Bruderer refurbishment business thrives

Built by its Swiss parent company, the machines are rated from 18 to 250 tons punching force and have stroke rates up to 2,000 per minute. Since the start of this year, eight presses ranging from 25 to 60 tons have been returned to as-new condition at the Luton site. There are currently two further machines being overhauled and rebuilt on the shop floor to factory standard, a 25 ton model and a large 110 ton press. The scope of the work undertaken on each press is often extensive, covering all mechanical, electrical and control elements of the machine. Most attention is paid to the mechanics, as this is the major factor in achieving the close tolerances and high stroking rates of a Bruderer press. The benefit to manufacturers a refurbished machine that is as accurate, reliable and productive as if it were a new high-speed press, but at a fraction of the cost, and there is the reassurance of a 12-month Bruderer warranty as well. As an example: a new Bruderer BSTA25 is circa £185,000, whereas a refurbished model could cost as little as £25,000. UK managing director, Adrian Haller, comments: "Many people do not know that we are active in this area, yet it has been a mainstay of our business during the downturn and indeed for many years. "We not only refurbish customers' machines to order in a time frame of about five weeks, but are also permanently on the lookout to buy pre-owned presses, which we return to factory condition and sell on."