Groundwork begins for one of the most powerful forging presses
We have recently invested in one of the largest forging presses in the UK. Our new, 40-tonne counter-blow hammer press, our largest single investment in decades, will have the equivalent power of a 20,000-tonne hydraulic press, enabling us to produce forgings of up to 250kg depending on the material.
This powerful Beche press, called the DG40, will be able to forge components up to 1.80m x 0.65m and will further enhance our extensive forging capabilities. We currently have over sixty forging units of up to 12,000 tonnes and our highly-skilled teams work with a diverse range of materials including aluminium, titanium, steel alloys and more.
Gordon Fraser, CEO, said: “There’s always a great sense of anticipation at Mettis every time new technology arrives on site. Recently, we’ve invested heavily in our state-of-the art machining division and laboratory, in particular, and now it’s great to be taking delivery of the first new press in over thirty years as part of our significant growth plans.”
Groundwork is already underway at our integrated facilities in Redditch ready for the arrival of the DG40. It’s an intricate operation as the press weighs the equivalent of over 200 cars and therefore has required us to invest significantly in the foundations and facilities which will support it too.
We’re proud of how our team has come together to make it happen and are looking forward to using this impressive technology to deliver even more for our customers from this summer.