In early February, soon after a successful participation at IMTEX 2011 in Bangalore, Swiss machine tool manufacturer Schaublin Machines SA (SMSA) inaugurated its new premises for Schaublin Machines (India) at Secun-derabad, the twin city of Hyderabad. Rolf Muster, CEO - Member of the Board and shareholder, SMSA, Switzerland was present on the occasion and presided over the ceremony.

Schaublin was founded 95 years ago by the Schaublin-Villeneuve families, at Bevilard in Switzerland producing high precision machines for the watch industry as well as for other machine manufacturers of that time in Switzerland. Maintaining the technological edge and gradually improving the traditional Swiss quality standards was a constant endeavour. The attention was on manufacturing precision lathes and machining centres to produce high precision parts. During this period there was tremendous development as well growth of the company and the company became world number one in high precision turning and milling machines.

In the last 10 years, the company developed 15 new types of machines adhering to: High Precision, Reliability, Specialties, Flexibility and Longevity - five dedicated words that represent the spirit of the enterprise. At the end of 1999, the Schaublin-Villeneuve families, who had no successor, decided end their association with the company. Seven shareholders specialised in the machine tool business bought the company, which enjoyed excellent worldwide reputation for high quality of products.

Schaublin Machines (India) was established in India in 1998 at Secun-derabad, the operations initially starting with marketing of conventional lathe machines, spare parts and accessories, but subsequently grown to include sales of Schaublin CNC products as well. But the first Schaublin machine had come to India much earlier, the brand well established in the high precision industries for more than six decades in the country. Both conventional and CNC machines from Schaublin are well known for turning, milling and machining centres, particularly for use in aeronautic, aerospace, communications, defence organisations, tool rooms, with sub contractors and for high precision and various government research labs. Schaublin is also a specialist of hard turning HRC 65 Ra = 0.2-0.4.

More than 5,000 Schaublin machines are working in India, still running in fine condition in various industries, giving good precision and accuracy. The tradition of Schablin machine excellence continues and still very much in demand today. Customers have testified to the machines being totally trouble free. Some companies have been running these machines for the last three decades without changing a single spare part. The machines are also maintenance free have a long life and high precision delivery.

India, being a big country, Schaublin Machine (India) has appointed reputed sales support agencies to cover the entire country, having branches in all the major cities of India. In addition to the sales network, the company also participates regularly at IMTEX, the country's biggest machine tool exhibition, and presents live demonstration on new range of machines. It has in display three machines at IMTEX 2011 exhibition held at Bangalore in January. Schaublin Machine (India) has established a full fledged service centre with highly skilled and qualified engineers at Bangalore since 2006. The engineers have been trained at Schaublin Machines SA (Switzerland) and from time to time update their service skill and knowledge. The company also invites senior specialists from SMSA, Switzerland to support its Indian customers for performing vital checks to monitor the machine conditions once in every two years or more. It also offers Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) with customers to provide trouble shooting and other services. Mr K Shanker, who has been with SMSA since 1994, with years of experience in high precision industries, is heading the sales & service for the Indian market, and also co-ordinates the sales agents and service teams across India

(Schaublin Machines (India), Secunderabad. Mobile: 097017-11422, 080087-11422. Email: sam_cpg@ yahoo.com)