Ficep UK has supplied its Valiant CNC drilling line and Tipo D50 to
Warrington Fabrication, helping the Cheshire-based steel fabricator modernise its production capabilities and more than double its output. Established over 40 years ago, Warrington Fabrications employs over 50 people and works across a wide range of sectors, supplying secondary steelwork and bespoke metalwork for projects including hospitals, apartment blocks, and major construction contracts. Its customers range from those requiring a single beam to large contractors with substantial steelwork packages, and the business will fabricate anything in steel, from ornate staircases to full structural frameworks.
Warrington Fabrications has worked with Ficep UK for more than 20 years, originally investing in Ficep systems at the outset of that relationship. The business had been running a cutting and drilling line, and a Tipo D8 punch and shear machine, equipment that had served the business well but had reached a point where production speeds were no longer meeting the pace required. The decision was made to modernise, and Warrington Fabrications turned again to Ficep.
Whilst other suppliers were considered, the long-standing relationship and confidence in Ficep's quality and service made the decision straightforward. Ficep UK's approach was not simply to replace the old machines on a like-for-like basis. Ficep worked closely with the Warrington team to understand the specific needs of the business and recommend the systems best suited to those requirements.
Chris Millington, production manager and buyer at Warrington Fabrications, also visited Ficep’s parent company in Italy to see both machines in full operation before committing to the investment - giving the team complete confidence in what they were purchasing and how it would perform.
The Ficep Valiant handles automated drilling, scribing, marking, and sawing across a full range of rolled structural steel sections, freeing up skilled operators for more complex work. The automated Tipo D50 complements it by processing smaller profiles, flat bars, angles, channels, beams and tubes, including notching, scribing, cutting and drilling across a wide range of sizes. Its improved scribing capability, supported by new integrated Steel Projects software, has already reduced manual marking time and improved workflow across the shopfloor.
Output doubledChris Millington said: “Our old machines were doing their job, but they were over 20 years old and we needed to update the technology. The new machines are faster, need less maintenance, and we are already producing more than double what we did before. The difference has been significant.”
Installation went smoothly, with Ficep engineers on site to oversee commissioning, train the machine operators, and ensure the systems were running at optimal capacity. Because the Warrington team was already familiar with Ficep technology, operators got up to speed quickly — a seamless transition that underlines the value of their long-term partnership built on shared knowledge and mutual understanding of the business.
Chris Berriman, sales director at Ficep UK, said: “Our goal is never simply to replace old equipment - it is to make sure the systems are right for the business and the work it carries out. We looked carefully at what Warrington needed and made recommendations. The fact that Chris came to Italy to see the machines in action before investing is exactly the kind of informed decision-making we encourage, and it means the business has hit the ground running. We also provide ongoing support to make sure everything continues to run at its best.”
Alongside the machinery investment, Warrington Fabrications has also added a Ficep tool vending unit — a smart inventory system that tracks and manages consumables such as drill bits and scribers. Ficep manages stock levels remotely through integrated software, ensuring the team always has the right tooling to hand and freeing up staff time previously spent on manual stock management.
With the Valiant and Tipo D50 now in operation, Warrington Fabrications is faster, more efficient, and is well-placed to take on an even wider range of projects, all supported by a partnership with Ficep UK that continues to support the business into its next phase of growth.