Investment in laser energy supports Telford FSP’s ambitious growth plans

Fabweld Steel Products, based at Court Works in Telford, plans to almost double turnover in the next five years.

To help the company achieve this goal, it invested in an Accurl 15kW fiber laser to increase its production capacity and capabilities to drive growth.

The new equipment replaces the 3kW fiber laser cutting equipment that processed 95 per cent of products at the Telford plant.

Managing director Wayne Carter said: “My target is to increase sales by 75 per cent over the next five years.

“The Accurl laser is the latest investment to help us achieve this goal and follows previous work to expand our welding capabilities and nitrogen gas production. All three investments will provide us with the necessary infrastructure for the desired growth.

“After more than 10 years of hard work, we have outgrown our 3 kW fiber laser. This new machine will give us much higher cutting speeds and capabilities, which will ultimately remove a major barrier to growth and create many new opportunities for FSP.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those staff who worked extra hours to get ahead of us on the cutting schedule so that we could install and commission the new laser with as little disruption as possible.

“In the future, increased speed, capability and power will quickly put us on an upward path to realize our full potential.”

The process of decommissioning the 3kW laser, dismantling it, installing and commissioning Accurl, training staff and bringing it to full production capacity was expected to take almost three weeks and was completed at the end of October.

Wayne added: “With 95 percent of our product going through our laser, this upgrade required significant planning. Ultimately, we reached a point where we were unable to grow the business or expand our reach. Upgrading our laser will allow us to do both.”

The new laser was supplied by Milton Keynes-based Ax and Status Machinery Ltd. Managing director Steve Thomas said: “Our goal is to provide quality and reliability at a competitive price, allowing our customers to remain competitive.

“We have a long-standing relationship with FSP and are pleased to be part of their ongoing expansion plans.”

FSP is a market leader in the design and manufacture of access hatches and other fabricated steel products for the construction industry, including non-structural and structural applications.

The company is an accredited Real Living Wage employer and is committed to improving sustainability by investing in green technologies. A large solar panel system now powers the plant and the firm’s nitrogen generator, as well as a dual electric vehicle fast charger that is available for public use when the plant is closed on weekends.

For more information visit www.fsp.co.uk/.