Gillingham-based Saxon Engineering, which has been producing high-standard precision-machined parts since 1989, has customers in a variety of industries, including aerospace, scientific research and printing. The company said its continued investment in staff and technology has enabled it to maintain its high quality and to maintain a competitive edge in the sub-contracting sector.
Company owner Bill Wilkinson says: “Our highly skilled workforce can tackle anything from a one-off copy of an existing part through to a large quantity of complex components. Our aim is to ensure complete customer satisfaction by producing accurate work of excellent quality, getting it right to tolerance and finish.”
Saxon Engineering currently employs 13 staff; six are skilled CNC programmers who mentor the company’s three apprentices. Mr Wilkinson adds: “By offering training to young people from local schools and colleges we’re investing in our future, the future of the youngsters and the future of the area. Engineering is still thought of as a dirty job, but we try to show school-children that it doesn’t have to be; also, being able to pass on their knowledge gives our skilled staff a real sense of fulfilment.”
The company attributes a lot of its success to its heavy investments in Haas CNC machines. It bought the first one 15 years ago and currently runs 12 Haas machines. These comprise a couple of Haas lathes (including an ST-20 Y-axis lathe with live tooling) and 10 Haas VMCs ranging from Mini Mills up to a five-axis VF-5TR, which was installed in 2014.
Mr Wilkinson says: “Having the large five-axis machine means we can take on work that we couldn’t have tackled before. In fact, I was recently out walking my Jack Russell, got talking to the owner of another dog and discovered that he runs an aerospace company. We now have a contract to supply them with aluminium baseplates, thanks to the large work envelope and five-axis capability of the Haas VF-5TR; and when we expand into the unit next door, we’ll increase our capacity with Haas machines.”