Machinery investment boosts output for Dorset manufacturer
1 min read
William Hughes, the Stalybridge-based producer of springs, bent wire-forms and assemblies, has been busy expanding its product range and can now form compression springs in wire diameter sizes up to 8mm and torsion springs up to 6mm.
The new capabilities follow on from a significant investment in new machinery at its manufacturing facilities in the UK and Bulgaria.
The new coiling machine at the UK factory in Dorset means that William Hughes can now supply heavier duty compression springs, which are typically used as return valves in products such as hydraulic valves. The new machine in Bulgaria has the capacity for torsion springs up to 6.0mm in diameter. These larger springs are widely used in the automotive industry and have applications in products such as chain tensioners.
Managing director Max Hughes explained: "We continue to invest in the latest machinery and metal finishing technologies to meet customer demands in a tough market our operations in Bulgaria have grown four fold from when we first opened the factory in 2004 and this extra capacity allows us to optimise our manufacturing resources. As a result we can provide our customers with quality products at highly competitive prices."
The company has gained the prestigious Nadcap accreditation for its heat treatment facility – a process that is particularly important for springs to be used in the aerospace industry. William Hughes has also introduced a number of added-value services for its customers, including steel and glass shot peening, ultrasonic cleaning and tensile testing to very high national standards such as Aerospace Material Specifications.
