Appris Management Ltd is a training management centre that has just taken delivery of six new Colchester lathes, so MTDCNC went along to the Bradford facility to find out more.
Telling MTD about what it is that APPRIS Management Ltd undertakes, Mark Butcher from APPRIS Management told MTD: “We specialise in all types of engineering apprenticeships, so everyone that comes to our facility is already on an engineering apprenticeship that is either mechanical, electrical, electronic or operations maintenance. Our portfolio of courses span from Level II foundation competence right up to and including HNC level. With a footfall of more than 330 apprentices at the centre every week, every apprentice is working for a member company of ours, so the apprentices are EFSA funded through the apprenticeship scheme.”
The company has recently opened an engineering training centre that was built in 2019 to future proof the business, as it accommodates a gradually increasing intake of apprentices. The new facility has been filled with a host of technology that includes six lathes from Colchester. Discussing the process from funding to procurement, Mark says: “Colchester was an easy choice, to be honest. We have worked with Colchester lathes for almost 25 years now, and when it came to kitting the new centre out, Colchester was the first choice by far.”
One of the engineering tutors at the new training centre, Barry McGinnis tells MTD: “On a day-to-day basis the training includes delivering the workshop based program on our lathes and essential hand fitting and maintenance techniques, on other days it could be all classroom and theory-based.” Referring to why the company invested in the Colchester brand, Barry continues: “We’ve had machines from other machine tool manufacturers in the past and we have found issues with the accuracy of the machines and frequent breakdowns. As for the Colchester lathes, we have always been impressed by their quality and the accuracy that they can maintain.”
Concluding on the procurement of the Colchester machines Mark Butcher says: “Colchester made it very easy for us. The purchasing via a lease was very straightforward and the long-term plans are to replace the old machinery that we still have on-site with more Colchester machine tools.”