Coventry-based Bystronic UK Ltd (www.bystronic.co.uk) welcomed a record 158 visitors to its Open House, held 19-21 March.

The theme of the event — ‘The Smart Factory, a Vision for your Future’ — was designed to show visitors how greater efficiency of production in sheet metal laser cutting and bending can be achieved through the adoption of integrated automation and new software solutions.

Andrew Richert, Bystronic UK’s sales manager, said: “In this way, manufacturers can achieve a high degree of flexibility and transparency, and manufacture products in less time and more cost-effectively.

“Other benefits of the smart factory are faster quoting, adaptive production planning and cost optimisation.

“Due to the Open House, we received two orders immediately afterwards — one for a press brake, the other for a fibre laser cutting machine with automation — plus nine new enquiries.”

Dan Thombs, Bystronic UK’s managing director, said: “The encouraging attendance at our Open House was a sign that UK manufacturing continues to be buoyant.

“There appears to be an appetite, especially among sub-contractors, to increase competitiveness by investing in Bystronic’s latest technical innovations.

"Until recently, automation and integration focused on OEMs and mass production, but with our flexible automated solutions and software, users can produce small-series items as economically as standardised large volumes.”