Cardiff, Wales - Alar Engineering, an engineering firm specializing in sub-contract manufacturing of precision sheet metal components, has invested in the latest precision laser cutting machining technology in a move that will increase its capacity and create five jobs.
The £410,000 ($613,189) Amada LCG 3015 CO2 laser cutter with an automated material handling system is believed to be the first in Wales. It is currently being commissioned at headquarters on the Portmanmoor Road Industrial Estate in Cardiff. The investment was supported by £100,000 ($149,542) in repayable business finance from the Welsh Government, and will create five new jobs for skilled machinery operators and safeguard a further 10 jobs.
Alar Engineering has a wide-ranging customer base across a number of sectors, including the electronics industry and power distribution and generation. Sales director Paul Soulsby said the company operated in a highly competitive market, which is worth more than £1 billon ($1.4 billion) in the UK and had to maintain a competitive edge by constantly updating equipment to keep up with the latest technology. "Alar Engineering has invested extensively in technology since it was founded in 1981 and this latest laser cutting equipment means we can increase capacity, respond faster to the needs of customers, and offer a very flexible service," he adds. "It also gives us new capabilities and will open up new opportunities from both existing customers and new clients. We have a growing order book, as many of our customers are experiencing an upturn in business, and we are also winning contracts from new customers."