Machinery investment at Mackenzie Glass

Mackenzie Glass has installed a new cutting line at its base in Bristol, which will enhance the glass merchanting business’s storage options, improve cutting times, and future-proof the business for the next decade.

The complex installation required multiple engineers collaborating over a two-week project over Easter, but such an investment is vital as demand for specialist glass products continues to grow, according to joint managing director, Matt Prowse.

“The new six-figure investment in the Bottero cutting line, which processes float glass from 3mm through to 19mm, assists us with reducing lead times on our vast and ever-growing stock offering to our customer base with improved accuracy and improved reliability,” he said.

The Bottero cutting line includes: a 630CBM-R automatic loading machine; a 343BCS-R automatic float glass cutting table; and a 103BBM-R air floatation breakout table.

“Price increases aside, glass supply still remains volatile for many glass companies throughout the UK,” Matt said. “Glass merchants, glass processing companies and IGU manufacturers continue to share supply frustrations and reach out to Mackenzie. We are all too happy to assist and enjoy building worthwhile trading relationships in a challenging, turbulent marketplace. Allocations remain tight but due to the long-lasting relationships we have with our key suppliers we can confidently support new and existing customer requirements.

“And the Bottero cutting line is just one example where Mackenzie Glass seeks to improve product quality and speed of service.”

To prepare for the installation, Mackenzie Glass co-ordinated with customers to cut a month’s supply

of glass in 10 days, before the group’s inhouse engineers dismantled and removed the old cutting table, which had been in use for 20 years.

Bottero’s engineers then installed the new line, which is expected to handle 90% of Mackenzie glass’s orders. A separate laminate line was installed last year.

Other recent investment includes a second fire-glass saw, to be installed in October, which reflects the growing demand for cut-to-size fire glass for specific projects, and a new beveller and flat bed washer.

“The state-of-the-art Putsch Meniconi vertical saw allows us to process glass (2.7m x 5.1m) up to 70mm thick in fire-resistant, and multilayer laminates,” Matt said. “It cuts three ways – vertical, horizontal, and vertical bevel cut – without having to invest heavily in extra stock and specialist machinery.”