Choice cuts

The demand for increased productivity and quality by equipment manufacturers and their suppliers is forcing machine tool builders to constantly raise their game.

In the UK, for example, key sectors such as automotive and aerospace are relying on production technology to fight back against low-cost competitors. Companies in these sectors need versatile systems that can be configured to their needs, and the machine tool sector is responding.

Two world-renowned machine tool builders,

tools and

, have a strong presence here and will be exhibiting some of their latest developments at next month's MACH 2008 at the NEC.

Heller plans to launch a range of horizontal machining centres (HMC). Described as a newly-developed machine concept, the H series assures availability for production, higher cutting performance, increased reliability and easy maintenance to provide economic efficiency and productivity — whatever the exact machining requirement.

The series — in red instead of the company's familiar 'Heller blue' — features many novelties, developed in close co-operation with customers and is a development of the proven Heller MCi and MCH technology. It will be manufactured at the company's Redditch facility in the West Midlands.