Software deal set to unlock £1m of new orders for Black Country manufacturer

THE acquisition of new casting simulation software is set to unlock over £1m of new opportunities for a Black Country manufacturer.

Alucast, a specialist supplier of sand gravity and pressure castings, has purchased the UK licence for MAGMASOFT to help it speed up time to market and reduce the cost of prototyping.

The industry-leading software simulates the process and aids casting and runner design to provide optimal filling characteristics – essential when producing structural parts for the automotive sector.

Bosses at the Wednesbury-based firm believe the investment gives it the platform to quote for £1m of new work and will lead to a number of jobs, taking staff numbers to over 100.

“MAGMASOFT  gives our engineers the chance to test die set-ups to avoid gas inclusions, porosity and cold shuts…or in layman’s terms the opportunity to find the optimal die casting conditions for each new part,” said John Swift, who became managing director of the firm last year.

“What this means to the customer is the chance to avoid timely and often expensive set-up costs for trialling the production process. We know it’s going to be in demand with both new and existing customers and the initial response has been fantastic.

“Automotive will be the initial target, but this software can be applied to our work across other sectors, including construction, hydraulics and domestic goods.”

A member of the Midlands Assembly Network (MAN), Alucast signed the MAGMASOFT agreement during its recent appearance at the GIFA International Foundry Trade Fair in Dusseldorf.

It will be supported with the installation by UK agent Maxima Engineering, which will be providing the hardware and technical support, plus the specialist training for its team of engineers.

Tony Sartorius, Alucast chairman, added: “The upgrade in software is part of a bigger investment drive, with well over £1m now committed to new CNC machines, furnaces and property upgrades in recent years.

“This is a bold and ambitious move and one that will hopefully help us achieve our vision of being a £10m company by 2018.”