Friction welding specialist Kuka Systems UK (www.kuka.com) has signalled its ambition to grow its sub-contract operation with the appointment of a new technical sales engineer.

Rob Wilkes has joined the Halesowen-based company with a brief to win new business for Kuka’s in-house services, which include joining components for manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive and construction machine sectors.

Mr Wilkes, whose qualifications include a BTEC Level 3 diploma in computer-aided design and technology, has extensive experience of not only selling welding equipment but also building and servicing friction welding machines.

He will be responsible for promoting Kuka’s Halesowen facility, which is one of the largest in Europe, offering sub-contract friction welding, induction heat treatment and metallurgical analysis and testing services.

There are now nine machines at the site for handling a wide variety of rotary and linear friction welding applications, and plans are already under way for the operation to move into larger premises (near its current site) later this year.