FACE TO FACE
LVD ’ s Strippit PX punch press with load / unload and tower automation .
ART TO PART
Matt Fowles , LVD ’ s group marketing director , discussed its latest new product and technology updates and ‘ art to part ’ material flow improvements with ISMR .
“ Despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic , LVD introduced some of its most high-technology sheet metalworking machinery to date .”
Named as one of Belgium ’ s ‘ Best Managed Companies ’ for the fourth consecutive year by Deloitte , winning the programme ’ s Gold label , LVD Company nv is a global solutions provider for sheet metalworking fabrication and serves twelve core industries . It is a leading manufacturer of sheet metal / plate working equipment including laser cutting systems ; punch presses ; press brakes ; guillotine shears and mid-level automation systems , integrated to and supported by its CADMAN ® software suite .
The LVD Group is represented in 47 countries , with 19 subsidiaries and multiple manufacturing facilities across Europe and the U . S . Its main factory and headquarters is at Gullegem , Belgium , with a central European factory in Slovakia and automation factory in Italy ( formerly COMPAC ), as well as a factory in the U . S . and factories in China ( Hubei province ) for its two Chinese Joint Ventures .
Despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic , the company introduced some of its most high-technology sheet metalworking machinery to date , including an auto tool-changing robotised bending cell . Matt Fowles , LVD ’ s group marketing director , discussed its latest new product and technology updates and ‘ art to part ’ material flow improvements with ISMR .
ISMR : Please highlight any notable successes and achievements over the past two / three years .
MF : As a family-owned business , we are very dynamic and adapted quickly to the changing COVID-19 situation . Business has been very good for us over the past two-three years , and we have seen good growth levels . It has been particularly good this year and we have seen some record months . LVD has achieved strong year-on-year growth , despite the COVID-19 pandemic . Users still need to invest in technology and manufacturing remained very resilient .
With COVID-19 restrictions on air travel , we have seen more home construction projects , along with more purchases of consumer goods etc ., which has pumped more money into local economies , with economic stimuli in some countries for capital investment . Manufacturing , in general , has benefited from that . Sheet metal job shops in western Europe , particularly , are benefiting and are very busy trying to maintain lead times . Material supply and rising steel prices are issues right now .
We will continue developing our automation strategy to meet market demand
26 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR October 2021