A stand visitor number increase of circa 5%, in comparison to 2017, was seen during the five-day show held in Hanover during September. In addition, the company reports strong enquiries for the 27 machines and 15 different automation solutions exhibited.
The most popular machines on the stand, based on machine enquiries, were the CV5-500 entry-level 5-axis machining centre, a new machine designed and built in Europe specifically for the continent’s machine users, and the latest generation Integrex i-H series machines. In addition, the company recorded strong interest in its new SmoothAi artificial intelligence CNC, and the Quick Turn 250MSY turning centre, which is supported by an innovative RoboJob Tower automation system.
Richard Smith, European Group Managing Director at Yamazaki Mazak, commented: “We saw a very positive increase in stand visitors during show compared to 2017 and excellent levels of machine orders across the range. What is clear from customer and visitor feedback is that our focus on turnkey automation, entry-level machines, such as the new CV5-500, and artificial intelligence, struck a chord with machine users across Europe and made the show an enormous success for us.”
During the show, Takashi Yamazaki, President of Yamazaki Mazak, also confirmed the company’s intention to further upgrade its UK-based European manufacturing facility in Worcester to full iSMART Factory status, Mazak’s highest level of Industry 4.0 connectivity.
He commented: “Europe now accounts for more than 30% of our global sales and is currently our biggest and best-performing market. This year, we will complete the massive iSMART Factory upgrade of Minokamo 1 and 2 in Japan, and we intend to upgrade our UK factory to iSMART status. These facilities join Inabe [Japan] and Kentucky in the United States at the cutting edge of our connected factory capabilities.”
Mazak will bring a selection of the machines exhibited at the show to its traditional EMO Encore Open House at its UK European Technology Centre in early December 2019.
