MiniTec UK and LG Motion move to larger premises

LG Motion Ltd & MiniTec UK Ltd were formed in 2004 and 2005, respectively, by Managing Director Gary Livingstone. Separate but closely linked companies, the two share production and office facilities in Basingstoke and together serve the industrial automation and scientific research markets. Now, after five years of continued growth in business and personnel, the companies have moved to a new 15,000sqft facility that is more than three times larger than the previous site.

MiniTec UK operates as a manufacturing subsidiary of MiniTec GmbH & Co KG, the German producer of machine framing systems and components, while LG Motion designs and manufactures its own brand of electromechanical positioning equipment as well as acting as a distributor partner for several global producers of motion control components and systems.

The synergy between the two companies is well demonstrated through complementary products and services that enable OEMs, systems integrators and research organisations to build automated positioning systems from product lines that include machine framing components including guards, materials handling and conveying components, assembly systems, positioning tables and mechanics, motion controls and automation software. Through full application engineering support and with in-house design and manufacturing, these products can be supplied as components or as complete and ready-to-run motion sub-systems.

More than a distributor

A key factor in their respective successes and strong market position today is the in-house design and production capability, along with strong partnership links with world-class suppliers that sets them apart from their distribution-only competitors. This success has been demonstrated by an overall year-on-year growth of around twenty per cent and a continued annual increase in exports. In addition, a three-fold increase to a total of fifteen staff includes apprentices and trainees as a part of a long-term growth strategy, as well as an increase in sales and applications engineers to develop new market opportunities. New production and assembly technician posts have also been created to manage a recently won major export contract installing MiniTec safety guard systems at over 60 global locations in 18 countries.

Investment in machinery and equipment has also played an important role; new CNC milling and turning equipment and the latest CAD software systems have been purchased recently. In addition, local educational support initiatives at Basingstoke College of Technology and winning local business awards have contributed to the overall success and helped both companies to serve their customers better.

Livingstone and his senior management team of Tim Trebett (production) and Diane Bailey (finance), who have both been with the companies from the start, are relishing the challenge that the new facility will bring and feel that the move tangibly demonstrates the strong belief they and the staff have in the future success of both businesses. Livingstone states: "In five years we have made excellent and completely self-funded progress. The new facility gives us a the room to manoeuvre, not just with greatly needed extra space but the opportunity to take on much larger projects, expand our workforce further and gear ourselves up for continued future growth."