» APEER HAS INVESTED £ 285,000 in machinery in the last 12 months , with even more planned for 2021 . Among the new additions to its Ballymena facility in Northern Ireland is a waterjet cutter with a 3m by 2m bed , which became the company ’ s first foray into this type of technology when it was purchased in June . It has not only sped up the processing time for cutting laminated glass , it also means Apeer now has the capability to cut all types of glass , as well as other materials , into any shape – opening up possibilities for new and innovative design features for future products .

A new Butyl extruder and hot glass press , along with a new large glass washer installed in November , will help Apeer service growing demand for its popular Lumi range . Production of the frameless windows continues to increase , due to growing demand in the replacement market as well as new builds . With its integrated inspection and tilt table , the new glass washer can wash glass up to 3m by 2.5m in size , ensuring high quality results on the largest of units .

Two additional jib cranes with vacuum lifters were introduced on site as part of Apeer ’ s commitment

to protecting the health and safety of its employees in day-to-day operations while also improving production workflow . And a second SCM Accord 25FX 5-axis CNC Router will be installed in February , joining the first which was commissioned in January 2018 , as part of an on-going machinery replacement and upgrade programme . This will give Apeer even greater capacity for machining composite doors , as well as full five-axis machining capability for potential new projects .

“ Our investment programme over the past year has been

an important part of our commitment to ensuring Apeer can push further with product development , enhance the quality and range we offer , and increase production capacity where it is needed as well as overall efficiency in our factory ,” said Asa McGillian , Apeer ’ s managing director . “ We have plans to invest a further £ 100k in the new year to install a second seamless welder , as well as upgrade spray booths and add a large overhead crane to better handle the more sizable glass and Lumi units .”

www . apeer . co . uk