Due to the availability of a long term finance package, a sub-contract machining company has moved up to supply higher value aerospace, pharmaceutical, motor sport and marine industries.

Due to the availability of a long term competitively priced finance package available through 600 Finance, Colchester Sales of Heckmondwike, has given Paragon Engineering and Logistics of Wolverhampton the immediate capability to step change its business to service higher value aerospace, pharmaceutical, motor sport and marine industries. Said John Harper, Co-director: 'The long term 600 Finance rental is ideal as it gives us the opportunity to have the two Colchester Tornado 120M and 220M bar fed, driven tool machines now. Then at any time in the future we can convert from rental to hire purchase with the rental paid deducted from the value of the machines.' Paragon Engineering was set up in March 2000 by two Lucas Aerospace engineers John Harper and Steve Price who had both held senior management positions.

Within six months of establishing the business, they gained the necessary ISO certification and moved into mainly aerospace machining.

The company then built-up a highly skilled workforce of 30 people working manual and some CNC machines producing mainly low volume spares, repairs and development work.

Explains Steve Price: 'We have grown steadily and decided we are now ready to move into new areas where we can utilise our skills in machining specialist materials and difficult stainless steels with the benefit of the latest CNC technology in turned part machining.

Both directors looked at the market of three-axis lathes so they could combine secondary operations into single mill/turn cycles, reduce lead times and offer competitive pricing with high levels of quality built into the machining cycle.

They decided the driven tool Colchester Tornado 120M and 220M were ideal because they were UK built, had a good specification and provided good value for money.

Says John Harper: 'The two year full warranty meant Colchester obviously had faith in their machines and Colchester Sales technical centre is just up the road.

Colchester could also deliver within four weeks.' The driven tool M-Series has rejuvenated the Tornado range and by purchasing both the 120M and 220M, Paragon has the advantage of different capacities to accommodate existing and new component machining.

The more compact 120M has a 54mm bar capacity from the Colchester developed MBF 1000 bar feed and the 220M will accept material up to 65mm diameter.

The 15kW spindle 120M has a 12 position all-driven 3.7kW 5,000 revs/min turret and the larger machine a 22kW main spindle with a six driven, six fixed position turret having 4,000 revs/min drive.

Both machines have disc brakes to hold position in the C-axis and are built using Colchester's patented Duo-stable base foundation which gives some 25 per cent improvement in damping.