Tamworth-based Press & Shear Ltd (www.pressandshear.com) has concluded a sole-agency agreement with Dutch machinery manufacturer WEMO; this covers sales and service of the latter’s sheet metal-working production lines in the UK and Ireland.

The modular equipment, which includes punching, bending and joining lines that are fed with sheet from coil, is mostly designed and built to customer order, although standard products are also produced. Welding, clinching, cutting and other operations can be incorporated to suit a user’s needs.

The automated lines, which also include versions for processing blanks and pre-coated material, are designed for high-volume manufacturing applications in the electrical, storage, building, automotive and domestic-appliance industries. Materials ranging from high-tensile steel to very thin aluminium can be accommodated.

Mark Britton, Press & Shear’s managing director, said: “OEMs are the main target for these lines, which are ideal for minimally manned large-series manufacturing applications.

“However, this latest WEMO plant is sufficiently flexible in operation to address the needs of the sub-contract sector, and we are keen to explore this possibility in the UK and Ireland.”