For manufacturers supplying safety-critical equipment, product quality, process reliability and production efficiency are non-negotiable. As global demand continues to grow, ensuring manufacturing operations can keep pace without compromising standards becomes increasingly important.
It was against this backdrop that
International Safety Components (ISC), the Bangor-based specialist manufacturer of industrial height safety equipment, embarked on a significant machine tool investment programme designed to strengthen its in-house manufacturing capabilities and support future growth.
The family-owned company, which designs and manufactures a wide range of climbing, rigging and rescue equipment for customers around the world, has recently invested in two advanced DN Solutions machine tools supplied by
Mills CNC. The acquisition of a new NHP 4000 horizontal machining centre and a Lynx 2600SY multi-tasking turning centre forms part of a wider manufacturing technology upgrade strategy aimed at increasing production capacity, improving process efficiencies and reducing lead times.
Installed at the company’s vertically integrated manufacturing facility on the Llandygai Industrial Estate in Gwynedd during 2026, the new machines arrive at a time of sustained growth for ISC. Demand for the company’s products, particularly in overseas markets such as the United States, continues to increase, while new product introductions, including its REFLEX mechanical hitch system for the arborist sector, have further strengthened its market position.
Ricky Jones, ISC’s CNC Supervisor, explains: “We regularly monitor and benchmark the performance of our machine tools and are always looking at ways to improve and upgrade our capabilities.
“In 2025, as part of an ongoing, company-wide continuous improvement programme, we audited our machine shop’s performance in order to identify potential issues that, if not addressed quickly, could detrimentally affect process efficiencies and floor-to-floor times, and our ability to meet our customers’ lead times.”
The review highlighted several older machine tools that were becoming increasingly difficult to justify within a modern, high-productivity manufacturing environment. As a result, ISC began evaluating replacement technologies capable of delivering higher levels of productivity, repeatability and automation.
The investment decision was made easier by the company’s longstanding relationship with Mills CNC. ISC has worked with the machine tool supplier for more than two decades, having previously invested in Doosan turning technologies including a Puma 2500SY and a TT800SY twin-spindle turning centre, followed by the acquisition of a Lynx 2100LB lathe in 2017.
“Mills has a good reputation in the market for the machines it sells and supports, and whenever we are in the market for a new machine we always make sure to check out what the company can offer,” says Mr Jones.
New horizontal machining centre boosts milling productivityThe most significant element of the investment programme was the acquisition of a DN Solutions NHP 4000 horizontal machining centre. ISC had identified the need for a more capable milling platform that could process increasingly complex components more efficiently while maximising spindle utilisation.
After discussing its requirements with Mills CNC and visiting the company’s facility in Leamington Spa, ISC was introduced to the NHP 4000. The machine combines high levels of rigidity, speed and automation, making it particularly well suited to demanding production environments.
Equipped with a 30kW, 15,000 rev/min spindle, a 60-position automatic tool changer, twin 400mm x 400mm pallets and a full B-axis rotary table, the machine offers impressive flexibility when machining complex components. The rotary table’s indexing capability enables workpieces to be approached from multiple angles without requiring repeated set-ups, reducing handling time while improving accuracy.
The machine’s twin-pallet configuration has proved especially valuable. While one pallet remains in the machining zone producing components, operators can simultaneously load and prepare work on the second pallet. This approach helps minimise downtime and maintain continuous production.
Since being installed in January 2026, the NHP 4000 has been deployed on a variety of high-precision components manufactured from materials including aluminium alloys, stainless steels and engineering plastics. Components are routinely produced to geometric tolerances as tight as 18µm and surface finishes of Ra 1.6µm.
The machine has also enabled ISC to maximise fixture density through the use of tombstone workholding systems.
“By using two of the four faces available on the tombstone, multiples of the same parts can be fixed into position and machined in one go,” comments Mr Jones. “Furthermore, whilst the machine is processing these parts, our operators can load and set up the second, alternate pallet with workpieces on a different tombstone ready for machining, thereby optimising spindle uptime and enabling continuous production.”
The ability to machine multiple parts in a single set-up while simultaneously preparing the next batch has significantly improved throughput and reduced bottlenecks within the company’s milling operations.
Advanced turning cell enables greater automationComplementing the new horizontal machining centre is a DN Solutions Lynx 2600SY multi-tasking turning centre, acquired to replace a Puma 2500SY machine that had been in service since 2004.
Although the older machine had provided many years of reliable performance, changing production requirements prompted ISC to seek a more advanced solution capable of delivering higher productivity levels and increased automation.
After reviewing available options and discussing requirements with Mills CNC, the company selected the Lynx 2600SY as the most appropriate successor.
“Owing to the type of parts being machined, and the volumes required, we decided that we no longer needed a box guideway machine but still required the new machine to have full multi-tasking capabilities and for it to be supplied with a bar feeder,” explains Mr Jones. “Mills recommended the Lynx 2600SY which, to all intents and purposes, was similar in terms of its size and capabilities to the Puma 2500SY it was set to replace.
“However, the Lynx 2600SY with its linear roller guides, integrated thermal compensation, larger turning length, diameter and Y-axis, and its more advanced Fanuc iPlus control had distinct advantages over the Puma, and was a good fit for us moving forwards.”
The machine is equipped with an 18.5kW main spindle, a 12-station servo-driven turret, driven tooling, Y-axis functionality and a sub-spindle, enabling complete machining of complex components in a single operation. This capability reduces secondary handling requirements and improves part accuracy while shortening cycle times.
To maximise productivity, ISC specified the machine with a
Hydrafeed Multifeed 80 bar feeder, an automatic tool setter, Renishaw inspection probing and a
Hainbuch quick-change chuck system. The turning centre was also integrated with a parts accumulator supplied by J & S Engineering, creating a highly automated manufacturing cell capable of unattended operation.
Since installation in March 2026, the machine has been used extensively to manufacture pulley wheels and other precision turned components directly from bar stock, completing turning, milling and drilling operations in a single hit.
“The Lynx 2600SY replete with the integrated bar feeder and parts accumulator is a sophisticated solution that has significantly increased the efficiency and productivity of our small turned parts operation,” says Mr Jones.
For ISC, the latest investments represent more than simply replacing ageing equipment. They form part of a wider commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and long-term growth. With full control over design, manufacture, assembly, testing and distribution, the company continues to invest in technologies that strengthen its competitive position while ensuring customers receive high-quality products with shorter lead times.
As global demand for its safety-critical equipment continues to rise, the addition of the NHP 4000 and Lynx 2600SY provides ISC with the manufacturing platform needed to support future expansion.
“Our future success will be built on our ability to develop, strengthen and maintain long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with customers. Integral to us achieving our growth ambitions is having a world-class manufacturing facility at our disposal, capable of producing high-quality, fast turnaround and competitively priced products at the increased volumes we now require. The recent investment in two new DN Solutions machines demonstrates our commitment to improvement and growth,” Mr Jones concludes.