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business closed. Then a friend offered me a job in Devon so, at a loose end, I headed southwest keen on the idea of living in Torquay as a 22-year-old.” The move proved a useful stop-gap while Nigel considered his options, a thought process that led him to start his own business, initially focusing on the rebuild and refurbishment of Bridgeport turret mills. Originally called XYZ Systems and Service, the company started out in a 500ft² unit in Newton Abbot. The venture proved fruitful, with XYZ soon diversifying into importing new machines. XYZ’s first two King Rich machines arrived from Taiwan in 1986. “I couldn’t afford the flight to Taiwan, so I bought two machines blind,” he says. “But there was no need to worry as I discovered the machines were absolutely fantastic upon their arrival in the UK. Today we take approximately 70% of King Rich’s build.”
A major step-change in the growth trajectory of XYZ arrived in the early 1990s when Nigel became interested in the ProtoTRAK® control. He invited a representative over from Southwestern Industries, the US-based manufacturer of ProtoTRAK®, who duly provided a demonstration. Within 10 minutes, the potential of this innovative system was plain to see, particularly regarding the simplicity of programming. Nigel ordered 12 ProtoTRAK® controls on the spot. ProtoTRAK® offered the potential to make a monumental change in the machining of small batches and 1-off components. XYZ paired the control with a machine and, once word got out, the company sold 406 ProtoTRAK®-controlled machines in just 18 months. Indeed, as a result of ProtoTRAK®, XYZ’s sales would grow from £3 million to £15 million over the next five years. The time to expand the company’s machine
33 Machinery & Manufacturing
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