Manchester-based EDM (www.edm.ltd.uk), which provides training simulators to the civil aviation and defence sectors, has invested £1 million in new CNC machines to underpin its growth.

Four new Mazak machines (www.mazakeu.co.uk) purchased over the past 12 months enable the company to design and manufacture any component required for its range of market-leading simulators.

The line-up, which has already improved manufacturing times and reduced the company’s reliance on third-party component suppliers, consists of a VTC-800, a VTC-760, a VCN-530C and a Variaxis i-500.

These new machines are supported by the company’s existing CNC machining capability, plus its manual milling and turning machines.

The investment in new equipment has enabled the team of manual machinists to be ‘up-skilled’, while also creating a number of new roles.

Steve Grundy, EDM’s head of production, said: “These are exciting times for our new generation of machining centres.

Our advancements in tool holding and improved cutter technology, coupled with our new machine capability, allow us to push the boundaries.

“Our workforce is gaining smarter and leaner methods of machining, which is driving even greater efficiency gains.”

Managing director Tony Bermingham said: “This investment in our machining capability further demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with the very best training simulators on the market.

“As our business grows rapidly, we will continue to invest in the best equipment available to support our market-leading position.”