Unison to Open New Plant in Virginia
The tube bending machine manufacturer from the UK is opening a $5.2 million advanced manufacturing facility in Danville.
Posted: September 21, 2017
Unison Ltd (Scarborough, England) a pioneering tube bending systems provider, is increasing their manufacturing capacity by opening a new factory in Danville, VA. This will be their second manufacturing facility, firmly establishing their committed production capabilities in the U.S. The new factory is intended to support the activities of the plant in North Yorkshire that has witnessed considerable manufacturing growth that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recently announced that the company will invest $5.2 million to establish their first U.S. manufacturing operation in the Cane Creek Centre Industrial Park, jointly owned by the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County. “We are incredibly excited about the benefits this facility will give our existing and future customers,” said Julian Kidger, a joint managing director of the company. “Our plan includes the creation of 35 new jobs in the next three years. It will be fantastic to genuinely be able to label our machines as ‘Made in America.’ Supporting our customers’ needs is hugely important to us. Many of our initial hires for the U.S. will be dedicated to service and support ensuring a rapid and professional response for all customers.”
Unison invented the all-electric tube bending machine and then enhanced that technology with unique complimentary products and after-market services. “With this U.S. venture, we intend to lead tube bending solutions’ innovation,” added Kidger. “None of this would have been possible without the fantastic support from the state of Virginia, the City of Danville, and Pittsylvania County. The Governor and his team have been instrumental in what is a major step forward for us and we are thrilled to be working with them. We can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to all the Virginians who have helped bring us to this day.”
“We are thrilled to be announcing this expansion with a community that understands our vision of education and industry working in partnership,” noted Alan Pickering, another joint managing director. “A huge part of our decision was: where are we going to recruit the highly technical people we need for our current automation requirements, prepare for Industry 4.0 and have a clear succession plan for the business? We were blown away by the vision of individuals, the wider community and the fact it wasn’t just talk. The investment in the Danville Technical Education community is a true inspiration and will pay huge dividends to the community in the years to come. With such solid foundations, we feel secure in our own future and look forward to the next phase of our evolution.”
Over the last three years, Unison has been investing heavily in research and development in robotics, lasers and software, and during 2018 they plan to bring several new products to the U.S. market, which they believe will add tremendous value to their customer base. “By combining our new strategic location within easy reach of our current customers, our increased focus on service and support and our UK technical center expertise creates the perfect moment to introduce our high tech solutions to the U.S. market,” explained Pickering. “Add to that our new U.S.-based Tube Bending Training School and the sky is the limit for our customers to advance their capabilities.”
Subscribe to learn the latest in manufacturing.
