Apeer has invested £285,000 in machinery in the last 12 months, with plans for a further £100k in the new year.
Among the new additions is a waterjet cutter with a 3m by 2m bed that has not only sped up the processing time for cutting laminated glass but also means the company now has the capability to cut all types of glass, as well as other materials, into any shape.
A new Butyl extruder and hot glass press, along with a new large glass washer installed in November, will help it to service growing demand for its Lumi range. With its integrated inspection and tilt table, the new glass washer can wash glass up to 3m by 2.5m in size.
Two additional jib cranes with vacuum lifters were introduced on site to protect the health and safety of its employees while also improving production workflow. A second SCM Accord 25FX 5-axis CNC Router will be installed in February, joining the first which was commissioned in January 2018, as part of an on-going machinery replacement and upgrade programme. This will give Apeer even greater capacity for machining composite doors, as well as full five-axis machining capability for potential new projects.
Managing director Asa McGillian said:“Our investment programme over the past year has been an important part of our commitment to ensuring Apeer can push further with product development, enhance the quality and range we offer, and increase production capacity where it is needed as well as overall efficiency in our factory.
“And we’re not stopping there. We have plans to invest a further £100k in the new year to install a second seamless welder to join the new machine we purchased this year, as well as upgrade spray booths and add a large overhead crane to better handle the more sizable glass and Lumi units.”
