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News Release from: Citizen Machinery UK
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 May 2007
CNC sliding head automatics do well in
Europe
Europe has been identified as the fastest growing market for Japanese-built Citizen CNC sliding head automatic lathes, said distributor NC Engineering, reporting 2006 sales up by 25%.
NC Engineering of Watford, UK, sold a record 99 machines in the financial year ending March, 2007 It helped to bring Europe to be the fastest growth market for Citizen CNC sliding head automatic lathes with sales increasing so far this year by 25%
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Said managing director Geoff Bryant: "The progressive and continuous development of the Citizen machine range is really bearing fruit around the world spurring additional investment in product development and production facilities to keep pace with demand and maintain the clear market leading position." The Karuizawa factory in Japan broke all production records delivering 340 machines in March with a further 80 machines shipped from the new factory in Thailand that was opened in 2005.
As part of the restructuring of the group, a new foundry has just been commissioned in Vietnam that is now supplying a third of Citizen Machinery's casting requirements.
Currently at the facility, machine tools are being installed so the factory can provide finished machined castings to the final assembly lines.
In the UK, 80% of sales are being taken by the subcontract sector and the top of the range 13-axis Citizen M series is still the most popular due to the high level of flexibility it provides.
Of growing importance, said Bryant, is the M16 with options of a single or two Y-axis cross feeds to the turret and gang slide: "The machine has proven to be ideal throughout the world as well as in the UK market for the medical sector to produce small, very accurate and delicate features for which there is no true production competitor." To support UK operations, a Japanese engineer has been seconded to NC Engineering to liase with the technical and applications specialists and an additional service engineer recruited for the South East to help cover the growing installation base.
Currently, demand is running very high for the latest Citizen A20 that is being sold as a 'ready to run' package with bar feed for GBP 65,000.
Said Bryant: "This machine represents excellent value for a high specification machine that is very rigid and powerful. Request free introductory details about products from Citizen Machinery UK ...
Its 22mm capacity by 165mm machining length and 17 tool capacity with four driven positions is ideal for subcontract machining and this has created a lot of interest for future sales in the UK.".
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