Kings Norton manufacturer invests £1m into bespoke press
A Kings Norton engineering group has invested £1m into a new press line to diversify its products and increase volume.
BPL Engineering Group has installed a 600-tonne Yeh Chiun hydraulic press from Worcester Presses, one of the largest it has ever commissioned.
Following a successful integration of the 300t H-Frame press purchased four years ago, the new press enables BPL to increase its bed size (2500mm x 1500mm) which is essential for stampings destined for the automotive, aerospace, rail and other sectors.
Worcester Presses has also installed remote monitoring in addition to its maintenance and service package, helping minimise downtime by providing an efficient diagnosis.
Matt Adams, Operations Director at BPL said: “Our expertise lies in supplying stampings and assemblies to OEMs like Jaguar Land Rover, Lotus and Aston Martin, ranging from prototype projects to production volumes.
“This complete service has seen sales increase rapidly past £6m and this latest collaboration with Worcester Presses gives us additional capacity and a larger world-class press to take on different types of work.
“The machine, which was installed as part of a three-month factory reconfiguration project, allows us to target larger stampings in various material grades, including aluminium, mild steel, structural steel, stainless steel, brass and copper.”
Worcester Presses based in Dudley says it has seen the demand of its range of hydraulic, mechanical presses and ancillary equipment rise by more than 50% since lockdown eased.
Its bespoke equipment is suited to each customer, with packages available in a matter of months from the initial order.
Russell Hartill, Managing Director of Worcester Presses said: “The 600-tonne Yeh Chiun is some press, delivering massive power, superb accuracy and repeatable quality, ideal for the type of work BPL Engineering Group specialise in and new projects it is starting to diversify into.
“Matt and his team had already seen the performance of the 300-tonne first-hand and recognised the potential a much larger press could give them, approaching our engineers to look at how we could tailor the machine to match specific requirements.”
BPL Engineering Group has invested heavily in its 25,000 sq ft facility on Catesby Park, offering customers access to toolmaking, press work, 5-axis laser cutting, fabrication, robotic welding, assembly and inspection services.
