Subcontractor Lasershape moves to larger premises and invests
2 mins read
Nottingham-based Lasershape, a specialist in subcontract laser and waterjet cutting, has relocated to larger and better premises, as part of a £3 million investment that has also seen extensive new equipment installed at its new home.
To showcase its new facility, Lasershape is hosting an 'open doors' event, taking place on 13 July 2012. (Visit www.lasershape.com for further information.)
Previously at Beeston, approximately three miles away, Lasershape had reached maximum capacity. Explains Lasershape's director, Tim Leam: "We had no more space for new machines, no room for additional employees – the car park was full – and twice we had melted the cable in the road because we were drawing too much power. It was far from satisfactory and we knew relocation was the only way forward."
The new facility, at Brailsford Way in nearby Chilwell, was not only twice the footprint (38,000 sq ft) of Lasershape's existing factory, it also offered the potential to install an on-site electricity sub-station that would provide enough power to support future company growth of a factor of four, if required.
Having seen the right location, the moving process then had to be considered. Mr Leam again: "All we needed then was to manage our relocation in such a way that would avoid any disruption to our customers. The only genuine way to achieve this was to install new kit at the Chilwell site and keep our Beeston facility operating, until such time that everything was running smoothly. Only then would we be able to sell-off Beeston and our previous machinery."
Without any funding from public sources, Lasershape invested £3 million in Chilwell, including new machinery that included four Trumpf TruLaser profiling centres – two fibre and two CO2 models. A new CNC sheet deburring centre has also just been installed.
Over a three-month period, the company completed its transition and is now fully operational under one roof at Chilwell. This includes sister company Jetblades Engineering, a specialist in waterjet profiling that previously operated from a separate facility. Jetblades is now part of Lasershape.
The move also allowed Lasershape to create its ideal shopfloor layout from a blank canvas. The company opted for a cell concept, with its four laser cutters lined up in one area behind which the stores are located, while on the other side of the facility the waterjet machines and press brakes are sited. Lasershape now has enough space to add another laser cutter and another waterjet, if and when required – around 3,000 sq ft of new offices and a new reception have also been constructed.
"I see it as a statement of intent," says Mr Leam. "We are now one of the best equipped UK subcontractors in our technology area and have ambitions to be even more proactive in the future. This investment demonstrates further our commitment to customer service: lightening fast quotations and super quick delivery, while maintaining the highest quality levels."
