Resurrected VTL builder Wickman Bennet now has majority Chinese owner

Wickman Bennett Ltd, Coventry, headed by managing director Iain Exeter, was set up some nine months ago after Webster & Bennett International, Warwick, was put into receivership by its Belgian owners, with production moved to a Belgium-based subsidiary. The new company contracted to complete machines for customer let down at the time of administration and, together with new orders, sales for the year ending June 30 2009 will be approaching £3 million, reports Mr Exeter. This is as a result of the manufacture of six CNC machines, together with the remanufacture of two second-hand Webster & Bennett conventional machines. In addition, Wickman Bennett has provided a full technical support service to users in several countries. The company has also developed a brand new range of machines – Aeroturn (picture, right) – has been designed and built, and will incorporate many features never seen in Webster & Bennett units. The company will soon announce the launch of its heavy duty Revelation2 and also says it is about to sign a major contract with a large overseas machine tool builder. Spark makes large capacity CNC lathes having swings up to 3.5 m and centre distances of up to 40 m. It makes around 20 machines/month and wishes to become a global player in VTLs, hence the shareholding. Spark's president and now Wickman Bennet chairman, Mr Li Weiqian, said: "I knew the famous Webster & Bennett name and knew about the problems of 2007. I am very glad that the design and production team has succeeded to stay together and to continue to design, develop and build high quality vertical turning machines in the name of their former company, Wickman Bennett Ltd. The technical capability and innovation shown by this team is outstanding and they are capable to achieve a lot world wide in co-operation with Spark. "At Spark we are very keen to use Wickman Bennett VTL designs so we can build the machines in large numbers and offer the best quality machines into our Asian markets. "Spark is very successful and very strong financially, and will give the support necessary to Wickman Bennett to continue their design, development and prototype machine build programme, and also to maintain a continuous machine assembly programme in Coventry. They will handle all sales and support services outside Asia. Wickman Bennett will be able to offer the best value, top quality vertical turning centres in all the world markets." Iain Exeter responded: "Spark is as good as any machine tool builder I have seen during my forty eight years in the industry. After the recent disappointments with Webster & Bennett I am more than delighted to be signing this agreement with Spark and once again to be looking forward to achieving real growth with the Wickman Bennett team."