Wolverhampton-based EWS (Manufacturing) Ltd, part of Arc Specialist Engineering Group, is targeting significant sales growth in a host of new markets as a result of the £500,000 investment.
Working closely with high-speed press specialists Bruderer UK, the company has installed its first 250-tonne Zani ‘Power Master’ press and is already achieving high stroke rates as it aims to provide annual volumes of several million units.
The investment gives the firm access to one of the world’s best performing machines. It is also fitted with the latest in servo feed technology and fully integrated into a rolling mill line supplied by local firm Formit.
Says EWS technical director Russ Cooper: “A large proportion of our sales is directed to supplying steel reinforcement for the fenestration sector and, whilst this will remain a core part of the business, our intention is to expand our cold rolled expertise into new markets.
“To achieve this, we needed to invest in a different type of machine that was faster than what we had and could accommodate the intricate nature of the products we are targeting. I’d previously worked with Zani presses and knew how reliable and flexible they were and the type of stroke performance per minute they deliver.”
He continues: “We approached Bruderer UK, the exclusive sole distributor in this country, with our plan and started to look at how we could specify the machine to get exactly what we wanted. It took about six months from initial enquiry to the machine being delivered, installed and commissioned. It is now fully up and running and operating at the volumes we need to meet projected sales.”
EWS, which employs 70 people at its 40,000 sq ft factory in Wolverhampton, has appointed Bruderer UK to deliver ongoing service and maintenance to ensure minimum downtime and the optimum performance of the machine. It is also currently exploring the possibility of installing a second press as part of ambitious investment plans to further modernise the production capabilities at its site.
