DMG bags orders to value of £2.4 million at productivity days

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A dozen machines, with an average order value of £200,000, were sold at the productivity days held by DMG at the International Manufacturing Centre, University of Warwick, held between 7 to 10 June 2011. The orders comprised turning and 5-axis machining centres, including some from the manufacturer's new, entry-level EcoLine range.

"Although the number of visitors – nearly 200 – was fewer than in previous years, their level of seniority was high. It resulted in a very positive open house and an encouraging order intake," Richard Watkins, DMG UK managing director, said. Speaking generally about current market conditions, he said that while sales are strong – DMG UK has the level of sales at the half-way point in 2011 that it envisaged at the start of the year – there is undoubtedly still fragility in the manufacturing sector. Whereas in buoyant times, companies might have invested speculatively in the hope of winning new business, these days they are waiting until contracts are signed before spending, the company says, with delivery required fast. Production at all of DMG's factories around the world is currently at "full bore", it is further said. The company reported that there was a lot of interest shown by first and second-tier suppliers to the aerospace, F1 and medical sectors, which should result in further business. Four fifths of enquiries were for 5-axis machining centres and most of those were for models with integral turning capability. Focus was also on larger machine tools for wind turbine and other powergen component manufacture. Companies were also said to be asking about lathes for turning parts 2 to 3 m long or prismatically machining them in the range 1.5 to 2.5 cubic metres.