At C&M Precision Ltd, we’re proud to see our business featured in the Maldon and Burnham Standard this week, with reporter Halle Groves highlighting the work that goes into maintaining high environmental and operational standards across the company.

Over the past year, we have continued investing in the future of our manufacturing capabilities, committing approximately £1 million into new machinery from Citizen Machinery UK. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to modern, efficient, and responsible manufacturing.

For us, investment is about more than increasing capacity. It’s about working with technology companies who share the same mindset around efficiency, reliability, and reducing unnecessary waste throughout the manufacturing process.

“Working with Citizen Machines UK is important to us. Their focus on efficient, high-performance machinery aligns with our own approach to reduce waste and operate responsibly. We work with suppliers who share that mindset.”.
John Cable MD, C&M Precision Ltd.

Alongside machinery investment, we continue to focus heavily on staff training, safe handling of materials and waste, and maintaining the high operational standards our customers expect from C&M Precision Ltd.

We’d like to thank Halle Groves and the team at the Maldon and Burnham Standard for featuring C&M Precision Ltd and sharing our story.

You can read the full feature here: C&M Precision Ltd keeps environment at heart of business | Maldon and Burnham Standard

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For many engineering teams, milling is the assumed route for prismatic components. Flat sides and complex geometry naturally lead to the use of milling machines.

However, in an environment where cost control, lead time and repeatability are increasingly important, it is worth questioning whether milling delivers the best solution for precision machining of prismatic components.

The question is not whether a component can be milled, but whether it should be. With modern turning centres capable of producing intricate prismatic features in a single setup, assumptions about ‘how it’s made’ are being reconsidered.

Multi-axis CNC turning centres are gaining traction as viable, and often superior, solutions for the manufacturing of prismatic parts.

At C&M Precision Ltd, we continue to invest in advanced multi-axis turning technology from Citizen Machinery UK to offer a faster, more cost-effective alternative to traditional milling routes. The results speak for themselves!

The Traditional Milling Route

Every additional setup introduces extra handling, labour time and the potential for error. As parts move through different fixtures and machines, small deviations at each stage can influence the final outcome, causing the part to fail quality control checks.

Conventional milling strategies for prismatic components often involve multiple setups, re-clamping, secondary operations and movement between machines or departments. Each stage may be individually well controlled, but the overall process can become fragmented.

While milling machining centres are highly capable, the structure of the route itself can introduce inefficiencies which increase cost, risk and lead time.

The limitation is not milling machine capability, but the way the workflow is structured.

The Alternative

Multi-Axis Turning in ONE HIT Using Citizen Miyano Machines

Advances in multi-axis sliding head technology have changed what is possible within a single machining cycle. Modern platforms integrate turning, milling and drilling operations into one synchronised process, allowing complex geometry to be produced directly from bar.

By engineering the component around this capability, many prismatic parts can be completed in a single setup. Features that might traditionally require re-clamping or transfer to another machine can be incorporated within the same controlled cycle.

The result is a consolidated manufacturing process: one program, one machine, and one continuous operation from raw material to finished component.

This approach removes the need for re-clamping, re-fixturing and eliminates all handling.

When Process Assumptions Go Unchallenged

In many cases, the chosen manufacturing route is inherited from previous designs, legacy or established supplier habits. Once a component has historically been milled, that route often continues without reassessment. However, machining capability has evolved significantly. What may have required multiple operations a decade ago can now be achieved within a single integrated cycle.

Periodic review of the manufacturing process is not about replacing milling, it is about ensuring the method still aligns with current capability, cost pressures and delivery expectations.

The question is not whether milling can produce the part, but if it can produce the part perfectly at a lower cost for the customer.

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In precision engineering, there is no margin for error. Every component must perform to exacting standards, often in demanding environments where failure is not an option. At C&M, we know that the foundation of this reliability begins long before a single part is machined. It begins with the raw material.

