Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland (www.millscnc.co.uk), achieved its best annual sales performance in 2014, thanks to strong machine-tool sales throughout the year.

Sales director Nick White said: “The year started strongly, accelerated after the MACH 2014 show in April, and then gained further momentum in November and December.

Our sales revenues have grown by over 70% since 2010. When compared to the 50% growth experienced by the UK machine-tool sector as a whole during the same period, this performance further demonstrates our success and our ability to consistently out-perform the market.”

Mills delivered 467 new Doosan machines to customers in 2014. Sales of large-capacity horizontal boring machines, horizontal machining centres and Puma lathes were “particularly impressive”, as were sales of the company’s smaller new frame lathes such as the Puma 2100, Puma 2600 and Puma 3100 models, as well as its Lynx lathe models.

The company’s range of three- and five-axis vertical machining centres also proved popular, while new machine tools introduced by Mills during 2014, like its Puma ST20G and ST32G sliding-head range (pictured), also made “a healthy contribution” to overall sales.

Mr White added: “Over 25% of our business comes from new customers, and I believe that our ability to both attract new business and retain existing customers is as much to do with Mills’ after-sales services and customer support as it is to do with the technology that we provide.”

Later this year, Mills will introduce a number of new Doosan machine tools to the market. These will include the large-capacity VCF 850 range of five-axis machines, as well as the Puma 4100/5100 range of heavy-duty lathes.