A new £3.5m state-of the-art machining facility in Tewkesbury has taken the next step in its development after installing the latest technology.

The Bowmill Group, which provides precision engineering, grinding and surface processing services to the aerospace sector, has installed a Chiron FZ12 FX Magnum Vario single spindle, 5-axis simultaneous vertical machining centre to help it supply critical landing gear components and KITS to Safran Landing Systems for the Airbus A320/A321.

Supplied by the Engineering Technology Group (ETG), the turnkey package comes with 64 off HSK tool stations and the latest measuring cycle probe system from Renishaw.

Nick Epps, managing director of Bowmill Group (pictured left), said: "The creation of the Tewkesbury facility is a resounding success.

"More than £2.5m has been spent with ETG on supplying a range of Quaser, Nakamura and Chiron technology and this has not only given us significant additional capacity for existing and future work, but also allowed us to meet the aerospace sector's exceptional demand for quality, delivery, support and commercial objectives.

"Seventeen jobs have already been created at our Tewkesbury facility and we are only operating at 40 per cent of the facility's capacity, which means there are plenty of opportunities for attracting new business."

Engineering Technology Group put together the turnkey package for the Bowmill Group, working with the planning and production teams to identify the right machine, controls and automation that matched its requirements.

Simon Higgs, regional sales manager at Engineering Technology Group (pictured right), said: "The investment in the new machining centre has given Bowmill a second world class facility to join its headquarters in Poole.

"The company is consistently achieving and exceeding quality and delivery requirements."