New guillotine delights father and son team

We’re pleased to invest in a new guillotine much to the delight of our press setters over at our No 22 facility, father and son team Allan and Liam who say they love it!

Purchased from UK company Morgan Rushworth at an investment of £40K, our new hydraulic swing beam guillotine is a critical piece of kit and with its clever programming technology for precision cutting different sheet brass and stainless steel material thicknesses, and looks set to reduce metal waste and improve production efficiency even further.

Father and son press setting team Allan (right) and Liam (left)

Replacing our second hand 20-year old model at our metal pressing and showroom facility, located on the outskirts of the seaside towns of St Leonards on Sea and Hastings, the new guillotine comes with the benefit of advanced safety features and takes up less floor space than our old one.

Skilled operator, our press setter Liam started with us in 2016 at our Napier road site in the production department and over six years became proficient in all aspects of finishing, also gaining his forklift truck licence and first aid certificate. In August 2022 Liam progressed to the Engineering Department where he started on the two-year press setters training program and is on course to manage day to day business operations this year.

Liam says: “I started at 20 and heard about the job by recommendation. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and it’s my second job. I’ve met really nice people - it’s been a good experience so far. I love the work and the way Focus SB looks after its employees. It’s a family-centric company, plus you get a chance to be put on courses and feel valued for your work.”

Liam’s father Allan joined us five years ago following a varied career path including working in the scrap industry, on roads, in baking and fencing. Allan’s career with us also began in the finishing department until the opportunity arose to train as a press setter and work alongside his son.

Allan, who is extremely impressed with the new guillotine and is on the path to completing his press setter training, first aid and fork lift driver training says: “It’s been the only job where I love going to work each day - and where the boss knows everybody’s name!”