Our Recent Editorial

When it comes to quality, very few sheet metal subcontract manufacturing companies can reach the benchmark set by Dudley-based Midtherm Laser Ltd. The Black Country manufacturer supplies laser-cut and bent components for a wide range of industry sectors. Keep reading to hear about how we have continued to Invest in People & Machinery.

Sparking Change with New Investments

Ray Andrews established Midtherm in 1968. One of the factories occasionally used a laser cutting machine, but in 2000, the company decided to put it to better use by launching a dedicated laser business. This was the foundation block of Midtherm Laser Ltd.

To meet the exacting quality demands of the market segments it serves, Midtherm Laser has invested £1.2m in Bystronic CNC laser fiber cutting technology and forming machines. The company invested in a Bystronic Bystar 12kW fiber laser with automated sheet feeding which has provided round-the-clock production.

The 12kW Bystar Fiber is a class-leading machine that can cut from 0.5 to 30mm in mild steel, aluminium and a host of other materials. It gives more capacity to target new opportunities and, importantly, means three-quarters of the lasers are now fiber technology. With this in mind, and considering the investments in LED lighting, sensor switches, and electric vehicles, it’s clear how the company has halved its energy usage since 2018.

To read more about this saving and how we reached our 5 year target, please click below

Streamlining Production Capacity

The team added an 80T press brake to form smaller parts, such as brackets, in high volumes. This leaves the 250T press for larger and thicker components.

Linda Whitehouse, who has been with Midtherm Laser for more than 20 years, recalls:

“I’ve been with the company since December 2000. We started with five staff and one laser machine. We are now at four lasers and three press brakes with over 40 staff.”

Sue Fenn from Midtherm Laser Ltd says:

“I work in business development, I look after new and existing customers.” Looking at the process flow at Midtherm Laser, Sue adds: “Sales and production departments will take customer drawings or concepts and develop them into a product. We can then deliver products UK-wide on our lorries or with local couriers in a very competitive lead time.”

Discussing the process flow in more detail, Rhys Owen from Midtherm Laser adds:

“We load up the customer drawings to the specifications, and we copy what they’ve given us, making sure the tolerances, dimensions and thickness are correct. We then nest our sheets efficiently, making sure that everything works correctly in the office whilst also supporting the requirements downstairs on the production floor.”

Commitment Recognised Through Accreditation

The relentless investment in technology and customer service has not gone unrecognised, with the West Midlands manufacturer being ISO: 9001, ISO: 14001, ISO: 45001 and EN 1090-1 accredited.

A key aspect of the companies success is investing in the people as well as the machinery. On the production floor, Sean Williams says:

“I joined the company six years ago as an apprentice and I have worked my way up to become a trainee supervisor. Currently, we are running two shifts and we also have an automated tower system that can run 24/7, unmanned.”

Mark Hannon, Director of Midtherm Laser says:

“The key to our success is continuing to Invest in People and Machinery. “