When Darren Chisnall established Warrington-based Roant Precision Engineering in 2001, it was as a small precision sub-contractor relying on a selection of manual machines.

The company has just completed the takeover of its largest customer, Eiger Torrance Ltd, which makes mixing, milling and de-aeration systems for the production of paints and printing inks.

This will secure machining work for Roant, as well as providing growth opportunities for both businesses.

Roant’s managing director, Darren Chisnall, said: “We have had a 15-year relationship with Eiger Torrance, working on fabrication and the machining of its range of products, and we have invested in equipment over the years to support that work, such as the recent arrival of an XYZ XL 1100 large-capacity lathe, so when the opportunity arose to buy the business, it made perfect sense.

"We have integrated all of Eiger Torrance’s activities into one building alongside our machining and fabrication activities.”

Roant’s first machine from XYZ (www.xyzmachinetools.com) was an XYZ SM3000 bed mill — a prize won at MACH 2002.

He added: “Winning the XYZ lathe was a major point in the ongoing success of our business.

"Until then we had manual machines, and were struggling to be competitive.

"I never dreamt that I would one day buy out my largest customer, but the ProtoTrak control changed how we worked and transformed the business.

"We now have eight XYZ machines, seven of which have the ProtoTrak control; that familiarity has helped to develop the skills and experience we need to produce work to exacting tolerances for Eiger Torrance and others.”