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Product category: Motor sports manufacturing: machining, software, CAM
News Release from: C Dugard | Subject: Eagle lathes and machining centres
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial Team on 30 July 2002

Eagles rev up performance on the
speedway

C Dugard Machine Tools and their range of Eagle lathes and machining centres are riding high in the field of engineering - and drive up performance on the speedway too.

We all know that C Dugard Machine Tools and their range of Eagle lathes and machining centres are riding high in the field of engineering - but did you also know that the Eagles are currently hot favourites to win the national speedway championships? The Eastbourne Speedway Team - The Eagles - are hot favourites to take the national speedway championship Currently well clear at the top of the league, The Eagles (and their sponsors C Dugard Machine Tools) are poised for victory

We talk to Bob Dugard - the man behind the success.

Arriving at the head office of C Dugard Machine Tools in Hove, you could be forgiven for wondering if you have mistakenly wandered into an exhibition on the history of motorbikes! Classic speedway motorbikes are proudly displayed in the reception area along with trophies and action photographs of speedway triumphs.

But don't worry! You are in the right place.

The reason for all the bikes and photographs is that this family-run engineering company shares its prestigious history with the rise of the UK's leading speedway team.

It is a joint-passion that is set for even greater victories this year.

It is now more than sixty years since Charles Dugard founded the Dugard Machine Tool Company (now based in Hove) also launched himself into the exciting world of speedway.

Charles' vision lives on through his highly successful engineering company and the outstanding record of the Eastbourne Speedway Team (The Eagles).

His sons, Bob and Eric Dugard (who are Chairman and Managing Director respectively of C Dugard Machine Tools Ltd) have inherited his passion for high-speed machines and have both been successful speedway riders in their time.

Excellent track record - Bob Dugard, the driving force behind the current success of the Eagles team, explained a little of the history that links the worlds of engineering excellence and sporting achievement.

"Our family still owns and runs a speedway stadium and we're deeply involved with the Eastbourne Eagles Team.

The team even share their Eagle name with one of our most successful ranges of machine tools - The Dugard Eagle lathes and machining centres: machines that you will find in action across the UK in all types of manufacturing and engineering firms." "Our sponsorship of and involvement with the Eagles Speedway Team has, of course, generated publicity for the Dugard machine tool company but our dedication to the speedway team is not just commercially motivated - it is a passion that runs in our blood! As a company we have been delighted to help The Eagles Team achieve so much.

Not only are they leading the league this season but they are acknowledged by the entire speedway world as the UK's most consistent performers.

You could say that the Eagles Team are to speedway what Manchester United is to football!" The Eagles have a glittering history of speedway awards and trophies behind them.

In the year 2000 they captured the League Championship - and are now hotly tipped to repeat this success in 2002.

The Eagles riders have also tasted individual success.

Another member of the Dugard dynasty, Martin Dugard was the most successful rider in Eastbourne's history.

Having led his team to win the League Championship in 2000, Martin then went on to be the first-ever Englishman to win the British Grand Prix speedway title in 2001.

(Martin has now retired from competitive racing and heads up the computer section of Dugard Machine Tools!) While Martin was missed, The Eagles Team were undaunted by his departure.

The team currently boasts two of the most exciting riders in the world today: Mark Loram and (the new team captain) Joe Screen.

Mark Loram has had a long association with both the Eagles speedway team and the Dugard Machine Tool Company.

He joined the company as a 16-year old while he was just setting out on his speedway career.

In fact quite a number of the company employees are also valued members of the speedway team including Dean Barker (Bob's son-in-law), Stefan Andersson and David Norris.

Dugard delivers - Bob Dugard acknowledges the way that the company and the team have grown together and are inextricably linked - but he says it this hardly surprising given the similarities between the demands of the sport and the demands of the industry.

"We have a family philosophy that we apply to both our sport and our business: 'the customer is King'.

So whether you are a manufacturing customer requiring accurate high-speed machine tools at the right price or a speedway fan looking for great entertainment without spending a fortune, the Dugard family delivers every time! Our over-riding principle is professionalism in all that we do.

We are not satisfied unless we know that we have been striving for the highest standards at all times whether it is in our engineering business or on the track." That will to win plus boundless enthusiasm and dedication have served the Dugard clan well for more than 60 years - both in industry and sport.

C Dugard are now at the very forefront of the machine tool industry in the UK - while the Eagles speedway team are poised for yet further UK league success - a winning combination indeed. Request a free brochure from C Dugard ...

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