Heller expands manufacturing capability

The Heller plant in the UK has extended its manufacturing capability to include more sub-assembly operations.

The factory is manufacturing the H-series horizontal machining centres, launched in the UK at MACH.

Selected by the Heller Group for the manufacture of the H-series machines because of the high standard of engineering at the plant, Heller Machine Tools has expanded its manufacturing in Redditch, West Midlands, to include substantially more sub-assembly work, inspection and testing.

A full bay in the factory, which has been extended by 30 per cent to create an area dedicated to H-series manufacture, has been set aside for sub-assembly and testing.

The column and spindle, setting station, rotary table, tool magazine, hydraulic tank and energy unit (which controls the hydraulics, pneumatics and lubricant) are all now manufactured in Redditch.

Full inspection and test facilities have been installed for each of the sub-assembly areas.

Geoff Lloyd, managing director of Heller Machine Tools, said: 'The additional manufacturing facilities are recognition of the success in all respects of the UK operation.

'We were selected in competition with the other plants around the world, including the parent plant in Nuertingen, for the manufacture for the H-series because we have a very high standard of skill in our people, our training facilities are excellent, our manufacturing processes are recognised as best-practice, and our cost-control is superb.

'The overall investment has been substantial - we have added more factory space and supplemented the existing machines and equipment as well as installing new services, including an additional service road to handle the increased traffic.' Heller has created a new post, supervisor for sub-assemblies, to ensure the correct performance of the department.

Joe Smith, who joined Heller as an apprentice, now takes responsibility for the management of the sub-assembly area and the related inspection and test facilities.

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