The move helps the Nottingham-based firm transition into a complete service company by adding fabrication, powder coat painting, assembly and packaging to its portfolio offer for customers. It will also create around 20 jobs.
By refurbishing three additional units to the rear of Lasershape’s existing facility in Chilwell, the company has added 25,000ftsq to its capacity, taking total floor space to circa 60,000ftsq.
The units, which are already live, house dedicated areas for fabrication, painting and assembly/packaging, as well as an inspection room that will shortly house a new co-ordinate measuring machine, new customer meeting rooms and a new accounts office.
An extra benefit is that the company will now have separate goods-in and goods-out, which will help ease congestion during busy periods.
Explains managing director Tim Leam: “As Lasershape has grown, so has the size of our customer profile. Whilst we carry excellent supplier ratings with our customers, a growing number of larger clients were asking us to extend our capability beyond CNC laser profiling and waterjet cutting, and become a complete service supplier.”
With an investment value of £1 million, a new 7,000ftsq, five-stage, environmentally-friendly dry-powder paint line from Gema is at the heart of Lasershape’s expansion.
Further investment has seen five new welding bays complement a high-specification Salvagnini CNC panel bender in a newly created fabrication cell, rail accreditation and 6S implementation throughout the business.
Leam adds: “Lasershape is now a one-stop-shop facility, which for our customers means reduced transport costs and reduced lead-times.
“What’s more, customers only need to raise a single purchase order to receive completed parts and assemblies, with only one company responsible for finish and final quality.”
