Southland’s engineering and manufacturing industry could soon see reduced effects of the labour shortage and significant productivity gains, the direct result of a new CNC laser cutter investment from Southland firm MPE Limited, the first of its kind south of Christchurch.
MPE Managing Director, Chris Hughes, said offering this technological capability is expected to be highly sought after given the current pressures on labour and the continued focus on increased productivity currently experienced by Southland and Otago manufacturing industries.
“We’re helping our customers where we can by taking the manual work out of specific jobs that can sometimes take weeks to complete. The automated function of the laser saves time and money, leaving the staff to utilise their time and skills more efficiently to add real value elsewhere in our clients’ businesses,” he said.
As a board member of the Southland Chamber of Commerce, Chris is constantly looking for innovative ways to attract and recruit new people to Southland.
Not only is this new machinery the single largest investment MPE has seen in decades, it is also an investment for the general industry in Southland and Otago, offering customers a new intelligent automated option for their steel processing and engineering needs.
The design software converts 3D files into a code format for the machine and then the computer’s numerical control process automates repetitive manual tasks with high precision and efficiency, saving time and resources.
It specialises in cutting through a range of different profile sections in various steel, stainless steel aluminium, brass and other material types.
This new machine compliments MPE’s existing business perfectly where they already use the latest in CNC equipment in conjunction with traditional lathes, mills and other engineering equipment. The company are the best equipped dedicated precision engineering workshop in Southland, servicing a multitude of engineering industries and manufacturers.
This is a significant win for the region to have continued investment for the future that benefits not only MPE, but also many other businesses that can take advantage of the technology and savings it offers.
