Robot addition to Telford manufacturing team

A Telford-based manufacturer of oil mist collectors has invested in a robot as part of the company’s continuous improvement policy. 

Filtermist's investment in the robot follows sustained global growth which saw the business's sales increase by 23 per cent last year.

The robot has been installed to TIG weld the internal drums and outer cases - cylindrical steel blanks are positioned on the turntable inside the dedicated welding cell and the robot applies the weld whilst the table slowly rotates.

Each cycle lasts for upt ot three minutes which is not much quicker than human capability, but increases productivity by enabling skilled workers to undertake other jobs such as planishing and linishing.

“Robots are used to carry out a wide range of tasks in a number of manufacturing sectors, including automotive which is a key market for Filtermist," explained manufacturing manager Brian Lowe.

“The robot has been welcomed by the manufacturing team, which recognises the benefits of utilising the latest technologies to ensure Filtermist remains a market leader around the world.

"We have had reports of Filtermist units still operational after 30 years and we are all very proud to be playing a role in protecting other manufacturers from exposure to potentially harmful oil mist.”

Managing director James Stansfield said: “Filtermist oil mist collectors are currently available in more than 60 countries and we are constantly growing awareness of the Filtermist brand around the world, as well as our international distributor network. 

“This has resulted in a significant rise in sales and we have a number of plans in place to ensure we are able to meet the increasing demand for our products without compromising on quality.” 

Every Filtermist oil mist filter is manufactured in the UK by Filtermist’s highly skilled employees, some of whom have been making Filtermist units for almost 30 years, using traditional metalworking skills including spinning and welding. 

The addition of the robot is the first significant capital investment the company has made since it moved to new purpose built premises in 2015.

“As with all manufacturers, when we moved to Telford we wanted the transition to be as seamless as possible, but we’re now in a position to be able to identify areas of our operations which could be improved," said Mr Stansfield.