Milton Keynes-based manufacturer SMC Pneumatics (UK) has announced that it will invest a further £1.7m in additional CNC milling and turning machines at their state-of-the-art 25,000m2 facility in the town.
This investment reflects the continued success of SMC in both the UK and also the global success of its multi-national Japanese parent, the SMC Corporation.
SMC UK’s human resources manager Hayley Walker said, “Over the past few years we have enjoyed year-on-year growth which means that we have a number of on-going activities to help support our recruitment needs. Of the 325 people we employ in the UK, 200 work in our UK headquarters, and we’re currently looking to a fill a number of field, office and factory posts. This increased investment in additional machinery also means that we will be recruiting both skilled and apprentice CNC millers and turners to help operate this new equipment.”
SMC UK’s operations director Dave Westbury said, “In addition to increasing our engineering capabilities, this investment means that we are able to offer both our UK and European customers even more specially engineered products to meet their individual needs”.
“SMC Pneumatics UK has come a long way in a relatively short period of time, from a small, one-room office over a hairdressers in Leighton Buzzard, to our present 14 acre office and factory site, which demonstrates the effectiveness of our continued investment in product development, training, capital equipment and people” he continued.
SMC’s current product range consists of around 11,000 basic models with over 620,000 variant forms. With 1,400 dedicated research and development engineers located at technical centres in Japan, China, USA, Germany and the UK, the company can respond quickly to meet the needs of their global customers.
