Increased productivity prompts relocation

Andy Holt, MD of JKP Engineering (UK), says: "We started the business 15 years ago with just one machine tool and have gradually added on when we had the free cash. This recent move was no different, but was accelerated when we purchased our first XYZ machining centre. The increased productivity that we achieved by having it generated new business and improved profitability, that allowed us to bring forward the move, but not before we had invested further in XYZ machining centres and a ProTURN lathe.”

JKP Engineering now has six XYZ machines, the latest of which is an XYZ 1020 VMC, with a 300mm 4th axis option that allows it to machine components up to 560mm diameter. This joins two other three-axis XYZ 1020 VMCs, two XYZ 710 VMCs an XYZ Minimill 560 and a ProTURN SLX 555 lathe. The machining centres are grouped together in the new factory, with room available for the further expansion plans that JKP Engineering has already mapped out.

Holt continues: "The positive trend in business since we relocated has seen turnover continue to rise and the improved facilities and location, just at the junction of the M1 and M18, has seen increased interest from new customers. As a result, in partnership with XYZ, we will be adding to our portfolio of XYZ machines and over the next 18 months we will add another seven VMCs to our capacity list to meet this increased demand. XYZ has been very supportive of our business and has provided help in many different ways to make buying the machines a straightforward process.”

In terms of machine quality Mr Holt is equally quick to praise XYZ saying: "When we take delivery of a machine we monitor its performance closely by running a test part when it is first installed and then, on a regular basis, we repeat that test part in order to qualify the accuracy of the machines. The most recent tests that we ran on the XYZ VMCs showed them to be as accurate now as they were the day they were delivered. We are finding them to be extremely cost-effective over what we see as a 10-year effective lifespan, we could have paid a lot more for the same specification that we have with these machines, but I do not think we would have received the same value for money.”