Toowoomba-based company Gessner Industries recently commissioned the latest Okuma CNC vertical machining centre, model MB56VA with OSP-P300MA Control, dramatically increasing output from its machining shop.
A market leader in the manufacture of agriculture and earthmoving machinery, Gessner Industries was founded in 1975 and is now owned by brothers Jim and Michael O’Connor. With more than 45 years of proven service to the agriculture, construction and mining industries in Australia, the company has built up an enviable name for both quality and reliability. Today the company occupies a modern manufacturing facility and boasts a full-time specialist engineering and design department capable of customising equipment to meet the needs of its customers.
After establishing a need for additional machining capacity, the Okuma machining centre was selected following a careful analysis of the specifications required for business both now and into the future. This included the importance of four-axis capability, a full review of the service level available, plus strong positive feedback from other Okuma machine users. A critical factor in the selection process was the service provided by Okuma for customers in Far North Queensland and the exceptional level of technical expertise that was available for customers in the more remote areas of Australia.
“Like many industries, we are constantly under threat from imports but our customers want to support local business wherever possible and it’s important for us to remain highly competitive with robust quality products,” says Director Jim O’Connor. “Okuma was a good fit for us as both Okuma and Gessner Industries take quality and customer service extremely seriously, and the new machining centre is already providing us with the highest quality output and reducing our costs.”
Gessner Industries currently employs some 50 personnel. However, with a 50% increase in output from the machining shop as a result of the introduction of the new Okuma machine, it is allowing more fabricators to be employed to cope with an increase in fabrication work and a reduction in lead times overall for equipment.
The company’s product range includes broad acre and row crop equipment, sugarcane machinery, earthmoving attachments and an extensive range of spare parts servicing the market both directly and through an expanding dealer network throughout Australia. The range continues to develop with ongoing R&D and design development into new products, with an eye to export potential, particularly throughout South-East Asia.
“Gessner Industries is taking full advantage of the extensive training offered by Okuma,” says Jim. “The experienced staff within the machining department see this major investment in advanced precision engineering as an exciting positive step, opening up new opportunities, skill levels and enhanced job security.”
John Baker, Sales & Applications Engineer – Queensland for Okuma, congratulated Gessner Industries on the purchase of its first Okuma CNC machining centre: “We look forward to a long and productive relationship with Gessner Industries. The future looks bright for this business as they reap the benefits of fast production of high-quality precision parts culminating in the further enhancement of competitive Australian manufacturing.”