The Mazak will be Hockley Pattern & Tool’s ninth machining centre, and will play a crucial role as the 53-strong company looks to build upon its £4 million turnover over the next 12 months. It was founded in 1979 by the father of current joint managing directors Neil and Gareth Williams.
Neil Williams, joint managing director of Hockley Pattern & Tool, commented: “It’s a very exciting time for the business as we look to further expand into the automotive and aerospace industries. Technology is a vital aspect of staying ahead of the competition, which is why we chose to invest in a Mazak VTC 800, which we know is capable of processing large and difficult-to-machine workpieces to the exceptionally high tolerances required of the aerospace market.
The VTC 800 is able to machine complex workpieces, such as pattern and tool moulds required by the aerospace industry, from a variety of different materials, including Invar, stainless steel and aluminium.
“We were operating at near full capacity and Mazak was able to quickly respond to our urgent need for a new machining centre, to keep up with the new business coming through the door. The fact that it was able to send engineers out to not only install and set-up the VTC 800, but train our own engineers on the CNC program, enabled us to keep people onsite and prevent any downtime throughout the process.”
