An investment in two, new DN Solutions’ multi-tasking lathes from Mills CNC helps leading precision subcontract specialist, Nortim Precision Engineering, consolidate and strengthen its supply chain position with existing customers and secure new machining contracts with new customers.
Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied leading precision subcontract specialist, Nortim Precision Engineering Ltd., with two new Fanuc-controlled DN Solutions’ multi-tasking turning centres.
The machines, a 12” chuck Puma 3100LSY and an 8” chuck Lynx 2100LSYB, both equipped with sub-spindle, Y-axis and driven tooling capabilities, were installed at the company’s 7,000sq. ft. machine shop facility in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, in April and July 2025 respectively.
The two recent acquisitions have increased and strengthened Nortim Precision Engineering’s in-house machining capacity and capabilities, helping the company consolidate its supply chain position with existing customers and secure new machining contracts with new customers.
The two machine tool investment provides evidence of Nortim Precision Engineering’s continuous improvement programme in action, and underscores the company’s commitment to reduce lead times and deliver ‘right first time, every time’, high-quality machined components to its customers.
Since being installed, the two new multi-tasking lathes have been put through their paces machining a range of high-precision, complex components for a growing number of domestic and international customers in the oil and gas, medical, pharmaceutical, food and drink processing, automotive, materials handling and electronics sectors.
Parts processed by Nortim Precision Engineering, which can also include prototypes, are characterised by their tight tolerances and super-fine surface finishes, and are typically machined in small-to-medium batch sizes from stainless steels, Duplex, carbon steel, aluminium alloys, Inconels and engineering plastics (i.e., PEEK, Acetyl etc.).
Part cycle times vary. For complex components with intricate features and made from difficult-to-machine materials, it is not uncommon for part cycle times to exceed 3 – 4 hours.
As well as machining and supplying batched components, Nortim Precision Engineering can, and does, provide customers with full and/or sub-assemblies too.
Nortim Precision Engineering – overview
Established in 1971, and currently employing 15 members of staff, Nortim Precision Engineering is a small, progressive family-owned business that regularly invests in new, advanced machine tools and ancillary technologies to increase its productivity, improve its process efficiencies and maintain its competitive edge.
The company’s ethos and a shared, company-wide business approach based on integrity, trust and transparency, separates Nortim Precision Engineering Precision from many of its competitors, and has helped the company build a positive reputation with its customers and across the markets and industries it serves.
“Our word is our bond. We do what we say. Deliver on our promises. And ‘go the extra mile’ for our customers.”
Tony Powell, Managing Director at Nortim Precision Engineering
Relationship with Mills CNC
Nortim Precision Engineering is no stranger to Mills CNC and, since 2004, has invested in a number of Daewoo, Doosan and, most recently, DN Solutions’ CNC lathes and machining centres from the Leamington-based supplier.
“We have built strong relationships with Mills CNC over the years and, in addition to liking the high-performance machine tools the company sells and supports, also value the range of after-sales services (i.e., machine tool delivery and installation, machine tool finance, CNC training etc.), that Mills provides.
“Mills always seem to have the right specification machines we’re looking for, and can often deliver and install them, from stock, in double-quick time.”
Jon Kemper, Manufacturing Director at Nortim Precision Engineering
New machine tool investment – Puma 3100LSY rationale
At the start of the year, Nortim Precision Engineering was facing a dilemma, and it concerned the company’s machining capacity and capabilities.
An existing specialist bathing and care equipment customer approached Nortim Precision Engineering to ask if it could take on extra and regular work machining highly-accurate tubular/cylindrical component parts for its range of height adjustable baths.
As the length of tube required to be machined was beyond the capacity of the company’s existing CNC lathe, Nortim Precision Engineering approached a number of machine tool suppliers to discuss its processing requirements in more detail. One of the companies approached was Mills CNC.
“Coincidentally, we had recently visited Mills’ facility to check out the capacity and capabilities of a new DN Solutions’ Puma 3100LSY multi-tasking lathe, and investigate its suitability to machine a range of parts for a completely different customer.
“We liked what we saw, and could see that the 12” chuck/102mm bar capacity Puma 3100LSY with its 1285mm maximum turning length and 420mm maximum turning diameter would be the ideal machine to handle both projects.”
Lee Marner, Director at Nortim Precision Engineering
Rather than opt for a 2-axis version of the Puma 3100L series, the company, importantly, decided on the sub-spindle, Y-axis and driven tooling variant.
“The multi-tasking, mill-turn capabilities of the Puma 3100LSY were a key selling point.”
Jon Kemper, Manufacturing Director at Nortim Precision Engineering.
Having access to a long-bed, high-precision lathe with a 10” chuck sub-spindle (4,000rpm) and full mill/drill capabilities (5,000rpm) would enable Nortim Precision Engineering to machine large and smaller complex parts in one set up rather than a) having to stop the machine and re-orient the part to complete back-end turning operations, and b) transferring parts over to the company’s machining centres for milling operations.
“The productivity gains we could achieve from embracing ‘one-hit’ machining, eliminating stop-start production, and taking pressure off our existing milling resource, were also vitally important in our decision making process.”
Lee Marner, Director at Nortim Precision Engineering
Once the price was agreed, Nortim Precision Engineering ordered the new Puma 3100LSY from Mills CNC and eagerly awaited its delivery. They didn’t have long to wait.
New machine tool investment – Lynx 2100LSY rationale
With the Puma 3100LSY being installed a month after placing the order, it didn’t take that long for the machine’s capacity to be effectively ‘tied-up.’
But with new machining contracts coming in ‘thick and fast’, and with Nortim Precision Engineering reaping the productivity benefits from investing in its first multi-tasking lathe, the company decided to invest in a compact multi-axis lathe to handle a majority of its smaller part processing requirements.
“Again we went with Mills CNC and invested in a DN Solutions’ Lynx 2100LSY lathe – an 8” chuck/65mm bar capacity compact lathe with a sub-spindle (6,000rpm), a Y-axis and driven tools (6,000rpm).
“The machine was installed in July 2025, and is already having an impact.”
Tony Powell, Managing Director at Nortim Precision Engineering
Summary
Nortim Precision Engineering is a successful and progressive SME that has a growing and loyal customer base.
By regularly investing in advanced machine tools from Mills CNC, the company is constantly improving its machining capacity and capabilities to meet the needs and expectations of its new and existing customers.
The recent investments made in two multi-tasking lathes provide further evidence that Nortim Precision Engineering is a company that does not rest on its laurels and always has, at least, one eye on the future.