Backed by parent WEC Group, the new investment will allow MTL Advanced to maintain a competitive advantage on large volume production contracts, as well as on wear-resistant, high strength and stainless steel components, WEC Group reports.
Commissioned in December as part of an ongoing investment plan to modernise the firm’s machinery line-up and boost productivity, the new 6 by 2.5 m Trumpf TruLaser 8000 laser offers high speed cutting and reduced energy consumption of up to 40%, compared to the machine it replaces, while WEC Group says that this ‘new generation’ large bed laser provides superior contour precision and higher part quality than most other laser cutting machines on the market.
Says Karl Stewart, commercial director at MTL: “Our investment in this ground-breaking laser cutting machine will enable us to remain at the forefront of our industry, as there are very few companies in the UK with this level of technology in house.
“Investment in large format cutting machines has been at the core of MTL’s past successes, and the new TruLaser 8000 complements our already impressive line-up of large profiling machines nicely. This includes a 20 by 3.5 m laser, a 12 by 3 m water-jet machine and a 25 by 5 m plasma cutting machine, to name but a few.”
The Trumpf TruLaser 8000 will also be equipped with an ‘Intelligent FMS’ (flexible manufacturing system). Specifically designed for sheet loading, unloading and part sorting, the system will add an extra layer of automation to MTL’s operations.
Metal sheets of up to 20 mm thickness and 6,000 mm length will be automatically loaded on to the system, with cut parts of any shape subsequently stacked and kitted for further use, supporting kanban operations. And capable of running 24-hour unmanned, this automation will be ideal for MTL’s large contracts and batches, the company adds.
Wayne Wild, commercial director at WEC Group, explains: “Lean manufacturing techniques and automation are essential to our growth and continuous improvement strategy. We have made several other similar investments - a 640 ton, fully automated robotic press brake, as well as 13 robotic welders. The addition of the new sorting technology to our profiling cell is a step forward in the automation of our manufacturing process.
“We can now profile, press, and weld components of up to 6 m in length with minimal involvement from operators, which means we can guarantee the highest level of quality and repeatability to meet the expectations of our large OEMs customer base.”
Since bringing MTL out of administration in February 2015, WEC Group has embarked on an ambitious investment plan to secure the long-term success of the South Yorkshire company.
As one of the largest engineering and fabrication companies in the UK, WEC is in the process of investing a further £7 million to acquire the 300,000 sq ft facility and 6 acres of land in Rotherham that MTL has occupied since 2011, giving the company much needed room for future expansion.
Under the engineering and fabrication company's leadership, MTL has achieved month-on-month profitability and built up a strong order book for 2016, thanks to several new multi-million pound contracts. Since the acquisition, 45 new roles have been created at MTL and a recruitment drive is currently under way to fill more skilled roles.
WEC Group has also invested heavily in several other areas of its business, as part of its ongoing expansion plan. This includes over £2.5 million in capital equipment, such as latest CNC machining and water-jet cutting technology at the group’s Blackburn sites, as well as further investment in the new Darwen-based powder coating division, which was opened in 2014. Meanwhile, it has also opened a new sales office in Stafford, West Midlands in December to increase the reach of its laser cutting operation.
WEC Group’s total investment for the past 12 months has reached “the unprecedented level” of over £4 million, underlining the firm’s strong growth ambitions.
