Northamptonshire-based engineering firm R&G Precision has made a major investment in new machinery from Yamazaki Mazak to improve its turning operations. The company, which started in 1974 supplying parts to Northampton’s shoe industry, now produces complex components for industries such as motorsport, aerospace, oil and gas, and general subcontracting.
The decision to upgrade came after Vincenzo Chiarelli took over as managing director in early 2024, following the retirement of his father-in-law. He quickly identified that the company’s older lathes were slowing down productivity due to long set-up times.
“I decided to close the turning section and rebuild it from the ground up,” said Mr Chiarelli. “We sold off the old machines and asked ourselves, ‘What’s the next step?’ That’s when Mazak came into the picture. Two of our team members had experience with their machines and said they were the best, so we went for it.”
So far, R&G Precision has installed two Mazak turning centres — the QT-200MSY and the QT-250MSY. These machines have already delivered noticeable improvements in output.
Rapid Productivity Gains
“At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Mr Chiarelli said. “But after installing the first Mazak machine, we were able to get jobs running in just three hours. That’s more than twice as fast as before. I was sold immediately. We ordered a second machine, and it brought the same results.”
Now, R&G Precision has placed an order for a third Mazak machine — another QT-250MSY — to continue its investment in high-performance equipment.
“Given how fast and easy the first two machines are to use, buying a third was an easy decision,” Mr Chiarelli added. “Mazak has impressed us not only with the technology but also with the technical support. We’re proud to make them our go-to supplier for turning.”
Jason Butler, sales director at Yamazaki Mazak UK & Ireland, welcomed the partnership.
“R&G Precision shows how powerful our CNC turning centres can be when paired with strong service support,” he said. “They’ve been in business for decades and know how important it is to keep evolving. We’re excited to continue working with Vincenzo and the team as they grow the company further.”
