to be produced in the country. Since establishing its credentials, Hwacheon has continued to develop and grow into a significant global supplier of CNC turning and machining centres, with a number of member companies forming the Hwacheon Group. Hwacheon now has several machine tool manufacturing sites in South Korea; separate companies producing chucks, engine cylinder blocks for the automotive industry in Korea, special-purpose machines, together with its own foundry, which also supplies castings for many other worldwide machine tool manufacturers. The Hwacheon Group also incorporates overseas subsidiaries in USA, Germany, Singapore and China together with a worldwide distributor network to handle the company's growing export business. Hwacheon products have been supplied into the UK since the early 1980s, though sales have increased dramatically since Sheffield-based Ward Hi-Tech took over the distribution channel on a sole UK agency basis five years ago. Ward Hi-Tech managing director Alan Hill said: "The Hwacheon turning centre range is a high quality, wide specification family of products that really does provide a machine for all reasons. With chuck sizes from 6" to 32" diameter, bed lengths up to 6 m between centres, together with an impressive range of vertical lathes both single and twin spindle, Hwacheon satisfies most of our customer requirements. "We are extremely pleased to represent Hwacheon here in the UK and wish our partners every success during their forthcoming 60th anniversary celebrations."