Mollart Engineering invests to meet growing demand for services across the board

The decision has been taken against a solid order book, demonstrating a growth level set for significant improvement through 2013 and into 2014 in each of its three operating sectors of deephole drilling machine tools, subcontract manufacturing services and tooling supply. The company has prepared for the upturn by creating a further 20 jobs, plus the recruitment of four apprentices, with further expansion of the workforce anticipated later in the year, as the infrastructure changes are implemented. The company's machine tool building operation recently won a two-year contract from a leading European fuel injection specialist worth over £4.8 million. In addition, major expansion of component production from aerospace, semiconductor, oil and gas and deep sea customers is also fuelling expansion. Meanwhile, substantial growth in deephole drilling tooling through its Botek sales and bore finishing, roller burnishing, and deburring tools through the Mollart Bencere operation, is also being seen, following increases in production by customers in the UK. Says managing director Guy Mollart (pictured): "2013 is an 'infrastructure investment' year for Chessington, which will help secure our long-term future. We also have set aside finance to invest further capital to expand our 14,000 ft2 Resolven facility in South Wales by 3,000 ft2 to meet new orders and to tool up for additional projected single-source supply contracts for assemblies and machined components in the second half of the year." A 3,000 ft2 two-level extension to the 17,000 ft2 main building in Chessington started this month. This will provide an area for a new clean room for assembly, ultrasonic washing and range of different deburring systems to be installed. Directly opposite the main building in Roebuck Road, Chessington, two units have been leased for goods inwards and an assembly area for smaller deep hole drilling machine tools. This will enable the current machine tool build facility effectively to be doubled in area, and will allow greater room for large special-purpose drilling machines to be assembled, while accommodating customer demonstrations and acceptance trials. A further 5,000 ft2 has been leased at the bottom of Roebuck Road for additional office space, which allows the size of the design centre, development and application facilities to be also doubled. Mollart Group sales through 2012 topped £16 million, with machine tool orders more than double those of 2006.