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Precision Engineering Company works closely with WNT for its cutting tool needs

Story added 22 February 2010.

Business has been difficult for many in the engineering sector, with subcontractors being hit harder than most. However, for Clitheroe Light Engineering the improvement in business in the last quarter of 2009 is a positive sign and one that will see its ongoing investment programme rejuvenated.

Founded when Kevin Wilkinson, the father of the current directors, two sisters and one brother, along with his colleague Norman Burgess, some 37 years ago, Clitheroe Light Engineering (CLE) has since created a niche for itself in the general sub-contract sector by being an early adopter of technology. It bought its first CNC lathe in 1979 and more recently it has installed a Fastems 72-pallet loading system with three Mori Seiki NH5000, and one Daewoo Ace400 HMC horizontal machining centres attached to it - a total investment of more than &pound2.9 million over a five year period. Thanks to this foresight, it is claimed that this is the only system of its magnitude in a private company in the UK, CLE has built strong partnerships with its customers and suppliers, which has probably provided it with greater security than some of its competitors.

'We have faired a lot better than many companies during 2009,&rdquo says Helen Meloy, Clitheroe Light Engineering Operational Director. Over the past three years we have seen 40 per cent growth in the business sand even during the lean times of 2009 we saw our market share increase. This is due to the combination of our willingness and ability to invest in technology and the strength of the partnerships that we have with customers who we have worked with for more than 18 years and suppliers such as WNT (UK) who have made our life a lot easier.&rdquo
The result is a company that saw business improve in the last quarter of 2009, a period that many others simply wrote off, creating a platform for further growth and investment during 2010. The time is right for us to open up new markets, we achieved AS9100 during 2009 and this, combined with the interest that the Mori Seiki/Daewoo and Fastems system has created among major aerospace companies this is one area that we see some potential,&rdquo says Helen Meloy. The flexibility and efficiency that these are bringing to the business means that we can drive up our efficiency to the point that we are now winning back work from overseas.&rdquo

As such CLE has a three year plan for further expansion, which will see an extension to the existing manufacturing site and, if required, the building of additional manufacturing space on land already owned by the company. The Fastems system will be completed with the addition of a fifth Mori Seiki horizontal machining centre and recruitment will also become a focus. We are already talking to Burnley College about the recruitment of apprentices, confirms Helen Meloy. One of the joint challenges that we face is to dispel the archaic view of engineering in order to encourage students of the right calibre to view it as a career choice. In part, the thinking behind the investment in the Fastems system was to use it as a hook to attract both new employees and to ensure that we retain those we have by showing confidence in our and their future.&rdquo

To help this future expansion CLE has worked closely with its suppliers, in particular WNT (UK) which provides the majority of its cutting tool needs. Support from WNT (UK) comes in two guises that of Nigel Walls, its local Technical Sales Engineer and the installation of its TooloMat tool vending system. Our ability to be able to throw problems at Nigel and be able to rely on his problem solving expertise and WNT flexibility in their willingness to try different methods and cutting tool solutions is invaluable to a company like ours,&rdquo says Helen Meloy. As we continue to expand our business this will become a greater asset and, with an increase in business we will have a need for a greater number and more variety of cutting tools and the vending system eliminates many of the concerns that we might have over stock, cashflow and logistics.&rdquo


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