In terms of machine tools in the UK – Yamazaki Mazak is quite unique – as the manufacturer designs, engineers, builds, tests, assembles and ships machines from its Worcester facility.
Indeed, Mazak manufactures around 100 machines a month at its ever-expanding European Manufacturing Plant, where a wide range of machine tools are now manufactured by its skilled engineers for every market and price point.
UK Sales Director Jason Butler has been with the company for more than 21 years and believes that one of the big pull factors for customers when investing in a Mazak machine tool, is that they are UK-made and everything is done in-house from the design, manufacturing through to service and support.
"It is a one-stop-shop for customers,” he says. “At the end of the day, customers are dealing directly with the manufacturer which is one big strength.
"Another is that Mazak is a family-owned business and many of our customers like this.
“We pride ourselves on selling a solution. We assess each customer’s requirements and advise the best options for their business.”
Every customer matters to Mazak, whether it is a small subcontractor investing £60,000 in their first machine tool or an OEM spending £3.5m on an entire project, as it is acutely aware that every company – no matter the size – is putting their faith in the manufacturer’s technology and the organisation.
Butler explains: “We have the cutting-edge technology and we are right up there in what we do and are an innovative company, but one of the biggest assets we have, is the fact that we can support our customers and that is what sells machines.
“We do get a lot of loyal customers that do want to buy products that are manufactured in the UK and to support UK manufacturing. They are proud to own an asset that has been developed and supported in the UK.”