WEC Group Ltd, an engineering and fabrication company (www.wec-group.com), has invested in a Citizen L32 multi-axis sliding-head lathe, as it bids to gain more work in the aerospace industry.

This seven-axis machine joins a Miyano ABX-64SYY and a Citizen M32 in the sliding-head cell at WEC’s 33,000ft² purpose-built machining facility in Blackburn. It will run for 24hr a day to help improve lead times and costs for existing and new customers (www.citizenmachinery.co.uk).

Steve Fitzpatrick, a director of WEC Machining Ltd, said: “We have invested steadily over the past two years in this specific technology, and we are seeing huge benefits in the quality of components, plus improved delivery lead times.

“The scope of our aerospace approval has now been increased to include three-, four- and five-axis machining and assembly work, and the sliding-head cell is helping us to cope with the increasing demand we are seeing — from the aerospace sector, in particular.”

WEC Group has been heavily involved with the aerospace industry for many years, supplying components, jigs and fixtures on a sub-contract basis for various aircraft assembly facilities around the world.

Work is now well underway on a £6 million contract for an Airbus assembly factory in Germany; this contract was won because of WEC’s extensive range of ‘state of the art’ technology and its commitment to quality.