COVER STORY 10 May 2017 capacity of a larger unit, says Mike, with jobs first operator-loaded before automated presentation and precision machining. It has all the bells and whistles and can even text the operator for help at 2am if need be, but the cost and “people-power”savings are the true benefit, of up to 50% against previous processes. Mike says that this saving makes the Machining Division a competitive option should any work be required no matter where it be, from Auckland to Christchurch and well beyond. “We are a viable engineering option no matter where you are in the country,” says Mike. The division is looking for business beyond the local, and beyond any ill-perceived perceptions of barriers to competitiveness, i.e., distance. “The centre is fantastic and it plays a part in a much bigger picture of what Farra Machining can do. It lets us compete with global performance and efficiency and offer that to customers who have a repeat product that they need to realise that level of productivity with but cant justify such a machine on their own. Now they can take advantage of this machine as a collective resource. We are now right up there, down here. True efficiency, not just compared with ‘Joe’ down the road but with manufacturers worldwide.” The benefits of changing the manufacturing playing field for the better creates opportunities for Farra as well as its existing localised customer base, but it’s further afield that Mike sees opportunities for everyone. “Sure, there are boundaries to trade, and moving very large stuff across the straight in terms of repairs and maintenance isn’t likely to happen but for manufacturing something new and popping it on a boat at Port Chalmers and taking it off in Auckland or utilising one of the inter island logistic options is surprisingly easy,” says Mike. “Our biggest single challenge is to get people looking south for a solution. As a Division and as the wider Farra Engineering - we are a pretty high horsepower engineering solutions provider.” With one of the “best equipped workshops and greater engineering firms that you may not even know about, we’re as well if not better equipped than most of the ‘go-to’ North Island providers. You may well be able to get what you’re after faster and more THE WHOLE: FARRA ENGINEERING Each of the Divisions within Farra Engineering has their own operational management team. All are subsidiary companies to Farra Engineering. The company employs between 110-120 staff at any given time and is a big player in the role of Dunedin employment. Established in 1863 it is possibly the oldest remaining business that it is trading under its original trading name. DIVISIONS ARE: Farra Machining and Field Service - Large dedicated machine shop running an impressive array of CNC and manual machine tools. Also offers full site and shop fitting service. Farra Sheet Metal Components - A modern array of laser, turret punching and CNC folding equipment complemented by powder coating services. Farra Fabrication - Large capacity fabrication workshop. Farra Stainless - Well equipped non-ferrous only fabrication shop. Farra Lifts - Specialising in lift components and light fabrication. Farra Engineering Design - Access equipment and crane designers turning ideas into machines and general mechanical design. “Our biggest single challenge is to get people looking south for a solution, As a Division and as the wider Farra Engineering - we are a pretty high horsepower engineering solutions provider.”
EN-May17-eMag
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