Italian tube and pipe manipulation machine manufacturer the BLM Group has recently appointed First Cut to be their sales, marketing and service distribution agency in South Africa, after deciding to close their subsidiary in South Africa.

Situated in the north of Italy on the outskirts of Lake Como, the BLM Group is a worldwide technological and market leader in the design, manufacture and sales of tube processing machines such as laser tube cutting systems for heavy beams and tubes up to 508 mm outside diameter, circular sawing machines for tube, bar and profile as well as tube and wire benders. The company has three factories. One is located in Lake Como where the bending machines are manufactured and the other two are in Levico where the laser and cutting equipment is manufactured.

“The BLM Group’s product portfolio is a natural fit into our existing range of capital equipment that we market and service in South Africa,” said First Cut’s MD Andrew Poole.

“They are Europe’s market leading manufacturer of machines and systems for tube bending, tube-end forming, production sawing and laser tube cutting. Simply put BLM is to tube what Bystronic is to flat sheet.”

Established over 50 years ago BLM’s E-Turn, Elect and Smart ranges of all-electric tube bending machines are evidence of the innovation made by the group. These machines reduce bending costs (80% reduction in power consumption), and noise levels are significantly reduced, with the working environment also enhanced by the lack of hydraulic oils, says the company.

BLM also continues to develop the laser cutting sector, with several fiber laser machines introduced recently. Fiber laser delivers high performance, low cost per cut laser processing and reduces running and maintenance costs. It is particularly suited to cutting highly reflective materials such as aluminium, brass and copper.

One such machine is the Adige LC5 laser cutter for tube and sheet. Both flat sheet and tube section can be processed on the Adige LC5 laser cutting system. The LC5 can switch from flat sheet processing to tube processing, and vice-versa, automatically and without the need for any re-tooling, says BLM. It can process flat sheet measuring up to 1 500 by 3 000 mm, and round, square, rectangular and oval section tube up to a maximum diameter of 120 mm.

A 4.5 kW CO2 laser source or a 3 kW fiber laser are offered, the latter opening up the potential to process reflective metals such as copper, brass and aluminium.

In addition, the company delivers its own 3-D graphical programming software. When the component’s bend coordinates are input, the software provides programmers with real-time simulation of the bending operation and automatically corrects for possible collision points.

“In 2009 Bystronic and the BLM Group agreed on a mutual informal marketing alliance of their sheet metal and tube processing systems. We have represented Bystronic, a worldwide active supplier of high-quality solutions for the economical processing of sheet metal and other sheet materials, since 2011. Customers benefit from application-oriented Bystronic systems and services for laser and waterjet cutting processes as well as bending,” continued Poole.

“The BLM Group has been active in the South African market for many years. For the last 18 years the company has had a local subsidiary, which was based in Germiston, Gauteng. This subsidiary has now been closed and First Cut has employed the remaining personnel, while also honouring all existing service contracts.”

“During this period there have been many interesting installations including ones at leading companies such as Giflo Engineering, Robor, Macsteel, Fischer Stainless Steel Tubing, Fabrinox and many others.”

“Within the BLM Group there are famous names of tube manufacturing and manipulation companies that have been acquired. These include Adige Sala and Adige Systems, both companies that have had a strong presence in South Africa for many years.”

After building its history and reputation on a solid base of manufacture and distribution of hack saws, band saws, bow saws, butcher saws and various hand tools, First Cut (Pty) Ltd has evolved into a company that now offers a total solution and focused range of products designed around providing cutting solutions for various industries – the most important being steel, timber, meat, foam, textiles and the DIY trade.

First Cut is now a well known distributor of international capital equipment and supports a range of machinery from entry level bandsaw and circular saw machines, CNC lathes and machining centres to state-of-the-art CNC controlled drilling and cutting lines and coping robots.

First Cut’s capital equipment division specialises in the sheet metal and plate processing, fabrication, tube manipulation and general engineering sectors and wind and solar power industries.

For more information contact First Cut on TEL: 011 614 1112, email: info@firstcut.co.za, or visit the website on www.firstcut.co.za or contact Andrew Poole on 082 903 4135.