Backed by carpet tufting machinery maker Cobble of Blackburn, the establishment of the new company followed the demise of AMTRI, also of Macclesfield, following a pension fund-driven financial problem at the company which was previously known as the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Research Institute, and before that the Machine Tool Industry Research Association (MTIRA).
MTIRA had a hand in, for example, the development of the Colchester Triumph 2000 lathe launched in the late 60s, for example, while more latterly, AMTRI and Hytri had got together to develop machines for Airbus wing production. This activity continues under the auspices of Hytri with some AMTRI staff having moved across, Machinery understands.
General manager of AMTRI-Cobble, Ian Laven (pictured), told Machinery that there was absolutely no link between the old AMTRI and the new company as regards any assets, intellectual property or personnel, save for an AMTRI salesman, but that machines for metalcutting, aerospace and automotive uses would be targeted areas of work, as with the previous AMTRI activity.
“AMTRI-Cobble is to be a design studio, we will draw on the project management and manufacturing capabilities of Cobble,” he said. AMTRI-Cobble is currently investing some £30,000 in five seats of Autodesk Inventor, reported Mr Laven. The search is also on for skilled engineers with expertise in software development, electrical and mechanical engineering, plus robotics to supplement the current five employees, he explained.
The firm expects to break even in its first year (ends March 2009) and move into profit thereafter, said the general manager, adding that the company already has enough work to keep its current workforce busy for six months.
Mr Laven and Cobble managing director Geoff Hemingway share common roots at grinding machine maker Newall Aeospace, Keighley. Mr Laven subsequently held successful senior management positions at machine tool firm Marbaix-Lapointe, CNC maker Control Techniques and Vickers Electrical Systems, also involved with CNC systems, these used by Landis Lund and Cincinnati Machine Tools as was, for example.
