Leitz UK (www.leitz-tooling.co.uk) supplies a range of wood-working and other tools, and its Harlow facility is the headquarters for a nation-wide tool supply and servicing operation that includes seven other bases and a network of 17 delivery vehicles.

When the Harlow team wanted to upgrade from its mixture of two- and three-axis CNC and manual grinding machines, the parent company’s experiences (in Germany) with Walter tool grinders were noted.

The installation of a Walter Helitronic five-axis tool grinder (www.walter-machines.com) has given the company “unprecedented higher levels of flexibility and capability” in regrinding its own-brand tools back to their original specification.

Works manager (and national service manager) Derek Statham says: “In addition to enabling us to process regrinds much more quickly, our new Helitronic Power has opened the door for us to a new world of on-site manufacturing of special-purpose HSS, carbide and PCD tools — both shank-type tooling and profile cutters.

“This new-found ability to produce and service bespoke tooling will further cement the close working relationships we establish with all our customers — companies of every size, from one-man bands to ‘blue chip’ organisations with global interests.

“Being able to provide unique tooling solutions to meet their needs in very fast turn-round times will only reinforce the successful partnerships we already have.”

The Helitronic Power can accommodate tools from 3 to 320mm in diameter, up to 350mm long, and weighing up to 50kg. Its linear resolution is 0.0001mm, and its radial resolution is 0.0001deg.