Lone Star Leeds, a provider of precision-engineered components, sealing technologies and specialised surface coatings, is reaping the benefits of investing in a new Hartford Super HCMC 2082 vertical machining centre — supplied by sole UK agent T W Ward CNC Machinery Ltd (www.wardcnc.com).

This machine has not only halved LSL’s machining times on oil and gas components but also helped to drive its growth in the nuclear and aerospace sectors.

It is now at the heart of a highly efficient machining cell that includes two other vertical machining centres, various CNC lathes, wire erosion machinery and a surface grinder.

Jon Collinge, divisional managing director, said: “Oil and gas component machinists are being challenged on a global basis, with companies from countries including India and Tunisia now in the frame.

“The success of this machine is crucial to remaining competitive with our traditional oil and gas component work — and to becoming a supplier of choice to clients in the nuclear and aerospace sectors.”

Operations director David Tennant said: “Being able to achieve significant reductions in lead times with the Hartford is also enabling us to move other workpieces onto the machine, so it is actually having repercussions throughout our production flow-lines.”

Specialising in families of valve block parts for sub-sea applications as well as other precision-machined components, LSL has a reputation for machining critical workpieces in materials that include high-nickel alloys and stainless steels.

Capable of machining components up to 860mm in diameter, the company has also built a solid reputation as a sub-contract machinist of all material and workpiece types for a wide range of clients in various industry sectors.

It also offers a host of finishing processes — including shot peening, ultrasonic degreasing and lapping to very fine surface finishes — as well as assembly and sub-assembly to strict quality control regimes.

Mr Collinge added: “It’s all about maximising what we can do, not only with existing clients but also in new areas where critical machining is key.”