Lynx Precast Limited, specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of precast concrete flooring systems for the UK construction industry, has invested over £110k to boost productivity and improve the precision and quality of its products.
Based at the former Rio Tinto smelter site in Ashington, Lynx Precast is the only manufacturer in the North East of England producing hollowcore slab and T beams.
The new investment has funded the installation of a fully-automated Hollowcore Plotter machine which uses a laser positioning system to accurately measure and mark bespoke design details on to every unit during the manufacturing process.
Using state-of-the-art technology, the Hollowcore Plotter connects to the company’s AutoCAD design software in order to print cut lines, apertures and other complex production details directly onto freshly cast concrete.
It is controlled by a laser positioning system which is accurate to +/-2mm over 150 m. This saves time during the fabrication process and ensures that all Lynx hollowcore units are dimensionally accurate, further enhancing the quality of the final product for customers.
Andy Teasdale, managing director of Lynx Precast, explains: “This is another smart investment for Lynx Precast which further enables us to produce high-quality, precision products and respond quickly to market and production needs.”
In recent months Lynx has made a string of investments in its Ashington Plant totalling over £400k. These include two new 110 m long hollowcore casting beds to double the company’s production capacity from 6000 m² per month to 12,000 m².
It has also expanded and refurbished its offices to accommodate a growing workforce and commissioned a new website.
The company currently employs a team of 30 people comprising draftsmen, estimators, technicians, fabricators and installers, with plans to create a further four operational roles later this year.
Lynx Precast launched in January 2014 and recorded a turnover of £6.6 million in 2016.
“We are a young, highly ambitious company, adds Andy Teasdale.
“Our focus is to continue to grow our market share in the UK construction sector by investing in plant and smart technology to boost our competitiveness, manufacturing capacity and add value to our service offering in order to meet the projected growth in new business. We pride ourselves on utilising the very latest software, manufacturing techniques and equipment to offer our customers a high-quality product manufactured in the UK.”