Hundreds of manufacturers attended a one-day open house at Haas Factory Outlet, a division of Sirco Machinery Co. Ltd., in Toronto on May 28.
The annual open house gives manufacturers an opportunity to see multiple machine tools under power, including a chance to speak with a number of suppliers of tooling and workholding, software and metalworking fluids.
For Bob McKersie, NC programmer, and colleague Daryl Howe, the event was a chance to see machines in action, including the SL30, a machine they’re considering purchasing for the Guelph, ON, machine shop.
“We’ve purchased Haas machines before and have three of them now and we’re looking at the SL30 because it’s the right diameter size and also the right price, which is key for us. These machines have come a long way in being more reliable and more rigid, the quality is better too,” says McKersie.
Shop Metalworking Technology caught up with Jimmie and John Thiessen, of Creative Enterprise, Ayr, ON, who were examining the VF4 vertical machining centre.
“We have an older model of the VF and for what we do, mainly drill holes with it, it works. A newer version of the machine would work well for us,” says John, who manages the 60,000 sq ft manufacturing operation.
The one-day event typically attracts 200 to 300 manufacturers, says Dan Ferko, president of Sirco Machinery. One of the highlights at this year’s event was the UMC 750 universal five axis machine.
“We introduced this machine at CMTS in October and also had it at the Montreal show. People like the machine because it’s a univseral table type that can be used in a 3+2 or full simultaneous five axis machining mode, and they also like it because of the price range, which is $180,000.”
He adds that when Haas launched the new machine, the plan was to build five to six a month, “but we got 160 orders in the first month and a half of the launch and deliveries went to 32 weeks. In fact, we sold our first UMC on a 30-plus week lead time but people were willing to wait for the machine because of the price and value at that price.”
The machine has been sold to numerous manufacturers, including BC Instruments, Schomberg, ON, and A-Line, Toronto. Ferko says the owner of A-Line, Rob Muru, who purchased the machine on an extended lead time, “just told me he’s going to buy another one.”
As part of the event, the machine tool distributor held a draw for prizes. Peter von Richter, Tec Tooling, won the grand prize of a 70 in. Sony TV, and Fred Fulkerson, Conestoga College, won second prize, a 50 in. Sony TV. Third prize was a Sonos speaker system, which Bruce Kay, Cascade Canada won, and fourth prize was a Kobo reader, which Bronco Seljan of Seljan Tool won. There was an also an educational prize, an iPad, which Clint Lawrence from St. Lawrence College-Kingston won.
