A machine tool distributor has diversified into cutting metal for customers who are working to capacity and need to fulfil another order — or who have been asked to cut a material for which they do not have a suitable machine.

Norfolk-based CNC World is the sole UK distributor of MultiCam cutting machines, and it launched a partnership with Radan sheet metal CAD/CAM software (www.vero-software.com) at last year’s MACH exhibition.

Sales director Jason Rowe says: “When our machines weren’t being used for demonstrations, they were standing idle. Customers receiving orders for cutting a different material have to sub-contract it out, and we were often asked to recommend companies to undertake emergency cutting, so we decided to use our own machines to help them.”

The company also hired a programmer with extensive knowledge of Radan to ensure that customers are given the best possible solution, including the most efficient nesting available to minimise material wastage. As CNC World also supplies routers driven by Radan’s sister software Alphacam, it can cut wood and plastic as well.