Against a backdrop of tough trading conditions in the machine tool supply industry, High Wycombe-based
Hurco Europe Ltd increased turnover in its current financial year compared to the previous one by more than 5%. Total revenue exceeded £25 million, a figure regularly achieved over the past 10 years. Despite a general reluctance by the manufacturing industry to invest during the current challenging economic conditions, machine sales to sub-contractors serving the aerospace, defence and motorsport sectors have held up well and are continuing to do so.
More than 33% of machining centre and CNC lathe sales were secured from first-time buyers of the brand, rather than existing users returning for more machines. It is a proportion that remains remarkably consistent from year to year, enabling the company to maintain its strong position and increase market share in the UK and Ireland.
Speaking of Hurco Europe’s sales performance at the company’s recent Open House earlier this month, managing director David Waghorn said: “As is the case for many of our peers, unit volumes were down this year, particularly for the lower-cost, smaller models. However, we were fortunate that several orders were of high value, including for our four types of five-axis vertical machining centres (VMCs) and our large travelling-column DCX models. At the same time, CNC lathes remained a key part of our business, providing 20% of revenue.
“We also saw strong sales of three- and five-axis VMCs built in Germany by Roeders, which we have represented in this market exclusively for more than two decades. We shipped six machines, which is a good number for such specialised, high-performance VMCs. It is notable that there is increased uptake of integrated jig grinding that gives the user unique benefits in terms of completing high-accuracy parts in a single handling.”
He added that another technology gaining traction is automation. Hurco ProCobots have always generated huge interest at shows and sales have been steady since the product was first introduced. However, it has taken sub-contract engineers some time to fully understand how easy a Hurco ProCobot can be to operate and program.
The stage has now been reached where once a company has one ProCobot feeding parts to a machine, they quickly come back for a second, as the return on investment is easy to justify. Often, the automated cell continues to make parts long after the machine operator has gone home. Additionally, the ProCobot product is very reliable and needs little maintenance or upkeep, meaning it will continue to add value for years after it has paid for itself.
Attractive featuresParticularly attractive features of these installations are the freeing of skilled staff for higher added-value work elsewhere in a factory; and the easy-to-use programming software, which allows viable automation of batches as small as 20-off. Less than one day of training by the same engineer that provides the Hurco machine instruction is required for an operator to become proficient.
Another trend that the supplier saw over the past 12 months was an increase in demand for Hurco’s used machines, which are regularly acquired and refurbished to a high standard in a separate area within the High Wycombe headquarters. The business is especially helpful when dealing with first-time users or customers on a tight budget.
Used machines are an excellent vehicle for training new engineers and sometimes second-hand sales can lead to enquiries for new machines. According to Mr Waghorn, it makes sense for Hurco Europe to purchase its pre-owned machines, because it has all of the expertise and necessary spare parts readily available to bring it back to virtually as-new condition. That means the company is able to provide a warranty with every pre-owned machine it supplies, providing reassurance to the new user.
The outlook for 2026 is positive for Hurco Europe and it is excited to be exhibiting at
Southern Manufacturing & Electronics in February, as well as at
MACH 2026 in April. At the latter show, it plans to launch further automation products from the ProCobots stable.
Mr Waghorn continued: “We are eagerly awaiting the forthcoming MACH show in Birmingham, as the biennial event normally triggers an upturn in orders. We are particularly excited to be showing two automation solutions in addition to a broad selection of our three- and five-axis mills and CNC turning centres. Thankfully, the original 2026 expiry date for removing full expensing of capital investment was swiftly cancelled in the Autumn Statement of 2023 and the 100% write-down against corporation tax for qualifying new plant and machinery remains. It is a big incentive for anyone considering purchasing a new machine tool.”
He concluded: “Moreover, based on forecasts from major economic institutions, there is consensus that UK interest rates are likely to go down in 2026 as inflation is brought under control. Despite the headwinds, these factors in tandem should lead to buoyant business activity going forward."