A £4.0 m investment programme at Vetchberry Steels, the coil processing division of thyssenkrupp Materials (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of thyssenkrupp AG, is reaching maturity at a pivotal point for its manufacturing customers in the UK, who can now look forward to the opportunities which a more competitive currency may present.
Development of a dedicated, state of the art de-coiling, levelling and cut to length facility is taking shape at the Birmingham (UK) Service Centre, complimenting a new 1850 mm wide coil slitting line which commenced full production earlier in the year.
A Schnutz leveler and automatic sheet handling facility has been added to the 1650 mm wide cut to length line, which was installed two years ago, enhancing both quality and speed of output. In addition, two modern BHP blanking lines are now in the final stages of ramp up following complete refurbishment, with the addition of precision drives to accommodate new punching and notching tooling. The manufacturing cell will be completed with the addition of a modern Cattaneo narrow de-coil and cut to length line, capable of producing blanks up to 6 mm in thickness.
Operations Manager, Adrian Palmer, has overseen each stage of the programme: “The development of comprehensive, dedicated cut to length facilities with precision levelling and in-line first stage manufacturing operations naturally compliments Vetchberry’s dominant position at the forefront of wide and narrow coil processing in stainless steel and aluminium. Let‘s not forget, this is in addition to edge dressing, traverse winding, coil polishing and temper rolling, offering the most comprehensive solution to coil fed production in a wide range of markets.“
Billy Kingsbury, Divisional Director at Vetchberry Steels, commented: “The ongoing investment programme is key to securing Vetchberry’s position as the UK’s premier service centre for stainless steel and aluminium, at a time when opportunities are presenting themselves. thyssenkruppp is unique in its global supply chain reach and financial strength, and provides a natural choice for companies looking for stability of supply and reliable partnerships. We are excited by the possibilities our ongoing investment programme offers, and look forward to stepping up and helping our customers realise their full potential.”
For more information, contact Vetchberry Steels on 0121 322 2345 or visit www.thyssenkruppmaterials.co.uk