Yamazaki Mazak has posted strong results for machine orders in the UK and Ireland and is looking forward with confidence to 2020.
The growth has been achieved across all sectors and machine classes with particularly positive performances in general subcontracting, aerospace and the oil and gas sector.
2019 saw a strong performance from Mazak’s 5-axis machines, specifically the VARIAXIS series and the INTEGREX i-series. The company has also reported robust growth in the HCN series of horizontal machining centres, particularly in the oil and gas sector and the UK-built QT machines.
Mazak’s laser division also continued to make inroads into the UK market with a strong order book that has led to continued increase in market share.
Alan Mucklow, Managing Director UK and Ireland Sales Division at Yamazaki Mazak, said: “2019 has been an excellent year for machine orders in the UK, with a continuation of the recovery in the oil and gas sector, a strong showing in aerospace and a resilient general subcontracting base that has continued to invest in new technology.
“I’m also delighted with the performance of our laser division, which continues to build its position in the UK market.”
Looking forward, Mr Mucklow is bullish about prospects for 2020, particularly with the range of new technologies that will come to market in the new year and the recent investments in the UK manufacturing facility coming fully online.
“The EMO machine tool show in Hannover last autumn always drives the introduction of new technologies in Europe for the two years following each show. Our own follow-up Open House, EMO Encore, was an outstanding success with more than 600 visitors over the three days and UK machine users can look forward to seeing many of these technologies, including our new CV5-500 5-axis machine which will be made in the UK, new gear cutting technologies and our new artificial intelligence CNC, at MACH in April 2020.”
He continued: “Over the course of the year we have also made significant investments in our Worcester manufacturing facility, including two new INTEGREX robotic manufacturing cells that will come fully online in the new year and give us significant extra manufacturing capacity. We believe we are in a strong position going into the new year.”
As well as making production investments in its Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Worcester, the site has now achieved ISO 50001 energy management accreditation following a series of initiatives which have significantly reduced energy consumption over the last 12 months.
A successful 2019 for Mazak was rounded off by a stellar showing for its apprentices at a series of local and national awards ceremonies. Final year production apprentice, Beth Addis, won the Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year Award at this year’s Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year Awards, and has also been shortlisted for the GTA England Apprentice of the Year Awards. Second year mechanical apprentice, Dan Coupland, was another Mazak winner at this year’s WGTA Annual Awards, picking up the Engineering Endeavour Award.
A total of 15 apprentices completed their training with Mazak in 2019, while a further 18 joined the company in September.
