Precision Matthews imports to UK/Europe (it's about electricity!)

[graham-xrf]

The question ..
On 6/11/2023 2:52 PM, Graham wrote:

Hi folk at PM
What does it take to buy a Precision Matthews product in UK?
The route of importing to USA, transit across USA, export to UK, then transit across UK seems illogical, and expensive!
Please advise.
My regards
Graham

The answer ..
Hi Mark,
Unfortunately, we are not currently able to sell to/ship orders to the UK and we do not have a UK distributor either. This is because our current machinery models are only designed and built to run off one of the North American power supplies and no others. But in the next couple of years we do hope to have a few distributors in the UK as well as carry models that can run off of the UK and European power supplies without issue. And as soon as we do have these models available, we will announce the news directly on our website for all customers to see. I apologize for not being able to assist you in your current machinery needs but please keep checking back for any news and updates. And please have a great rest of the week.
Thank you,
John
Precision Matthews Machinery Co. - Sales
1060 Montour West Industrial Park
Coraopolis, PA 15108
Ph# 412-787-2876
www.precisionmatthews.com

Hmm..
Our power supplies are 220V (like Spain) through about 235V (like UK) and similar throughout Europe. Many USA folk use the 220V/240V connection that draws from both 110V phases to drive machinery, because the currents are halved, and the line losses quartered. You don't need such thick copper wires.

Are absolutely all PM machines 110V?
(Also - I don't know who Mark is)

 

[mksj]

US single phase 240VAC is split phase, although no neutral is used for 240VAC. EU single phase is neutral at 0VAC and 240VAC leg. The issue is that every country has a different set of electrical requirements that need to be met/certified for that country. I have done a few VFD control systems for people that imported PM/QMT machines into Canada and the ones I dealt with the electrical was different than the US machines. In Canada there is a host of other requirements and certifications that also need to be met, in particular if you are business. I assume this is the same in the UK. Not sure where this is all going, were you inquiring about shipping PM/QMT machine to the UK? I would think the shipping cost would be prohibitively expensive, as well as the currency conversion rate.

The Chinese Weiss machines are available in the UK under different brand names. UK since parting from the EU has also put in many trade restrictions, I was looking at a listing for a Japanese knife sold by a French distributor, they indicatedknives could no longer be imported to the UK as there was a restriction on any sharp objects. Thought that was a strange one.

 

[pontiac428]

50Hz vs 60Hz on rotating equipment can be an issue. But the Chinese manufacturers are pretty good at sorting that part out, so who knows.

What I want to know is why you aren't enamored with those beautiful Austrian and German machines that usually come in a shade of green and say things like Deckel, Howaldt, Weiler, Heyligenstadt, that sweet VDF stuff, or Voest, etc? Or how about those Italian lathes from Sagiano? I also have heard the British were proud of their conversion process of steel making that ran up to and through the war, and managed to produce some nice machinery too.


Edit:
If you look up the difference between 220v, 230v, and 240v (as standards), you might just learn that the dude is full of carp.

 

[Janderso]

In Britain they use 230 volts at 50 hertz.
A bit problematic for us yanks and our bloody machines.
I am of course talking in generalities but there is a difference to be dealt with.
Cheers,

 

[Janderso]

50Hz vs 60Hz on rotating equipment can be an issue. But the Chinese manufacturers are pretty good at sorting that part out, so who knows.

What I want to know is why you aren't enamored with those beautiful Austrian and German machines that usually come in a shade of green and say things like Deckel, Howaldt, Weiler, Heyligenstadt, that sweet VDF stuff, or Voest, etc? Or how about those Italian lathes from Sagiano? I also have heard the British were proud of their conversion process of steel making that ran up to and through the war, and managed to produce some nice machinery too.


Edit:
If you look up the difference between 220v, 230v, and 240v (as standards), you might just learn that the dude is full of carp.

You make a valid point sir. Deckel and Weiler are top shelf.

 

[rwm]

I would be looking at a used German machine all day long!

 

[matthewsx]

It may be more than 50 vs 60 hz.

Our company builds bikes for the European market and many regulations are different there

I’m sure vehicles are more difficult than machinery, but there’s often more to importing your product than just making sure it’ll work and putting it on a boat.

Another thing to consider is tariffs. If you source something from China you have to pay a heavy tariff. If you then ship it to the UK or Europe you may be paying again which might make your product unreasonably expensive.

PM is known for their in house inspection and setup. They could probably easily source their machines in Asia and have them shipped directly to a distributor in Europe. But, how would they duplicate the QC process they have here?

Also, with the constant backlog they have already it would be hard to justify adding new markets to further increase demand. Long lead times would get even longer, and customers wouldn’t like it.

I guess the surprising thing is there’s no equivalent over there. Might just be the availability of all those good German machines

 

[markba633csi]

Euro VDE requirements are harder to meet- that may be why they don't ship there

 

[graham-xrf]

I would be looking at a used German machine all day long!

A "used" German machine in UK is a rare thing, unless it's a Mercedes. I had thought my Cormak mill was Polish/German, but it turned out to be a version of Grizzly G0704, and Weiss-VM25, and (nearly) Precision Matthews PM-25V, and Titan TM25V, etc. The one thing you could tell was that the base casting for all of them was probably handled by the same urchin in China.

I don't know what it would take for us all to become less dependent on imports from China/Taiwan. We don't want to fall out of love with kit from Precision Matthews, and were it not for China imports supplying the "smaller machines" sector, many of us would not be able to enjoy our hobby at all!

 

[C-Bag]

UK since parting from the EU has also put in many trade restrictions,

This is why I don’t sell direct in the UK since they Brexited. It is somewhat true when the EU changed their rules soon after. But I can still sell to my dealers without the restrictions and red tape, just not direct sales to customers even though the US is supposedly exempt. It’s more about protectionist tariffs than electricity.