Pailton Engineering continues with investment programme

Coventry-based steering system manufacturer, Pailton Engineering, has made its biggest investment in the last three years, with its purchase of the flagship Star GB sliding head lathe. This machine provides a solution for mill-turn parts and is packed with functionality, to ensure Pailton Engineering can keep up with the increased demand for bespoke steering systems.

This latest investment adds to the two other Star machines currently on the factory floor at Pailton Engineering’s facility. Three 10 station turrets allow up to 70 tools to be loaded to the machine at one time, providing greater productivity.

The new machine is part of a larger investment to transform Pailton Engineering’s factory floor. Two other recent capital investments include a high-spec Mazak machine and a SOHMAX drilling and tapping machine. The company has reinvested over £700,000 into the business every year for the past two years, and the latest investment is part of a larger business transformation.

Pailton has reinvested over £700,000 into the business each year for the past two years / Picture: Pailton Engineering

Cy Wilkinson, managing director of Pailton said, “We’ve always invested in equipment that will give us extra capacity and increased engineering flexibility. The purchase of the Star ST-38 was the next natural step for us as it now gives us up to 38mm diameter bar capacity. Capable of multi-axis milling and balanced turning, this is one of the most powerful and capable machines on our factory floor.

“This one machine does the job of multiple machines on the factory floor, saving time and floor space. There are numerous tools and tool holders available, which allows us to work in new ways and increase skills across the workforce. The machine can carry out back angled milling, back angled inner threading and simultaneous cross drilling, which will have a huge effect on product development.”

Together, these new machinery investments bolster Pailton Engineering’s product development to ensure bus & coach, military, and commercial vehicles are equipped with made to measure steering systems, designed for extreme applications.