Unison celebrates record first quarter: bags £1.5+ million in orders

UK all-electric tube bending machine maker Unison is celebrating a record business quarter, with the company having made six machines worth over £1.5 million.

"The surge in sales comes after the prolonged downturn, due to the credit crunch, and is due in large part to the sustained marketing efforts we made throughout the period," said Alan Pickering, managing director of Unison.

"We've been taking interested parties on 'technology tours' around the facilities of existing users. This close-quarters contact has really helped potential users to understand the benefits of the advanced type of machinery we make, which is software-controlled and very versatile."

All six of the machines are destined for overseas clients - the USA, Germany, Holland and South Africa - for applications ranging from aircraft manufacture to general metalworking fabrication.

Overseas business already accounts for over half of the company's output. "Up to now we've been focusing our international sales efforts in just a few key countries," Mr Pickering added. "Expanding that international footprint is the next big step for Unison, and we believe these orders are the first of a large number this year - as we currently have an extensive enquiry list."

Unison highlights its investment in product development through the downturn. "You can view a recession as purely negative and cut back on spending until it's over, but Unison tried to see the downturn as an opportunity for engineering development," explained Mr Pickering. "Over the last 18 months, we have taken several major steps forward in technology, including upgrading the electrical architecture of our tube bending machines to an advanced industrial Ethernet network, and integrating a major new tooling facility that allows our machines to both bend and cut tubes in one continuous process."

Unison is taking on several new staff to help it meet the higher levels of demand, in departments including mechanical and electrical engineering design.

Author
Andrew Allcock

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