Machine supplier CNC World turns subcontractor, supported by Vero Software

The Dereham, Norfolk-based company offers MultiCam laser, water-jet, plasma profiling and routing machines that work metal, plastics and wood, and offers its subcontract service to customers that are working to capacity and need to fulfil another order, or to those asked to cut a different material from the norm and who do not have a suitable machine for it. Explains CNC World sales director Jason Rowe: "When our machines weren't being used for demonstrations, they were standing idle. Customers receiving orders for cutting a different material have to subcontract it out and we were often asked to recommend companies to undertake emergency cutting, so decided to start using our own machines for it. "It means we can offer wood and plastic cutting for metal manufacturers, and metalcutting for woodworkers. For example, a woodworking company needed to cut a couple of pallets of stainless steel as part of a cabinet-making contract. We were able to do that for them." CNC World uses Alphacam to create programs for its routers, while it has hired a programmer with extensive knowledge of Radan to ensure it can provide the best possible solution for its other equipment, including the most efficient nesting available, keeping material wastage to a minimum. The new subcontract cutting service has also helped win a machine order. Says Rowe: "We've recently been cutting components for a manufacturer, which led to it winning a major contract. The additional work that it is bringing in justified them investing in a new machine from us." CNC World offers both Radan and Alphacam software as an option in machine sales, too, with the Radan partnership struck last year, following a similar deal with Alphacam. Radan was chosen after research among its customer base. Rowe again: "Many were already using Radan and recommended it to us, so our decision was customer-driven and is the obvious choice. Radan is extremely powerful software that can be adapted to every customer's specific needs – whether it's for our new cutting service or their own machines – which is vital, as everyone needs something different." In conclusion, he says that the company's major strength is that it has a machine for everything, with this now boosted by the Radan partnership. "Normally a company would only deal in one type of cutting technology, but we have MultiCam water jets, lasers, plasmas and routers and now, with Radan and Alphacam, the best software to fully optimise those machines."