Match made in tooling leads to press investment at MACH 2004
A specialist supplier to F1, automotive and aerospace sectors is looking to increase its tool try-out capacity by purchasing its first Bruderer press at MACH 2024.
Alan Spargo Ltd, which celebrates 50 years in business in 2025, has invested in a BSTA 40-tonne machine to help it provide its growing list of customers with the option to test tooling solutions at high speed before they go into production.
The technology can offer up to 1000 strokes per minute at precision accuracy and will support the High Wycombe firm’s desire to increase sales past the £3m mark this year.
It builds on a long-term tooling relationship between the company and Bruderer UK, which has culminated in the development of a turnkey production line for MACH 24 this week, the country’s largest industrial show.
Specialist tooling from Alan Spargo has been developed in just six weeks to run on the Telford-based company’s BSTL 350-88 high speed press, the first time it has ever been run in the UK.
Located on Stand 6-482 at the NEC, the machine comes into its own for precision and continuity and uses up to 30% less energy when compared to older machine models.
Adrian Haller, Managing Director of Bruderer UK, commented: “Alan Spargo works with some of the most demanding customers in the world, thanks to its ability to manufacture precision components and complex tooling.
“The latest investment in a 40-tonne high speed press reinforces this position and gives it additional capacity to try-out new tools at its Buckinghamshire facility, ensuring that the client can tweak stroke speeds and have complete confidence that - when it takes receipt of the tooling - it is going to run at high speed and with absolute accuracy.”
He continued: “This is the natural next step in the relationship, as we have worked together on several projects to build bespoke tooling that can be used on a number of our presses situated in some of the best engineering houses in the UK.”
Alan Spargo is very much a family affair, with the original founder’s sons Michael and Peter now running the business, with the latter’s son Sam Spargo recently joining the business.
Together the company supplies engineering solutions for customers involved in electronics, electric vehicles, solar panels, medical, defence and construction from its Coronation Road facility in High Wycombe.
Peter Spargo, Director, picked up the story: “Our customers are continually pushing the boundaries when it comes to tool performance, and we must respond. One of the ways we can do this is by giving them access to even more tool try-out capabilities and that’s why we’ve pressed the button on our first investment in Bruderer technology.
“This complements our other presses and, importantly, gives us a press that can deliver high-speed performance, testing the tool to its maximum. We’ve already got several existing and new customers who can take advantage of this.
“The last twelve months have been very good for us, and we’ve extended the workforce to 22, with the opportunity to recruit more staff, including new apprentices.”
Bruderer’s production line at MACH will leave Birmingham at the end of the show and make its way to the company’s £multi-million facility that is currently being built at Hortonwood in Telford.
It will form part of a demonstration facility that will be able to prove out machine tools, as well as being used as a potential training ground for future apprentices.
“The BSTL 350-88 high speed press, along with servo-feeder, de-coiler and Alan Spargo tooling represents a £500,000 investment and highlights how committed we are to creating a world class facility in the heart of Shropshire,” added Adrian Haller.
He concluded: “Construction work is progressing well, and we should be open for business in October, with up to six jobs set to be created across service, engineering and finance.”
