Product category:
CNC turning centres, mill/turning, multi-tasking centres, horizontal and VTLs.
News Release from: Yamazaki Mazak UK | Subject: CNC machine tools, turning centres
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 April 2007
CNC machine tool investment wins orders
In taking a calculated risk and investing heavily in high-technology CNC machine tools oil and gas components supplier is proving that anything is possible and the rewards are out there.
With its location in Stirling, Scotland, it comes as no surprise that Q-Mass is heavily involved in the oil and gas industries What may surprise the casual observer, though, is the high level of investment in CNC machine tool technology, a feeling that is compounded when it becomes apparent that Q-Mass, a name derived from the company's ethos of delivering Quality Manufacturing and Supply Solutions, has still to reach its first anniversary
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Founder and director Ronnie Robertson explained what some may see as a high risk strategy: "When we decided to start our own business we knew we had to be different and our vision was to be operating in the upper end of the market delivering high quality, added value components to our customers".
"In order to do that we knew we had to, somehow, invest in the best machines that we could get hold of." A lot of start-up companies are convinced that the way forward is to invest in low technology machines, which by default are relatively low-cost.
The downside to this is that they all tend to end up fighting for the same business and cost becomes the key driver to winning that business.
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The vicious cycle of cost-cutting to win additional work then has a knock-on effect on future investment plans.
This investment was backed by the belief that to have machines of this calibre you also need the right people to operate them: "A major factor in our strategy was to hire the best people to match up with the best machinery.
Taking this approach ensured that we were able to get the best out of the machines and take on the most complex jobs, deliver high quality almost from day one.
We also found an additional benefit of investing time and money in recruiting in this way was the attitudes, willingness to learn, teamwork as well as technical skills that these people brought to Q-Mass," said Robertson.
The initial investment made by Q-Mass was for two Yamazaki Mazak Integrex 400 multi-tasking machine tools and a Quickturn 30 turning centre, all supplied through Mazak's sole agent in Scotland, McDowell Engineering.
"The Integrex machines have delivered a major advantage in that we are able to machine many components in a single set-up and the speed at which we can turn jobs around is reflected in the prices that we can quote for often very complex work," confirmed John Harvey, Q-Mass' production manager.
"The majority of our customers are unaware of the investment we have made, the important thing to them is that we deliver components to a consistently high level of quality on time.
The investment that we have made is allowing us to achieve this.
While what we have done here may be viewed as a high risk, high reward strategy, we are confident in what we can achieve.
And, it has to be said that we know of companies that set up at the same time who have not developed, whereas we are looking to double our output with further investment in Mazak machines already under way." This latest investment will see three more Mazak machines delivered in the coming months; these being an additional Integrex 50 multi-tasking machine; a new Slant Turn 50 CNC lathe with 3 metre bed; and a new Mazatech V-655/80 column-type vertical machining centre with a 2m bed.
This will bring Q-Mass' investment to over GBP 1 million in the space of 12 months.
The choice of Mazak was made on the type of work that Q-Mass is taking on and the materials that are involved.
"We needed to be confident that the machine tools were capable of handling the size and complexity of the components but were also sturdy enough to machine the often difficult to machine materials that we are asked to cut," said Harvey.
"Our previous experience with Mazak gave us the confidence to commit to such a sizeable order from the outset." Like all start up businesses Q-Mass had no track record when it came to financing these purchases, which meant that traditional forms of assistance were closed to them.
It was here that McDowell Engineering, in the guise of managing director Scott Hunter also made a big difference.
Given McDowell's track record and experience selling into the oil and gas industries it was influential in convincing finance houses to support Q-Mass and, along with some welcome financial support from the Scottish Executive [via European aid] for capital expenditure and Scottish Enterprise for employee development, Q-Mass was in a position to place the orders for the first Mazak machines.
The next challenge was to win business.
"Initially our sales pitch was met with the reaction 'heard it all before' by some potential customers," said Robertson.
"We knew we had to deliver on our promises and the investment in the Mazak machines helped us to convince potential customers that we were serious.
Once we had customers on board our first priority was to build strong working relationships with them and this has now built into a supply chain partnership where we regularly hold meetings with material suppliers and our customers to ensure that everything is working to plan." He added: "Working in this way means that with 11 employees, [a figure that will increase to 16 before the end of this year], we maintain significant amounts of business from a relatively small customer base.
But, more importantly, it helps us to keep our promises on deliveries and quality.
We know we have a finite capacity on the current three Mazak machines and we avoid taking on work that will exceed that capacity as we have no desire to 'sub' machining work out.
To grow the business we will increase capacity as we are doing with the new machines." In taking this calculated risk and investing heavily in high-technology Mazak machine tools and a highly skilled and motivated workforce, Q-Mass is proving that anything is possible and the rewards are out there.
But what lies ahead for this ambitious company? "Longer term we do not have in our minds that we are going to develop the business over a set period of time or grow to an optimum size and sit back. Request a free brochure from Yamazaki Mazak UK ...
We are an ambitious company and we will see where that ambition takes us - along the way we will not take anything for granted.".
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