£ 1.8m investment at Precision Micro supports journey to net zero
EDITOR ’ S CHOICE DRIVEN BY GLOBAL DEMAND
PRECISION MICRO
£ 1.8m investment at Precision Micro supports journey to net zero
Global chemical etching supplier Precision Micro has unveiled a further expansion of its manufacturing capacity and capability with the addition of a second new etch room at its Fort Dunlop-based site in Birmingham , UK .
In an investment totalling £ 1.8 million , the etch room is home to three new highly efficient etch machines alongside a bespoke semi-automated print frame .
Believed to be an industry first , the business ’ s new print frame boasts a design that minimises human input in printing photoresists onto larger sheet metals up to 1500mm x 600mm in size , increasing throughput and delivering cost savings to its customers . Furthermore , the shift towards a more automated approach enhances component quality by eradicating the issue of foreign object debris which can impact the photochemical etching process , as well as reducing the manual handling of heavier materials .
Driven by global demand for nextgeneration energy technologies such as hydrogen production and storage , carbon capture , green energy buffering , electric and hydrogen electric vehicles , the expansion enables Precision Micro to supply larger , thicker etched sheets in higher volumes . Supplying enabling components such as printed circuit heat exchanger flow plates for waste energy recovery and hydrogen pre-coolers , busbar battery interconnects for EVs and bipolar plates for fuel cells and
This latest £ 1.8 million investment marks the next stage of our expansion , and we are excited to be able to support our customers ’ rapid growth . electrolysers used for hydrogen production , the investment will support companies looking to productionise these products and overcome capacity constraints in the existing supply chain .
Karl Hollis , Precision Micro ’ s Director of Engineering , said : “ We ’ ve worked closely with our suppliers to ensure all the new equipment is developed in line with our ESG strategy , automating many parts of our manufacturing process using less power to achieve the same consistent results . Chemical etching is often the only appropriate method for manufacturing the precision components needed for many emerging renewable technologies . This latest £ 1.8 million investment marks the next stage of our expansion , and we are excited to be able to support our customers ’ rapid growth .”
In 2019 , Precision Micro invested £ 5.1 million in plant and new equipment , a move which increased the business ’ s etching capacity by 30 % which in turn opened new opportunities within sustainable energy markets . The latest addition has increased this by a further 40 %.
Precision Micro also plans to add a fourth etch machine to its new etch room in early 2024 .
For further information , please visit www . precisionmicro . com
28 PECM Issue 64