Made in the Midlands members Citizen Machinery and Boneham and Turner have built an honest and transparent relationship over the last 7 years that they have been working together. Edward James, Managing Director of Citizen Machinery, and Charles Boneham, Director at Boneham & Turner, both say that this has been thanks to networking through the Made in the Midlands. In their latest collaboration, Citizen has helped Boneham improve their efficiency, with Boneham’s latest investment into an L220-VIIILFV sliding head mill turn lathe from Citizen.
World-leading CNC machine tool manufacturer - Citizen Machinery partnered with leading precision engineering tool provider - Boneham & Turner back in 2014. The initial interaction saw Boneham purchase two more Citizen machines. The investment meant that Boneham could finish their components to order, rather than hold unnecessary amounts of stock taking up time and resources. Charles Boneham, Director at Boneham and Turner, said:
“When we first purchased these machines from Citizen, we knew that we wanted to work with them again. We thought they were very supportive from installation to when the machines were producing products.”
This year Boneham purchased an L220-VIIILFV sliding head mill turn lathe machine, replacing one that had been used for over 30 years. The more recent collaboration began with Citizen identifying what Boneham wanted to do and then finding a suitable machine to fit their needs. Boneham were looking for a machine that used less energy to produce smaller parts and one that could produce parts quicker and more accurately.
The L220-VIIILFV sliding head mill turn lathe seemed to be a perfect match for the firm, with LFV technology that creates a more stable and faster process, as well as being user friendly. LFV stands for Low Frequency Vibration meaning the machine can cut tiny parts without being distorted. A machine with LFV, a technology exclusively on a Citizen machine for 5 years, can run 24/7 and can chip any material. Another great advantage of having a Citizen machine is its eco-friendly energy usage where energy is stored when the machine slows down using regenerative technology.
This machine from Citizen has proved to be very effective for Boneham, since replacing their older machine they have managed to save on energy by using more efficient machinery for small parts. With a machine that is more accurate and easier to use, it is set to achieve Boneham’s return on investment in just 18 months. Edward James, Managing Director of Citizen Machinery, said:
“Our aim here at Citizen is to become a partner to manufacturing SMEs and businesses alike. Rather than employing sales managers we employ sales engineers, who can help a customer through their journey. Ensuring UK manufacturers are more efficient from shop floor space by investing in a smaller machine or being able to use less energy, creates more opportunities for them and therefore creates a more stable and greener economy.”
Boneham’s new machine was delivered in record breaking time, after long lead times were affecting the business. Thanks to the great relationship built between Citizen and Boneham, with help from Made in the Midlands, the machine was delivered within weeks of the first engagement highlighting the importance of maintaining industry relationships.