Independent Glass Company Ltd increases edging capacity with the new straight line vertical grinding machine Bavelloni VE 500 11.
Independent Glass, one of the largest independent toughened glass manufacturers and glass merchants in the UK, has chosen Bavelloni as the supplier for a new straight line edging machine especially designed for large glass sizes.
Leading company in the UK
Established in 1987, IG is a leading specialist glass manufacturer and supplier of glass for a vast range of applications, these include architectural, safety, security, aerospace, agricultural and military.
IG operates from four UK sites, three in Scotland and one in England, totalling 200,000ft2 (18,500m2), offering a comprehensive range of toughened (tempered), laminated and a stock glass service. They also supply a wide range of additional processes such as water-jetting, screen-printing, ceramic digital printing and sandblasting plus the more traditional drilling, polishing (including edge profiling), bevelling and bespoke cut sizes. IG employs about 270 people across their sites, and their key personnel have over 200 years of combined experience in the glass industry.
A loyal partner for over 25 years
IG is a long-standing historical Bavelloni customer.
Independent purchased their first CNC machine 25 years ago and today it is still very much a key part of their production. This was the first of many machines supplied by Bavelloni: Independent Glass group now has 17 Bavelloni machines, providing huge processing capacity.
“We have always appreciated Bavelloni CNC centres for their performance in terms of quality and reliability” says the Managing Director Mr John Devine ”Over the years they have proven to be suitable for heavy workloads without losing quality and accuracy”.
The collaboration with Bavelloni is not limited to the CNC work centers but also includes vertical straight line edger’s for flat edge with arrises and for variable angle working. A large volume of machines have been installed in the group sites and Bavelloni has always been a preferred supplier.
A new investment for grinding big sizes
IG recently decided to increase its capacity in flat edge grinding. The machine needed to be suitable for working large glass sheets with perfect quality. For this new investment, Bavelloni was selected again as a Partner, with its latest model VE 500 11.
This latest machine reflects 65 years of Italian continuous research and development, and Italian manufacturing quality this is found at the core of Bavelloni. The VE 500 11 can grind thickness up to 40 mm and is equipped with a special rack for large sheets. The innovative technology introduced in this latest model includes an advanced glass conveyor which is driven by two electronically synchronized motors which can accept weights up to 350 kg/m. The VE 500 11 also comes with four polishing spindles providing excellent finishing of the end product.
Mr John Devine explains: – “I have always been impressed with Bavelloni machines and the excellent service that they provide. We have worked together for decades and we at Independent Glass look forward to working with Glass Machinery Solutions and Bavelloni in the future, the strength in the Bavelloni brand and technology speaks for itself”.
“Within the Independent Glass group we own 17 Bavelloni machines that span decades of high quality production and are in still in continual use. This is the main reason we continue to trust and rely on the performance and quality of Bavelloni machinery.”
Qualified service: a partner you can rely on
One of the key factors of the long lasting relationship between Bavelloni and IG is certainly the after-sales service offered by GMS Ltd, official Bavelloni partner in the UK and Ireland.
GMS has a combined experience of more than 60 years in the glass industry, covering every aspect of the business including engineering services, original Bavelloni spare parts, operator training, product development and sales. As a result of this wide range of experience, they are able to offer their customers a service that is unrivalled in the UK.
In order to grant the best performance, all the machines in IG are covered by Bavelloni Service Care, meaning they are maintained to the highest standards, and that any down time is minimised thanks to the fast response Glass Machinery Solutions offers to customers.