Add greater polish and more bending versatility for profitable steel processing.
For more than six decades, First Cut has been a leading distributor and manufacturer of cutting consumables as well as representing world-class OEMs in the field of steel processing equipment.
Throughout this growth trajectory, the foundation of the company’s growth has been its dedication to enhancing the productivity of its customers – which has been achieved by unfailingly providing them with the world’s most advanced technology solutions.
First Cut’s capital equipment division is responsible for and represents a range of international OEMs which offer customers a combined and complementary range of fibre and tube laser solutions.
Recently, First Cut was proud to add two new OEM agencies to its capital equipment portfolio.
“These two new agencies, representing the Italian companies Garboli and Comac, will do much to augment the strength of our combined offering from existing principals such as BLM, Timesavers, Voortman, Everising and CMM,” explains First Cut’s General Manager: Machine Division, Anthony Lezar.
Asked about the nature of Garboli and how it would fit with other companies in the capital equipment division, Lezar explains that this company manufactures machines used for deburring, satining, grinding, polishing and buffing of most metals.
“Garboli machines are able to process round-section tube, which is quite a large focus of their portfolio, and is complementary to the BLM machines that we offer,” Lezar adds.
Importantly, while Garboli machines can polish straight tube, they can also just as effectively polish tube which has been bent into various configurations.
When tubes have been bent, there are sometimes scratches and marks remaining behind which have to be removed.
“In architectural applications, for example, such blemishes are not acceptable and, with Garboli equipment, it is possible to first grind marks down; and then to buff the bent pipe to a mirror finish,” he elaborates.
BLM also markets tube lasers, which are able to excise complex shapes in round or square tubing. While BLM lasers give a very clean cut, there is invariably an acute edge remaining and some minor burring, which need to be removed before further processing can take place.
“Manufacturers today prefer to receive their primary components from the fibre laser with slightly rounded edges – making subsequent processing easier,” Lezar points out.
Even if pipes are cut with the conventional steel saw, Garboli equipment will drastically reduce the amount of time needed to achieve an immaculate finish.
The second addition to First Cut’s portfolio of international OEM capital equipment product – Comac – specialises in tube- and section-profiling bending machines.
“These remarkably versatile machines are capable of rolling round and square tube, flat angle-iron, U-channel, I-beams and H-beams to achieve the desired shape. There machines use three rollers, and by adjusting these, the required amount of bending can be achieved.
“It is possible to make large radius arcs or even spirals which could be used in the manufacture of staircases for example. And by adding an extra fourth roller, it is possible to produce shapes which incorporate both spirals and bending. Metal formed in this way of is often used in heat exchangers, for example,” he explains.
Once again, this is a good fit with the other solutions from First Cut’s capital equipment division. “BLM produces some remarkably advanced steel processing equipment, and being able to offer both Garboli and Comac equipment does much to complement the BLM offering,” says Lezar.
“While Comac is able to offer tube bending, its ability to bend beams of various types, allows us to also appeal to the structural steel sector. This is a factor which strategically complements our principal Voortman, which specialises in producing various types of beam manufacturing equipment,” he points out.
Equipment from the BLM group has proven to be very popular with South African steel manufacturers and fabricators, a factor which has been evidenced by some notable recent sales of BLM equipment to South African customers.
“We have for example imported a BLM LT 8.1 fibre laser, which arrived in South Africa this January, for a heavy automotive manufacturer – who has also ordered a BLM E-Turn 40 tube bender,” Lezar continues.
During 2017, First Cut supplied two BLM Elect 80 tube benders to an automotive parts manufacturer in Port Elizabeth. And then – in a new departure for First Cut – it supplied an E-Turn 32 tube bender a manufacturer of bicycle frames, he explains.
“We are pleased and proud to be able to add the complementary solutions provided by Garboli and Comac to our capital equipment division,” asserts Lezar.
“With the additional world-leading solutions from these two distinguished OEMs, we will be able to offer our customers even greater levels of productivity; and, ultimately, enhanced profitability,” he concludes.
