Yamazaki Mazak has signalled a renewed commitment to growing its UK manufacturing presence with a major investment at its European manufacturing plant in Worcester.
As part of a programme to increase manufacturing capacity at the Worcester plant, the company has invested in two new VERSATECH machining centres, which are manufactured in Mazak’s Japanese manufacturing facilities. The VERSATECH machines will be used to precision machine the cast-iron beds used on all the machine tools manufactured at the Worcester plant.
Marcus Burton, European Group Managing Director, commented: “This investment is a clear demonstration of Mazak’s confidence in our Worcester manufacturing facility and its dedicated workforce. There is an increasing demand across Europe for the new products that have been introduced and this latest investment is part of Mazak’s continuous investment strategy.”
Mazak’s Worcester site, one of ten manufacturing facilities around the world, was opened in 1987 and produces more than 1,000 machine tools every year, for both UK and European markets.
The VERSATECH machines are multiple-surface, 5-axis double column machining centres, amongst the largest machines in the Mazak range, specifically designed for working with exceptionally large workpieces that require heavy-duty machining. The VERSATECH is equipped with a 10,000 rpm 50-taper heavy duty spindle that can be positioned in both vertical and horizontal positions.
“The new machines will significantly improve our capacity for heavy duty precision machining operations in Worcester, specifically the machining of our cast-iron machine beds,” says Mr Burton. “We anticipate a significant increase in productivity, due to the machine’s cutting feedrate and spindle speed, which will flow through to other areas of our manufacturing operations.”