Why Traceability of Materials Matters

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Complete traceability is not just a compliance requirement. It is central to how we operate, and it underpins the confidence our customers place in us. With continuous Quality Inspection from the bar stock entering our machines through to the finished component leaving our facility, we provide quality components and complete assurance.

Traceability allows us to guarantee:

   •          Risk reduction: Only high-quality, consistent materials are used. By avoiding low-grade or cheap overseas imports that compromise performance when used in manufacturing, we ensure durability and reliability in every component.

   •          Assurance of material integrity: Every component meets the standards we promise because the source of material is verified and consistent.

   •          Quality assurance: Continuous checks during manufacturing uphold the highest standards, ensuring components are made right the first time.

   •          Regulatory compliance: Every order is supported by full documentation and Certificates of Conformance.

   •          Stronger partnerships: Our transparency builds lasting trust with every customer we serve.

Built to Last

When customers choose C&M, they know that the components we manufacture have been produced from the best available materials, verified at every stage. This approach is not just about process; it’s about outcomes.

High-quality materials in mean high-performance components out. It’s a simple principle, but it makes all the difference in industries where performance, safety, and reliability cannot be compromised.

For us, traceability is about more than process. It is about giving our customers total peace of mind when they choose C&M components.

“If bar material is poor or a low-quality foreign import, no amount of machining or inspection later can make it right. That’s why at C&M we only buy the best materials, so the components we deliver are built to last and give our customers complete peace of mind.”

John Cable, Managing Director

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We were pleased to welcome Sir John Whittingdale to our facility for a behind-the-scenes tour and a valuable discussion on the current state of our industry, what’s really hurting our SME businesses and the need for a dedicated Minister for Manufacturing.

Sir John enjoyed a very inquisitive look around our factory, seeing for himself the machinery and equipment investments we’ve made, and even inspecting some of the components recently manufactured which are heading to key industries such as Mining, Aerospace, and Oil & Gas.

We (on behalf of SME precision engineering businesses) explained the processes components go through including cleaning and degreasing and the efforts we all strictly adhere to, ensuring toxins are disposed of, recycled and removed from the atmosphere.

By seeing this for himself, we are sure this visit provided Sir John with valuable insight.

Factory tour photos below, and please feel free to get in touch with any questions either through the page or with John Cable directly.

In Attendance: John Cable Andrea Wilson Sir John Whittingdale Sam Baynham

“Visits like this help bridge the gap between policy and practice, ensuring a real-world understanding of how UK SME manufacturers operate”.
John Cable MD, C&M Precision Ltd.

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Employee Spotlight
Achievement Alert! 🏅

We’re incredibly proud of Adam Johnson, who recently completed The Stour Valley Marathon, while raising vital funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK. 🏃‍♂

Running 26.2 miles is no small feat. Through determination and training, Adam not only crossed the finish line but also helped make a real difference in the fight against dementia.

We are excited to see where your running journey will take you next. Congratulations Adam!

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Congratulations to Harry Peters our Trainee Multi-Axis CNC Setter on completion of his first ‘end-to-end’ project.
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Harry began his hands-on training at C&M Precision from day one.

He has recently completed his first end-to-end project on the Miyano BNE65MYY, successfully producing a key component called a Lift Bobbin, which is used in a mail merging machine.

Harry takes great pride in his work and seeing the perfect finished product was a real achievement and sense of pride for him (and us 🥰).

Throughout his journey, he’s been supported and mentored by the entire team at C&M Precision, whose guidance and expertise have played a vital role in his success.

Preparation, hard work and learning - Well Done Harry!

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We could not be more proud of Dale, Adam and Harry who completed the Colchester Half Marathon on Sunday.

Running for this length of time required resilience, focus and dedication to training and these three guys have it in heaps.
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We are especially pleased because this is the commendable attitude they also bring to work every single day.

Dale and Harry chose to do the Marathon for personal fitness and the challenge, where as Adam did it to prove he could beat Dale 🤣🤣.

What can we say, we love a bit of healthy competition!

Massive well done guys, and of course to Dale’s daughter Hannah who appears in the photo alongside him.

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