75 The Master Cutler's Works Visits
22nd May 2015Following the celebrations of the previous night, 80 or so Masters and guests left their hotel at 9 am to visit the factories of two very different industrial companies.
AESSEAL is a leading global specialist in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, bearing protectors and seal support systems. With state of the art computer design facilities and manufacturing, seals are individually made and despatched throughout the world within one or two days of being ordered or designed.
Owen Springs, owned by the Master Cutler, makes leaf springs and parabolic springs, including for trains, classic cars and special projects. The process was followed through from the steel being cut, taper rolled, heated in the furnace to between 950 and 1050 degrees centigrade, bent and shaped, quenched in oil, and tempered in the furnace between 500 and 550 degrees centigrade to achieve the correct hardness, then painted and inspected.
Both businesses were at the high end of their worldwide markets and were examples of the excellence of British manufacturing.
We were treated to lunch at Cutlers' Hall before boarding our train home.