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Here's how Finley Structures is making their efficiency stronger
It doesn't necessarily mean the bigger you get, the better you become
Finley Structures, a United Kingdom company based in County Durham, has recently undergone commissioning and training for their new Voortman automated machine line. The company has invested in the latest technology and equipment to ensure that their production process is as efficient as possible.
In a recent statement, Julie Raistrick, Managing Director of Finley Structures, announced the company's plans for increased efficiency. Julie states: "It doesn't necessarily mean the bigger you get, the better you become. But the main aim is to be more efficient, more profitable."
In order to achieve this, the company has invested in new machinery from Voortman. Julie explains how she came to collaborate with Voortman: "the relationship began with Voortman in 2018 when we purchased the V320 plate processing machine. From then we realized the level of service from Voortman was outstanding. Our previous system had three separate machine manufacturers so we could clearly see that Voortman was the right and only choice for any future investment."
The company operates on a 83,000 square-foot property, producing 12.500 tons per year.
The Voortman Bandsaw with gripper measuring infeed, combined with fully automated short product removal.
Employees at Finley Structures are excited about the new equipment and are looking forward to seeing it in full operation after training.
Getting the key elements to fit in the available space
The new machinery includes a unique U-shaped system that was specifically designed to fit within the available space at the company's facility.
"The decision for the U-shaped system, which is unique to Voortman, was to enable us to have the key elements that we required, and also because of the existing space that was available. When we had a look at other systems that were available, they couldn't make it work within the area that we had. So Voortman again came up with the best solution," reveals Julie.
The system is fully automated, with a built-in infeed and buffer system for multiple outfeed zones. Raw profiles are cleaned using the Voortman Shot blaster, then processed with the three-axis Voortman V631, which can also handle milling to reduce the workload on the V807 robotic coping machine. The profiles are cut to length with the Voortman Bandsaw, including the removal of short pieces, and finally, the profiles are finished with the all-in-one Voortman V807.
An excellent comparison
The employees at Finley Structures are excited about the new equipment and are looking forward to seeing it in full operation. Some of the production is already moving across the line, where operators simultaneously attend training from Voortman. The training provides employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate the new machinery safely and effectively, allowing them to produce high-quality products with minimal downtime. This investment demonstrates Finley Structures' commitment to staying competitive in the market and providing their customers with the best possible products and services in the current time.
Finley is eager to see its impact on production and projects, such as the finishing of a commission for Hitachi ABB's Dogger Bank wind farm. Julie says: "We've done two sheds. The third one's going through in March and that will give us an excellent comparison of where we were against where we will be."