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Mazak increases staff investment as UK operations gather pace

By Yamazaki Mazak Ltd on

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Brian Edmondson has assumed the role of Yamazaki Mazak’s Area Sales Manager for the Midlands.

Yamazaki Mazak has made a series of investments in people and performance as its UK operations continue to regather momentum. 

With over 20 years’ experience in the machine tool sector, Brian Edmondson has assumed the role of Area Sales Manager for the Midlands, having previously been Mazak’s Area Sales Manager for the North West. Brian brings with him a wealth of technical expertise and hands-on engineering knowledge to now support customers in the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Brian will be responsible for serving the needs of Mazak customers operating across a wide variety of market sectors, ranging from general subcontracting through to automotive, aerospace and medical. Among Brian’s key responsibilities will be helping a number of customers transition into simultaneous 5-axis machining following the launch and demand for Mazak’s UK-designed and built CV5-500 machining centre earlier this year.

Jason Butler, General Sales Manager – Southern Region at Yamazaki Mazak, comments: “Brian truly embodies Mazak’s core values of customer support, technical knowledge and professionalism, and the breadth of his expertise will undoubtedly strengthen our position in the Midlands. Given the sheer variety of industrial sectors that are active within the region, not to mention it being home to our European Headquarters and Manufacturing Plant, this appointment is of significant strategic importance to Mazak. I know our Midlands-based customers will be in very capable hands with Brian.”

Mazak has also reopened the doors of its European Technology Centre in Worcester.

Over the last three months, Mazak has also significantly invested in staff training and development. Throughout April and May, a further five of the company’s UK Project & Applications Engineers successfully attained a PRINCE2® Foundation qualification. PRINCE2® is a process-based method for effective project management, and is recognised internationally as one of the leading qualifications for directing, managing and delivering high-value projects. This further strengthens the UK Project Engineering & Applications department, with nine engineers having now attained a PRINCE2® qualification.

Mazak has also reopened the doors of its Worcester European Technology Centre (ETC). Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to allow Mazak to manage the number of people in attendance at any one time in line with UK Government social distancing guidelines. The ETC will feature a selection of machines from Mazak’s Multi-Tasking, 5-axis, Turning, Horizontal, Vertical and Laser Processing Machine portfolios, including UK-made machines such as the CV5-500, VTC-800/30SR and VCN-530C. A number of machines on display will also be available for immediate delivery. Mazak’s regional sales representatives are able to discuss specific requirements and details of finance packages available through Finance For Industry. Customers may also be eligible for support via the Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

Alan Mucklow, Managing Director UK & Ireland Sales & Service at Yamazaki Mazak, commented: “While the past few months have undoubtedly been a major challenge for the UK manufacturing industry, we have started to see some confidence return to our customers. In order to ensure that Mazak is able to adapt to the new world that we now find ourselves in, we took the decision to heavily invest in training and development for all areas of the business over the last few months. As our work begins to once again gather momentum, I am delighted to be able to safely re-open the doors of our ETC, and very much look forward to welcoming our customers back into the heart of our UK and European operations.”

Please visit www.mazakeu.co.uk to book a visit or virtual session, or contact a Mazak sales representative to discuss availability.

Yamazaki Mazak Ltd

Yamazaki Mazak is the world’s largest manufacturer of computer controlled (CNC) metal-cutting machines. With over 260 different models, the Mazak product range includes CNC lathes, machining centres, multi-tasking machines and flexible manufacturing systems as well as laser processing machines.

Visit our website +44 (0) 1905 755755

Machine tools are called “Mother Machine” because they relate to the manufacturing of almost every product around us and are very important in supporting the base of “world manufacturing.” Our mission as a machine tool maker is to enrich people’s lives and contribute to society by developing and providing high performance machine tools that can produce high accuracy work in a short time.

We were among the first to start foreign production as a Japanese machine tool maker. Following the establishment of Mazak Corporation in the USA, we expanded our production base worldwide to include the UK, Singapore and China, as well as further expanding our Japanese manufacturing operations. We are the only machine tool maker to have established a global production system. With these local plants, we have been able to provide high quality service and have built strong relationships based on mutual trust with customers from all over the world.

True to the Yamazaki principle of supporting the customer locally, Mazak’s European Manufacturing plant, in Worcester UK, opened in June 1987 and was immediately recognised as the most advanced machine tool manufacturing plant in Europe. The factory has expanded three times since then and now offers over 29,000m2

This is a complete machine tool manufacturing plant. Mazak machines the components that go to make its spindles, turrets, tool magazines and Mazak even manufactures its own sheet metal covers. As with all Mazak manufacturing plants, the most rigorous practices and Kaizen programmes ensure continuous improvement.

Serving all of Europe’s markets, more than 80% of the machine tools built in Worcester are exported from the UK into Europe. More than 17,000 Mazak machines have been manufactured here so far and this number continues to grow every day.

Mazak European Manufacturing Plant is recognised for its factory automation, technology and overall management practices. Selected as one of the “Top Ten Companies in the World” by the Swedish Royal Academy of Science and Technology underscores this worldwide reputation.

As with all Mazak factories, this facility comprises a variety of flexible manufacturing systems, consisting of machining centres, multi-tasking CNC lathes, and a sheet metal FMS – all designed for unmanned operation.

The plant benefits from highly skilled employees who are committed to continuous improvement through the 25 “Kaizen” teams in operation.

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