94
and manufacturing capabilities required. The machines in medium and long stroke options.
best example is the cams. They are the magic We have received a lot of feedback, as well as
in our machine and we want to exercise a lot of interest, over the last two or three
absolute control over their quality. Between weeks since Düsseldorf wire. In terms of
materials, heat treatment and precision these development our first move will probably be to
are not parts with which we can take a risk, provide more die options for the M10 machine.
because they underpin the performance of the Then we may be able to consider different size
whole machine.” machines. By definition, though, there will
Suzhou’s machine assembly shop currently never be a full array of options as Formax and
has a mix of LeanFX units in production and a certainly not Formax Plus. A key part of the
set of ball headers from a Japanese transplant cost equation is standardisation, which
in China undergoing refurbishment. necessitates us focusing on the volume
Significantly, without the Suzhou facility it is segment of the market.”
doubtful that National would have won the So, one machine, meeting the diverse needs
contract for rebuilding the eight machines. Also of two markets. For China the PumaFX is
significantly, it is Suzhou’s five service without doubt a big cat; its speed, precision
engineers – one electrical and four mechanical and reliability singling it out from other locally
– that have worked on the ball headers, produced machinery. This is a National machine
developing invaluable hands on experience through and through, built to perform in the
under the careful tutelage of Tiffin mentors. long term and aimed at those companies that
“Over the decades there
There is a classroom style training room.
have been plenty of westerners
UIforwardUIforwardUIforward
On the main floor there is an array of
that have popped into China
machine main assemblies, used for
with good equipment only to
maintenance and setting training. There are
sell it and leave the Chinese
also two fully operational Formax 2000
customer without service and
machines for demonstration.
support.” says Andrew Kalnow.
“Seeing is believing,” says Greg Smith. It’s a
“Our on-the-ground commitment
time proven concept in any language or
to five service engineers based
culture. Unlike other parts of the world,
here, and trained literally on the
Formax was not particularly known to Chinese
building of the machines, is
companies. So we set up the two
crucial. That was the original
demonstration machines, which also provide us
premise for setting up a business
with the opportunity to trial-run customers’
here and we have expanded upon that. The aspire to move upstream. It will run excellent
parts. We can demonstrate the level of
principle is simple - make it is easier for your standard fasteners as well as providing the
engineering invested in each machine and,
customer.” opportunity to engineer special parts to meet
most persuasive of all, we can show their
The final area of the Suzhou facility is automotive and other critical requirements.
speed, which radically outperforms any
dedicated to NM Global Group subsidiary CTG, For the wider market, a name that
machine most of our visitors have ever seen
assembling Ransohoff cleaning equipment for epitomises the imperative to produce longer
before.”
the Chinese market. runs of more standardised product
The second production zone is dedicated to
Back in the meeting room Greg Smith economically, but with a constant reminder of
parts machining and production. The
elaborates on the relationship between an extraordinary pedigree of precision machine
equipment in which National has already
PumaFX and LeanFX. “The PumaFX serves as building. The first LeanFX, unveiled at wire
invested is state-of-the-art, much of it from the
the platform. From that we can configure the 2008 Düsseldorf, is now being commissioned at
world’s largest CNC machine builder, Haas
machine into the LeanFX for marketing to SPS Technologies in the UK. If National has
Automation.
Europe, for which it is CE compliant, and other formulated its strategy as thoroughly as
The team of young engineers, recruited
markets outside China.” certainly appears to be the case, expect to see
carefully to have a solid grounding in
“Currently we offer two M10 four-die the many more LeanFX at work across Europe.
machining skills, are mentored and managed
by experienced engineers and inspectors on
secondment from Tiffin. Local vendors for
materials and parts are stringently assessed
and approved. Initial batches of parts produced
in house at Suzhou are shipped to Tiffin for
rigorous inspection, technically and
aesthetically, before they are used. Following
the initial success of the parts production
facility at Suzhou, National is now looking at a
second phase of machinery investment and
operative development.
“Currently, 80% of the parts used in the
LeanFX come from Tiffin,” says Greg Smith. “It
is a deliberate and lengthy process to identify,
evaluate and approve local vendors and to
develop our own parts production capabilities
here. Some components, though, will always
be produced in Tiffin, because of the design
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154