Daventry-based hydraulic tool manufacturer, Hi-Force, found success in investment decision with ROEMHELD Hilma vises.

The Hi-Force UK headquarters in Daventry has significantly expanded its manufacturing capacity from 15,000 sq. ft. to 47,000 sq. ft., with further plans to reach a total of 67,000 sq. ft. this year. This expansion aligns with the company's strategy to bring the majority of its subcontract work in-house, ensuring superior quality control and the highest levels of accuracy and availability. To support this initiative, Hi-Force has invested over £1.7 million in machinery since last July and maintains more than £90,000 worth of tooling on-site.

To enhance accuracy and reliability, Hi-Force acquired two ROEMHELD Hilma MC125Z hydraulic vices for their new Mori Seiki NMV 5-axis machining center, which features a five-pallet workload system. This machining center primarily manufactures components for hydraulic wrenches, including main bodies from TWS17N and TWH27N up to TWS100N and TWH120N, as well as JAS Jacks and other high-volume small components.

Paul Dutton, Workshop Manager at Hi-Force, remarked, "We were very impressed with the performance of a Hilma MC125Z vice previously fitted on another Mori Seiki machine. This vice has been working across two shifts for two and a half years and has maintained full accuracy despite both jaws moving. So ROEMHELD was an obvious choice when we were looking to fit further vices on our new machine."

Impact of Investment on Growth

This investment in increased capacity has already yielded positive results, with the company's sales rising by 7% in 2011, which was a 35% increase from the previous year. Whereas nearly all parts were subcontracted three years ago, now over 80% of the internal components of the torque tool bodies are made in-house, with over 22,000 parts processed in the machine shop in 2011. Hi-Force plans to further increase capacity by purchasing an additional three to four machines based on feasibility studies.

With on-site design capabilities, Hi-Force can swiftly respond to customer requirements for modifications to torque tool bodies or cylinder specifications and can design and manufacture custom solutions if needed. The company employs 14 skilled operators across two shifts, all trained in using the CAM system fitted to the machines. All assembly and inspection are conducted in-house to guarantee quality at every step. Producing over 1,700 products, efficient stock control is essential to Hi-Force's successful operations.

Global Reach and Training Commitment

Specializing in high-volume production, Hi-Force exports 87% of its products. Despite having authorized distributors in over 100 countries, the company maintains a streamlined network, working primarily with exclusive distributors who deeply understand the products. Hi-Force invests significantly in providing first-class technical sales and service training courses for both distributors and product users.

Diverse and High-Quality Industry Applications

Hi-Force products are utilized daily in a variety of industries, including Oil & Gas, Petrochemical & Refining, Power Generation, Steel & Aluminum Plants, Paper Mills, Sugar Refineries, Railways, Mining, Construction, Shipbuilding & Repair, Aerospace, Defense, Heavy Engineering, and numerous industrial service companies supporting these sectors.

Kevin Brown, Hi-Force Group Managing Director, said, “Hi-Force is committed to manufacturing products of the highest quality, using the best machinery available, to ensure that our products meet the most stringent quality requirements possible, whilst also retaining a competitive price in the global market for hydraulic tools. That is why we only work with quality tooling suppliers, such as ROEMHELD.”