Meet The Technical Partners

In the second of a regular series profiling the Technical Partners that make In-Comm different, we take a look at metrology specialist Blum-Novotest.

Can you tell us a little more about Blum-Novotest and what you do?

Blum-Novotest is one of the global leaders in production metrology, offering laser control, tool setting probes, workpiece probes, roughness gauges, bore gauges and DIGILOG touch probes.

Our UK operation originally started life in a small office in Lichfield, but as our reputation grew in aerospace and automotive, sales started to increase rapidly and a move to bespoke offices and a state-of-the-art demonstration room in Burton-upon-Trent followed in 2015.

Today, we deliver our solutions to some of the world’s largest aerospace primes, car manufacturers and a host of CNC machine tool suppliers, including the Engineering Technology Group, Whitehouse Machine Tools and Yeovil Machine Tools.

2019 will see the roll-out of LC50, the next generation of laser measurement which uses premium laser optics, a new design shutter protection system and HPC nozzle to provide ‘ultra-reliable’ in-machine measurement data.

We expect this new product to generate over £500,000 of additional orders over the next two years, with the main interest coming from manufacturers supplying high value parts.

How many people do you employ and what is your annual turnover? 

Our annual turnover has grown to £500,000 and we have recently taken on a new Sales Manager and apprentice engineer to take our workforce to six.

Why did you become part of the In-Comm Training and Manufacturing Group and what do you bring to the table? 

Metrology is playing an increasing role in manufacturing and we want to do our bit to educate SMEs to the benefits of in-machine measurement.

The In-Comm TMG partnership offers us the opportunity to showcase our technology to a much wider audience through the group and also through the specialist events it hosts.

How are you benefitting from your involvement? 

We took a joint presence at the Advanced Engineering Show, which proved to be a very cost effective way of attending a major industrial event.

Our membership has also instigated a number of conversations with companies who we weren’t previously dealing with. That’s a real bonus for our business.