Citizen Machinery UK (CMUK) left MACH 2018 exhibition on a high with 46 machine orders worth over £6.3 million directly linked to the show of which 18 were confirmed and concluded during the week and a further 28 pending final specification agreement, application discussions or financial approval.
Said Managing Director Edward James: “This was an important endorsement to the activities of the new management team and especially rewarding to the effort put in by everyone in the company to achieve record exhibition sales at a UK event.”
He then recollected how this rolls on from the new team’s success in 2017. He said: “We achieved a record year in sales, the first quarter of 2018 set a further standard and the Japanese recognition of the business strategy has been rubber stamped with the setting up of our £2 million new CMUK facility with 600 m2 showroom in the West Midlands. This is in addition to our headquarters in Bushey, Watford.”
Important in the new order placements were totally new customers to the Citizen Cincom sliding head and Miyano fixed head technology. Said Deputy Managing Director Darren Wilkins: “Of orders placed so far from the show or are under final discussions, 14 involved totally new customers. I also want to endorse the reaction to our patented Low Frequency Vibration (LFV) technology demonstrated on Cincom L20 and L12 machines plus the first introduction to the Miyano range through the BNA-42GTYLFV. In total, 18 orders were taken at the show for LFV machines worth some £1.9 million.”
Mr Wilkins followed on by explaining how ‘Citizen’s Finance’ has proven to be such a vital contributor to the show’s success helping customers justify their planned investment. He said: “Securing competitive funding and providing a professional service for something considered as a challenging subject by many has further strengthened the confidence in the Citizen and Miyano brands.”
CMUK sales, application and finance teams are running flat out following up each positive enquiry, confirmations and intended order placements while helping with internal justification and machining cycle applications of some customers. He said: “The arrangement and confirmation of any finance arrangements can be quite involved but the level of support we are giving will lead to further significant order placements over the coming weeks.”
Adding to recent sales, he said: “Totally separate from MACH and in the week following, three machines not attributable to the show, have been ordered worth another £500,000.”
