Iscar UK cuts a fresh path

There’s a lot happening at Iscar UK right now. This fast-moving cutting tool specialist is building a brand-new headquarters and Technical Centre for its UK operation, preparing a return to MACH after a spell away, and laying the groundwork for a new apprenticeship programme to help tackle the skills gap.

When we catch up with Managing Director David Jones and Customer Experience Manager Adrian Fitts, the conversation quickly moves between industry trends, major investments and why getting engineers together face-to-face still matters.

Back at MACH

After a period away, Iscar will once again take to the exhibition floor at MACH (NEC Birmingham, 20-24 April), the biggest gathering for the UK machining community. David tells us the decision to return centred on two main reasons: “First, the timing feels right to showcase what we’re doing in terms of tooling innovation.”

Visitors to the stand (18-340) will see the latest additions to Iscar’s portfolio, particularly the LOGIQUICK range. Advances will span four key areas: milling, hole making, turning & threading, and parting-off & grooving. Highlighting the company’s prowess in providing ‘solutions’, Iscar innovations will also be in live cutting action on the stands of several machine tool partners at MACH.

“Smaller customers might come to us for a particular tool or a package of tools, but larger manufacturers often want a complete solution, comprising modelling support, programming support, prove-out facilities, edge-wear analysis, and pre-assembled and pre-set tools. Of course we can provide tools, but our ability to develop solutions has become second-to-none.”

And there’ll be space on the stand for conversation too. “People buy from people. That in-person connection really matters. We’ll have good food and drink on the stand, creating a relaxed environment to speak with customers and partners. MACH is about people.”

You’ll be pleased to learn that Iscar will again host its famed hospitality area, providing the clue to Iscar’s second reason for returning to the show.

A market in transition

Our conversation with Iscar turns to the wider UK manufacturing landscape. David is clear about how the market continues to provide challenges: “It’s essential to understand the nuances of various UK sectors and stay focused on the right areas. Certain industries are under pressure. Oil and gas, for example, continues to face cost challenges, while automotive is undergoing a major transition.

“On the flip side, sectors like medical, aerospace – both civil and defence – and power generation are all doing well. For us, 2026 has started very positively and we’re seeing a good upturn in numbers. Some of this is thanks to our added-value offer. Customers are under the same pressures we are. When we collaborate with a customer, the innovation we deliver must reduce costs or increase efficiency.”

Iscar’s renowned innovation has long-proved a differentiator, and it will certainly be needed moving forward to tackle industry challenges like raw material prices. David comments that global sourcing issues are impacting several tooling-critical minerals such as tungsten and ruthenium: “Costs are rising sharply, requiring careful supply chain management.”

Adrian adds: “This is where our extensive R&D budget becomes critical. It could potentially allow us to develop an alternative solution that delivers similar performance to something like ruthenium, thus avoiding price increases. We’ll have to see how things transpire, but I wouldn’t put it past the capabilities of our R&D team.”

A new home for innovation

Innovation also sits at the heart of Iscar’s new UK facility, which is currently under construction.

“Many companies have technical centres,” David tells us. “The question was, what can we do differently? What can we develop that offers Customers value added benefits working with Iscar UK”

Iscar’s aim isn’t just to build an impressive structure, it’s to create an experience for visiting engineers and customers, leaving them with a feeling they’ve gained something valuable: knowledge, ideas or a solution that improves their processes.

The project represents a multi-million-pound investment and will open in summer 2026. Iscar has demolished about 75% of the original 40-year-old building and rebuilt most of it as a single-floor facility. The new site will measure around 1,950 sq m and house, among other things, the UK headquarters for all departments, a 108-seat lecture theatre, training facilities and a significantly expanded Technical Centre with five state-of-the-art CNC machine tools.

For Adrian, the real value lies in how customers will use the space: “We want people coming through the doors every day. That might be a big open house or a few engineers arriving to run trials. If a customer needs to improve a machining process or prepare for a new contract, we’ll allocate a machine and get to work. Tell us your goal and we’ll attack it. We’re going to manage the facility in such a way that a machine will be available at just a couple of hours’ notice.”

Investing in the future

The new facility will also support another key initiative: the launch of an apprenticeship programme, something David has wanted to put in motion for many years: “The building development delayed things slightly because we want apprentices to start in the right environment.”

Iscar are introducing a four-year, degree-level apprenticeship combining academic study with hands-on experience inside the business. Trainees will not only receive a degree but a good grounding in the ethos and culture of Iscar. The company always seeks what it calls “skill + will” for new recruits. Technical ability matters, but attitude and drive matter just as much, if not more.

This commitment to nurturing new talent also explains why Iscar has taken on the role of headline sponsor for the Education and Development Zone at MACH 2026. The E&D Zone will introduce thousands of students to advanced manufacturing through interactive exhibits and guided tours around the show floor. Iscar will in fact have a second stand (17-42) at the show, serving as the main ‘meet and greet’ point for welcoming youngsters to the E&D Zone.

David lets us know that Iscar is “delighted to support the initiative. Encouraging young people to explore engineering careers is vital for the future of our sector.”

With a new facility on the way, a return to MACH and a stronger focus on developing next-generation engineers, the message from David is clear: “This is the dawn of a new era for Iscar in the UK.”