Machinery on the big screen

Glazed partitioning systems supplier Optima Products has partnered with machinery supplier Emmegi to help support the continuing investment the company has made in its manufacturing facility. Windows Active Editor John Cowie headed down to Optima’s production plant in Radstock near Bath to meet Operations Manager Stephen Cooper and Emmegi’s Andrew Jones.

A market leader in the growing glazed partitioning sector, Optima Products is a thriving business. Operating in the commercial property sector, the company offers clients a wide range of partitioning products manufactured from aluminium and steel. From the standard single-glazed items to fire-rated and accoustic systems, Optima manufactures and installs its products into some high-profile projects for offices owned by some household names in retail and technology sectors. With a demanding client base, who expect the highest quality partitioning, Optima needs to partner with fellow suppliers that share Optima’s values for product excellence and reliability.

Over the last five years, Optima’s turnover has swelled from £7m to £14m, with sales split between its partitioning, architectural and special works divisions. This has put pressure on its manufacturing facility, and as Operations Manager Stephen Cooper explains, this has necessitated a reassessment of its machinery requirements: “Our existing plant was really created to cater for sales of around £10m. Many of the machines were around 15-20 years old so we needed to upgrade and maximise production potential. Our new Emmegi machines have enabled us to increase our capacity by 100%. We worked closely with Emmegi’s technical staff to optimise output and are now planning to incorporate their machines in our new factory which will be coming online later this year.”

The flexibility of the Emmegi machines has allowed Optima to use the saws and CNCs across the aluminium and steel product ranges. Steel is increasingly important to the company as it is used in its growing fire-rated product offering. Stephen adds: “Steel fire-rated glazing systems now account for 15% of our sales, rising from 5% only a couple of years ago. It was important we partnered with a machinery supplier that was able to support us manufacturing all of our product variants.”
It is clear to see that Optima has chosen a machinery supplier that shares the same values and one that will support its ambitious strategy for continued growth.

Emmegi: 02476 676192
Optima: 01761 433461