NCMT, a leading player in the UK’s CNC machine tools industry, traces its roots back to 1964 when Gerry Gray secured the exclusive rights to market Japanese-built Makino machining centres and spark erosion machines in Britain and Ireland. This historic agreement persists to this day, underlining NCMT’s enduring commitment to excellence.
In 1976, NCMT expanded its portfolio by adding a second agency to sell Okuma machine tools, also sourced from Japan. This move introduced CNC machining centres, lathes, and grinders, broadening the company’s offerings. Since 2015, NCMT has served as the Europe-wide agent for photo-activated adhesive workholding systems manufactured by Blue Photon in the US.
Operating from three strategically located sites across the UK, NCMT boasts a dedicated team of project, process, applications, and service engineers, along with administrative staff. The company specializes in delivering innovative, high-technology engineering solutions for metalworking applications, particularly in demanding fields of engineering. NCMT excels in project management, supplying turnkey production lines, and implementing flexible manufacturing systems with a focus on high automation and 24/7 operation.
With roots reaching back to the early 1980s, NCMT has a long history in providing exceptional service. The company embraced Industry 4.0 interconnectivity principles early on, offering advanced manufacturing systems from its Japanese principals who were pioneers in the field.
In 2005, the Makino-NCMT Grinding Division was established to market Makino machining centres for creep-feed VIPER grinding of nickel alloys throughout Europe. This strategic move facilitated the introduction of purpose-built platforms for the application, utilizing small, vitrified aluminum oxide wheels and advanced coolant delivery and dressing techniques. The production centers find extensive use in aerospace, power generation, motorsport, medical, and gear manufacturing.
NCMT’s commitment to research and development is exemplified by its focus on optimizing processes for machining difficult materials. This includes established alloys and cutting-edge materials such as ceramic matrix composites and gamma titanium alumide, integral in the manufacture of the latest high-efficiency aero engines.
Jonathan Smart, the current managing director, expressed pride in leading the fourth generation of NCMT’s management since 2019. He emphasized the company’s unwavering focus on customer satisfaction, treating each order as an individual project with strict adherence to key milestones—from the initial inquiry to machine commissioning. NCMT’s team of dedicated customisation engineers excels in designing and implementing solutions ranging from automated component handling and in-process measurement to filtration systems and machine guarding adaptation.