Pic: United Machining supplied Western Pegasus with three new advanced EDM machines after a devastating fireA devastating factory fire would have been enough to force many manufacturing businesses to close their doors for good. For Birmingham-based precision engineering specialist
Western Pegasus, however, disaster became the catalyst for an extraordinary recovery that demonstrated the value of resilience, determination and strong industrial partnerships.
When a major fire broke out in an adjacent factory on Easter Sunday 2025, the consequences for Western Pegasus were severe. The blaze destroyed the company's long-established Tyseley facility, which had been its home for four decades, and wiped out what company president Andy Wincel describes as one of the UK's most advanced wire EDM operations.
The company specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of high-accuracy spline gauges, master gears and spline-related inspection gauging used by customers across the automotive, aerospace, marine and agricultural sectors. The exacting nature of its work demands manufacturing tolerances measured in microns, making advanced machine tool technology central to its success.
Today, just months after the fire, Western Pegasus is fully operational again from a new facility in Kitts Green, Birmingham, thanks to a remarkable recovery effort supported by employees, financial backing from HSBC UK and the rapid response of long-standing machine tool partner United Machining.
A business built on precisionBefore the fire, Western Pegasus had established itself as a globally recognised specialist in the manufacture of high-precision gear and spline inspection equipment. The company's products are used to verify critical dimensions and geometric tolerances, including tooth profiles, pitch deviations, lead and helix angles, runout, tooth thickness and gear size.
Given the accuracy requirements involved, often better than ±2µm on gear tooth flanks and profiles, Western Pegasus has long relied on AgieCharmilles wire EDM technology supplied by United Machining, formerly GF Machining Solutions.
"We have developed strong relationships with
United Machining over many years and, to increase our capacity and improve our capabilities, have regularly invested in the company's high-end wire EDM machines," says Mr Wincel.
"These machines, renowned for their ability to deliver consistent and repeatable high accuracies and superior surface finishes, are our technology of choice for machining Western Pegasus' custom master gears, spline gauges and spline-related inspection gauging."
Prior to the fire, the company operated an extensive fleet of AgieCharmilles machines, including multiple CUT 1000 and CUT 2000 models, alongside advanced automation systems. Equipped with technologies such as Intelligent Spark Protection, iWire Technology, Automatic Wire Change and the Uniqua iHMI interface, the machines delivered the repeatability and surface quality essential for the company's demanding applications.
With a highly skilled workforce, established manufacturing processes and ongoing investment in technology, Western Pegasus was well positioned for future growth. Then everything changed.
Fire strikes the factory The timing of the fire could hardly have been worse. Occurring on Easter Sunday, it disrupted communications at a time when many employees and customers were away from work. To compound matters, Mr Wincel was in Australia when news of the disaster reached him. The effects on the business were immediate and far-reaching.
"You wouldn't wish this on your worst enemy," recalls Mr Wincel. "Dealing with loss adjusters, assessors and insurance claims is one thing, but when you add into the mix a workforce that, quite understandably, is on tenterhooks wondering whether they still have jobs to go to, as well as a number of customers wondering about the status of their respective jobs, the situation was fraught, to put it mildly."
The damage extended well beyond machinery.
"We lost a lot. Our servers and IT equipment went up in smoke. Our advanced machine tools and ancillary technologies were severely compromised, at best. And all records, documentation and work in progress were gone too."
Faced with the prospect of rebuilding virtually every aspect of the business, Mr Wincel had a decision to make. Rather than accept defeat, he chose to begin planning the company's recovery immediately.
Central to that strategy was a warehouse facility in Kitts Green, around 16 miles from the damaged Tyseley site, which he had acquired previously. The building would become the foundation for Western Pegasus' future.
"We wanted to become operational as soon as possible," says Mr Wincel. "But it was important that we did things methodically and clinically."
What followed was a huge undertaking. Plant and equipment had to be removed from the old premises, assessed and either stored, salvaged or disposed of. At the same time, the Kitts Green site required extensive refurbishment.
The work included clearing and cleaning the entire building, upgrading electrical and plumbing systems, installing new flooring, replacing the roof, constructing offices and welfare facilities, creating a temperature-controlled machining area and establishing an accredited inspection laboratory.
It was an ambitious programme under any circumstances. Completing it within a matter of weeks seemed almost impossible.
Partnership in actionWhile work progressed on the new facility, Western Pegasus faced another pressing challenge. Its wire EDM capability, critical to production, had been effectively eliminated by the fire. Mr Wincel immediately turned to United Machining for support.
"In addition to the building works, I also contacted United Machining UK, specifically managing director Martin Spencer, to see if he could assist us in acquiring a number of advanced wire EDM machines in double-quick time."
Martin Spencer explains: "First and foremost we wanted to help. Western Pegasus is a good and loyal customer, and we believed that Andy and his team, with the right support, could turn it around and make a success of things.
"Having spoken to Andy about his immediate requirements, we identified the type and number of new AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines he needed to re-start machining operations; these comprised a CUT 2000 and two CUT 1000 models."
The challenge was that these are not off-the-shelf products. Advanced EDM machines are typically built to order, with lead times that would normally have delayed Western Pegasus' recovery efforts.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, United Machining worked closely with the AgieCharmilles manufacturing facility in Switzerland to accelerate production. The international effort ensured that replacement machines were built and delivered in record time.
"It was a real collaborative effort, and one that demonstrated how United Machining is able, and always willing, to pull out all the stops for its customers," says Mr Spencer.
Financial support also proved crucial. HSBC UK provided an initial £850,000 overdraft facility, followed by a £1.2 million funding package that helped finance the recovery and the acquisition of the new machinery.
Steve Eames, relationship manager at HSBC UK, says: "Supporting Western Pegasus through such challenging times been a highly rewarding experience. We acted quickly to support its recovery, and the resilience shown by the team was remarkable. It's fantastic to see the business thriving."
Beginning in June, the three AgieCharmilles machines were delivered and installed individually over a six-week period, allowing production capacity to be restored progressively as the Kitts Green facility came online.
For Western Pegasus, the combination of rapid financial support, employee commitment and supplier collaboration proved transformative. In little more than two and a half months, the company had returned to production.
Reflecting on the experience, Mr Wincel believes the crisis revealed the true value of partnership.
"When you are up against it, you really find out who your partners are," he says. "United Machining pulled out all the stops for us. They not only helped us clear the old site and arrange safe storage of the equipment that was in there but also identified where and how we could acquire three new machines, as well as organising their delivery and installation to fit in with our building schedules.
"They also provided us with expert applications and logistics advice and support to help us hit the ground running.
"The fire completely took out our manufacturing operation but in just two and a half months we were back in business. We simply could not have achieved this without United Machining and its suppliers – and that's what a real partnership is all about."