With three new state-of-the-art Victor CNC machines in its precision engineering workshop, the team at Hamilton based Gloster Engineering is well-equipped, and ready for any and all challenges its growing work load will bring in 2015.
Gloster managing director, Dave Clapson, says that three new machines, recently purchased from Auckland-based Total CNC Products, help the 18-strong team work smarter and use its time more efficiently. Reducing machining times with the flow-on effect of increasing efficiencies is an important consideration and is one of the foundations for the company’s success.
Gloster Engineering produces a wide range of high-precision and general engineering components for a number of domestic and international clients. The company has the capacity and ability to supply customers with finished product solutions from design to production. It offers particular expertise in the areas of design, prototyping, and design improvements, followed on by high-precision machining and on-time delivery.
CAD drawings and solid models are created by expert draught persons and machining can be done in a variety of raw materials from mild and stainless steel, brass aluminium and plastic through to exotic materials such as titanium and nickel alloys. The company will also coordinate the assembly and finishing of components. Finishes include but are not limited to anodising, chrome and zinc plating, nickel and gold passivating, and powder coating.
Gloster Engineering’s core purpose however is to deliver high-quality products on schedule to the customer’s specifications. That is an absolute commitment from the Gloster team. Dave Clapson and general manager and co-director Hans Kruiswijk say the Gloster team takes customer care to the next level – it gives customers the gift of time. “Our mission is to create the 25th hour for our customers. How often have we heard others say they need 25 hours in a day to complete their allocated tasks? Our function as a subcontractor, is to become an extension of our customers’ businesses and create that much needed time for them to focus on the activities that are the mainstay of their business, by us performing the manufacturing functions we’re good at on their behalf,” Mr Clapson comments. In Messrs Clapson and Kruiswijk’s view the Gloster team contributes significantly to raising the company’s performance a cut above the rest. “The team understands that only by being flexible and responsive to our customers’ needs will we continue to grow our business in the future. They understand that production schedules will change to reflect the customers’ changing requirements,” Mr Kruiswijk says. “While those changes are sometimes a challenge to achieve all members of the Gloster team put in the hard yards required to meet tough production targets that create that extra hour for our customers.
“We have a fantastic team of skilled staff and this puts us in a good position to value our customers and honour our commitments.” It is therefore absolutely critical for Gloster to have the operational security that only reliable equipment backed by reliable vendor support can offer. The new Victor Vcenter A110, Victor Vcenter 85, and Victor Vturn A26YCM machines equal the record of the other Victors already on the floor. They also add generous and trustworthy overnight machining capability to the team’s time bank.
The new Victor A26YCM lathe is the latest machine installed by Total CNC and offers bar feeding capability up to 75mm as well as live tooling and Y axis for complex turning and milling machining. Gloster already had turning machines for smaller components but this newer and larger lathe significantly increases the turning capacity for complex workpieces.
Both Mesrs Clapson and Kruiswijk consequently remain firm supporters of Rodney Oxford, managing director of Total CNC Products Ltd. Together all three negotiated the sales agreements for the new equipment. “The six-year association between Glosters and Total CNC continues to grow stronger with every machine we purchase. This is the result of getting an excellent return on investment, the peace of mind of knowing we will get backup and service when we need it, and partnering by professional experts who not only understand theirs equipment but also our needs and can match the two perfectly,” Mr Clapson says.
A recent example of this is the purchase of a used Victor VC-85A. This machine was in poor condition and had been out of service for several years. “To be honest it was in a sorry state,” Mr Clapson comments. “We approached Total CNC for an opinion and instead of attempting to convince us to buy another new machine, they worked with us to negotiate a deal and then fully restored the machine for us, including servicing and even repainting. The machine when delivered to us looked and performed like new!
“Mr Oxford’s products and service from the Total CNC team gives us the gift of time, and allows us to pass it forward to our clients in turn. It is a strong and professioanl partnership that allows both businesses to thrive in a tough and competive market,” he adds.
TOP |