Grimsby-based Burton’s Engineering Services has launched a laser cutting service following its investment in a Lincoln Electric Linc-Cut 2040A fibre laser system.
The 12kW machine, supplied by Kerf Developments of Rochdale, represents a bold diversification for a company that has built its reputation on site services, breakdowns, repairs, and factory maintenance for the food and waste industries.
Burton’s Engineering Services has also invested in a CNC press brake to complement the laser.
Thomas Burton founded the company during the first COVID lockdown in 2020—a decision that many considered risky. "We had no option. My employer was laying off and said there was no work out there. But I knew there was. The gamble paid off, and after starting, we grew rapidly and we eventually took my previous employer's work too," he said.
Starting with supplying engineering site services, Burton’s Engineering Services grew rapidly. The company specialises in repair, maintenance and overhaul of equipment such as production lines, radial stackers, shredders, and optical sorters, providing both labour and engineering expertise for time-critical maintenance and overhauls – including a lot of project work and short shutdown work.
But he realised that markets can move quickly and recognises the need for diversification. "We needed something else to fall back on, and when a brief quiet period materialised, we invested in laser cutting capability.”
His business model is based on service and turnaround, targeting 24 to 48-hour delivery times for local engineering companies and project-based work, particularly serving the numerous food processing and pharmaceutical plants in the region.
The Linc-Cut 2040A features a 2m by 4m cutting bed and a 12kW laser which gives Burton the capacity to cut a wide range of materials to fit the requirements of all areas of the market.
"We've cut everything from 0.5 to 25mm stainless, and 1 to 40mm mild steel with cutting speeds up to 45m/min depending upon material thickness, said Burton.
The shuttle table on the Linc-Cut 2040A boosts productivity feature as parts can be unloaded and sheet loaded while the machine is cutting, which allows continuous operation and maximises productivity.
Burton added: "It runs all day, but on one recent project involving 276 sheets of 3mm stainless steel, we were cutting day and night - running 24 hours a day until project completion."
“When customer production lines are down, the hourly cost can be significant. One food plant recently reported that downtime for a production line creates losses of £7,000 per hour, so having the Lincoln machine to support our customers in getting production up and running urgently is imperative.”