The opening by Mollart Engineering (www.mollart.co.uk) of a 10,000ft2 fabrication facility has resulted in the company’s Resolven factory in South Wales being a ‘one-stop’ production shop with the ability to design, machine, fabricate and assemble — plus there has been an increase in the number of employees.

The new facility is already configured for the series production of coolant tanks, swarf-handling systems and filtration systems, which support Mollart’s machine tool build at its Chessington headquarters.

The fabrication facility currently employs nine people and sits alongside the main 12,500ft2 machine shop in Resolven, bringing Mollart’s head count in Wales to 42. A further six apprentices will start in September, and it is planned that an additional 10 staff will be recruited by the end of the year.

Director Wayne Thomas said: “The fabrication facility also opens new opportunities for our sub-contract production to generate additional revenue from existing customers. Several have expressed interest in what we can now offer from a single source and have committed to contracts.”

With an investment budget of £800,000 committed for Resolven, together with a £300,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly Government, Mollart is about to install an ESCCO 1050 plasma cutter with a 10 x 5ft x 20mm-thick cutting capacity.

Furthermore, a press brake is due to be ordered and a quality control and inspection area is currently being installed (this is in addition to the quality centre and clean room area in the factory).

Mollart has also installed an orbital welding system for processing pipework between 1/8 and 1in in diameter. Assembly engineer Kevin Chamberlin said: “With our ability to create high-purity welds to tolerances within 0.1mm, we can now extend our service to the food sector, as well as the semiconductor, medical and pharmaceutical industries.”