While the Covid-19 crisis has caused unprecedented concern for many in the manufacturing sector, there remains an air of positivity, with machine orders continuing to be taken by XYZ Machine Tools (www.xyzmachinetools.com) and as a result, deliveries continue to take place on a daily basis to customers around the UK and further afield.

A case in point is the despatch on 21 May of an XYZ 3010, the largest vertical machining centre in the XYZ range, to Lancashire-based Pendle Engineering, a fabrication and CNC machining specialist.

The new machine, which weighs in at 25 tonnes, is the fourth XYZ machine purchased by the company. Its decision to make an investment like this, at this time, was driven by the confidence it was seeing from its customers, while at the same time delivering a significant increase in machining capacity with its X, Y and Z axis travels of 3,000 x 1,000 x 800mm, backed by a 56hp 8000rev/min spindle.

Pendle Engineering now has the capability to machine pieces weighing up to 4,000kg, with the machine’s Y-axis supported by six box slideways to generate the support and rigidity required.

Chris Smith, Pendle Engineering managing director, said: “We are committed to delivering quality, service and value to our customers through our passion and our people. Our sub-contract steel manufacturing services are supplied to a broad range of industry sectors and the encouraging levels of customer demand gave us the confidence to invest in the XYZ 3010 — our fourth XYZ machine tool.

“This new machine not only bolsters our existing machining capacity but allows us to bring the machining of larger (over 1m) workpieces in-house. These unprecedented circumstances have without doubt added an extra dimension to our investment decision-making, but we are planning for the long term and are delighted to be working with XYZ Machine Tools once again.”

XYZ Machine Tools has continued to support its customers throughout the pandemic and this has been rewarded by a steady influx of new machine orders. It currently has around 50 machines in build and under pre-delivery test at its Burlescombe factory, with deliveries being fulfilled with machines from across its range, including ProtoTrak mills and lathes through the vertical machining centre and turning centre ranges, to its flagship UMC-5X five-axis machining centre.

XYZ Machine Tools managing director Nigel Atherton said: “It has been, and continues to be, unusual and difficult time for engineering companies and those that supply it. However, there has always remained an air of positivity and we are now beginning to see some expansion in business activity.

“Companies such as Pendle Engineering are showing the confidence to move their businesses forward through investment and we are happy to be able to continue our long-standing relationship with Chris and his team.”