Advanced turning brings new business

An example is given of how advanced lathe technologies have helped traditional, precision engineering companies to develop their businesses for new markets and customers.

An example is given of how advanced lathe technologies have helped traditional, precision engineering companies to develop their businesses for new markets and customers.

A perfect example of how Harrison's advanced lathe technologies have helped traditional engineering companies to develop their businesses for new markets and customers can be found at the headquarters of precision engineers, Andawest, in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, UK.

Founded 24 years ago, Andawest was always closely connected with South Derbyshire's coal mining and brewing industries, centred on the nearby town of Burton-on-Trent.

Much of its early work was to produce parts for local pits, and even in those days Andawest opted for the reliability, strength and robustness of Harrison lathes, the first 17-inch 'swing' manual lathe being bought back in 1981.

As the local economy changed, says Angela Wedgbury, Andawest's co-founder and director, the company successfully found new opportunities, for example in contracts for the local authority, "while retaining and developing its business with the expanding food and drinks industry." "We carry out a lot of work for companies which supply food factory parts, including machine shafts, gears, conveyors and conveyor rollers and tools.

More and more of our work now involves stainless parts and many of these are destined for UK food and drinks companies such as KP/United Biscuits and Nestle," says Wedgbury.

"But our customers are quite diverse.

We supply the construction industry and have produced parts for stadiums such at the Burton Albion football stadium and even some luxury flats in Knightsbridge.

We also indirectly export some of our products, mainly conveyor drums and items for quarries which have been sent to a Canadian company via their local agent.

The area is the key to it all.

South Derbyshire has always been a manufacturing area.

The best brewery engineers are still to be found in the Burton-on-Trent area, even though many of the breweries have moved all over the country." As Andawest's customers, especially those in the brewing industry, progressively demanded more precision work, the company invested in more accurate Harrison lathes - first an M460, then an Alpha 400T and latterly an M550, which was supplied by Harrison's main regional distributor, Datamach, of Canley, Coventry, UK.

For even more rapid production of high accuracy turned parts and 'no fuss' tool changing, Andawest has most recently acquired a Parat high precision quick-change four-way indexing toolpost for its Harrison Alpha machine.

"The trend now is for high quality, precision parts with rapid response times, because companies don't really stock anything any more.

When you consider the high quality finish, especially that which the Alpha 400T produces, it's clearly the way forward for companies like ours," says Wedgbury.

"We have had other lathes but we found that the Harrisons are the most reliable and versatile machines around.

They last a lot longer, they are robust and they hold their accuracy.

Our operators also prefer them to other machines and the response of Harrison's service operation is very quick.

If we need service support, they will send someone to us within 24 hours.

We've been in business now for 24 years and I don't think you can beat Harrison lathes.".

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