Press Release - Barker Collins invests again

20 October 2009

Barker Collins invests again - to stay one step ahead in the supply of high-quality workpieces

Barker Collins of Sheffield – the UK’s premier sub-contract engineer – has expanded its large-capacity CNC milling capability with the installation of an Asquith Butler LE5000 travelling column, floor-type milling centre to reinforce its position as a mainline supplier of workpieces for blue chip customers in industry sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, earth moving, nuclear, defence, transport, minerals and mining, as well as excavation and construction.

The new machine, supplied by Ward CNC, complements an already formidable portfolio of Soraluce, Asquith Butler, Correa and Marufuku CNC milling centres, as well as CNC horizontal borers from Doosan, Giddings & Lewis, Kuraki and Sacem.

Indeed, Barker Collins hosts the UK’s largest installed base of Doosan borers in Europe with two DB130C and three DB130CX models having X, Y, Z and W axis travels of 3,000 mm by 2,000 mm by 1,600 mm by 700 mm, respectively.

All feature Renishaw RMP60 probing for workpiece identification and datuming, program selection, inspection and generation of inspection reports to integrate with the measuring routines from the DEA co-ordinate measuring machine, which has X, Y and Z axes capacities of 3,000 mm by 1,200 mm by 1,000 mm.

According to managing director Chris Carter, the LE5000's floor plate working surface area of 8,000 mm by 1,500 mm and X, Y and Z axes of 7,300 mm by 20,000 mm by 1,250 mm, as well as a machining head capable of 1 deg positioning/movement, will comfortably accommodate the extra-long components such as whipstocks required by customers involved in offshore drilling.

These complement its established supply of oil and gas sector components like stabilisers, cans and reamers, pipeline tooling, pumps and valves and seabed fastening systems.

The continual investment strategy at the £4 million turnover operation in Chapeltown - over £5.5 million has been spent during the past five years – reflects the company’s ethos of ‘excellence through innovation’ to underpin its consistent supply of quality workpieces.

Chris Carter adds: “We’ve never professed to be, or wanted to be, the biggest sub-contractor in South Yorkshire – but we strive to continue to be the best. That’s why we continually invest.”