Bedford-based Midas Pattern Company began 2021 in style, becoming one of only a handful of companies in the region to take delivery of the enormous HAAS CNC machining centre.
Weighing in at an impressive 15,150 KG and occupying over 7.2m by 2.2m of factory floor space, this beast of a machine is one of the largest computer controlled milling machines manufactured by HAAS.
In order to secure safe passage of the machine into its new location, the team at Midas spent many hours planning the logistics which ultimately included moving four large shipping containers, numerous skips and existing machinery.
To manoeuvre the 15 tonne machine into its final destination, a huge crane carefully lifted and swung it in to place.
HAAS, the US based Automation Company famed for setting up a new Formula One racing team back in 2016, secured the deal with Midas’ MD, Alan Rance, back in April 2020.
“This latest investment will add valuable capacity to our company, helping us react faster and push boundaries on scale and complexity within our niche manufacturing process,” said Alan.
“We feel proud to be one of only a handful of companies in the South of England able to invest in such an enormous machine, especially in current times.”
Midas are best known for producing very large polyurethane enclosures and housings (up to 3m in size) for the scientific and medical sectors.
Trading in Bedford for over 30 years, and providing employment to 75 staff, the company continued to operate throughout the pandemic to support its customer base.
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Classed as a critical supplier, the award-winning Midas joined many other UK manufacturing companies in keeping production running to protect the NHS and support the production of ventilators, laboratory test equipment, and instruments developing the long awaited Covid-19 (coronavirus) vaccine.
Although the company ships mouldings as far away as the US, Singapore and China, most of its customers are based in the Oxford and Cambridge innovation arc.
With the capability of machining parts as large as 3m by 1m by 0.7m, this new machinery will make short work of any new projects received and help the company to continue to expand and take on even bigger challenges.