A Woolpit manufacturer has invested £75,000 in new machinery in response to demand for its plastic piggery panels.

Quality Equipment, part of G E Baker (UK) Ltd, has bought a specialist saw and automatic welder for the manufacture of its Paneltim plastic panels.

“This sophisticated equipment will enable the company to improve delivery times and offer greater flexibility with made-to-measure panels,” said director Graham Baker.

“Paneltim panels are fast becoming the material of choice for gates and pen divisions in piggeries because of their durability and hygienic qualities.”

The new machines have enabled the company to achieve a three-fold increase in output while improving quality and uniformity.

The saw provides accurate cutting while the welder delivers strong joins with a high-quality finish. The machine can weld panels 4m wide and virtually any length, so panels can be produced in a variety of dimensions to suit farmers’ individual requirements.

In addition to the well-known hollow ‘honeycomb’ Paneltim panels, the welder can cope with solid plastic panels in a wide range of thicknesses.