One of the UK’s market leaders in cold roll formed products is set to bring a number of new products to market after investing heavily in upgrading its manufacturing capabilities. 

Wolverhampton-based EWS (Manufacturing) Ltd, part of Arc Specialist Engineering Group, is targeting significant sales growth in a host of new markets as a result of the £500,000 investment.

Working closely with world renown high-speed press specialists Bruderer UK, the company has installed its first 250-tonne Zani ‘Power Master’ press and is already achieving high stroke rates as it aims to provide annual volumes of several million units.

The investment gives the firm access to one of the world’s best performing machines, which offers unrivalled speed, accuracy, control and a tool bed of 2000mm x 1400mm. It is also fitted with the latest in servo feed technology and fully integrated into a rolling mill line supplied by local firm Formit.

Russ Cooper, Technical Director at EWS, said: “A large proportion of our sales is directed to supplying steel reinforcement for the fenestration sector and, whilst this will remain a core part of the business, our intention is to expand our cold rolled expertise into new markets.

“To achieve this, we needed to invest in a different type of machine that was faster than what we had and could accommodate the intricate nature of the products we are targeting. I’d previously worked with Zani presses and knew how reliable and flexible they were and the type of stroke performance per minute they deliver.”

He continued: “We approached Bruderer UK, the exclusive sole distributor in this country, with our plan and started to look at how we could specify the machine to get exactly what we wanted. It took about six months from initial enquiry to the machine being delivered, installed and commissioned.

“it is now fully up and running and operating at the volumes we need to meet projected sales.”

EWS, which employs 70 people at its 40,000 sq ft factory in Wolverhampton, has appointed Bruderer UK to deliver ongoing service and maintenance to ensure minimum downtime and the optimum performance of the machine.

It is also currently exploring the possibility of installing a second press as part of ambitious investment plans to further modernise the production capabilities at its site in the Black Country.

Andy Cole, Sales Manager at Bruderer UK, project managed the installation. “We are seeing a major surge of interest for Zani presses over the last 12 months, as firms are increasingly switching on to the reliability and versatility they offer when producing complex components. With the added benefit, we offer full support for after sales parts and service.”

Adrian Haller, Managing Director at Bruderer UK, continued: “The project was demanding in terms of meeting the stringent timescale, but was fantastic in showcasing how – working alongside partners such as Formit – we can build bespoke turnkey solutions for a complete production line.

“This is the first time we have worked with EWS and we are delighted to be playing a part in its diversification and growth.”

Russ went on to add: “When you are making this size of investment you want to work with a machinery provider who is going to deliver more than just the press. That’s exactly what Bruderer UK did. Every member of the team took time to understand what we wanted and how the Zani could be specified to deliver the performance we expected.

“They gave us a commitment on delivery time and this was met, with training completed ahead of schedule. The full maintenance, after sales parts and servicing agreement also gives us peace of mind in case of any issues that may spring up with a new machine.”

Bruderer UK, which employs 13 people at its headquarters in Luton, has enjoyed a record 12 months, with turnover set to pass £5m for the first time in its history in this country.

The growth of Zani presses had played a part in this expansion, but there has also been a significant increase in the number of manufacturers purchasing high speed Bruderer presses and ancillary equipment to boost competitiveness and solve production issues for UK manufacturing.

Next year will see the firm’s 50th anniversary in the UK and it will mark the celebration by taking a major presence at MACH 2018.