Australian Entrepreneur Reaps Benefits from TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000

Opie Manufacturing produces complex parts for the construction and automotive industries. Tristan Opie is the third-generation CEO of the family-owned company.

In 2010, following a quiet few months of business, Tristan Opie invested a TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000. He described this to be “a very risky step at that time, because just a very few customers realised the possibilities opened up by using the laser to work tubes. But I was sure there was a market for this service.”

Opie explains “the laser has major advantages as it replaces several steps in the workflow process. In addition, our TruLaser Tube 7000 is so fast that we can achieve considerably lower costs per item.”

Opie Group admit that it was a while before the machine turned a profit, but perseverance was rewarded. Today, no other machine on the shop floor can compete with the TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000 utilisation rates.

High -Tech Machinery for Complex Parts

Two TruLaser Tube 7000s and a TruMatic 6000 augment the equipment at the factory, where automation is key. The LiftMaster is used to deliver sheet metal continuously to a TruLaser 5040 while a BendMaster oversees handling of materials at a TruBend 5170. With this wide range of equipment, the NSW based job shop can make up a wide variety of aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel parts in just two ten-hour shifts.

“In Australia, there are many small sheet metal processors with one or two machines. They can produce simple parts at very favourable prices. To set ourselves apart, we have adopted a different path, using high-tech machinery and combining various processes. In this way we can offer even very complex parts from a single source,” Opie explains.

An Expansive Team

Opie’s dedicated team of 52 employees are divided between operating machines on the shop floor and working in the office to ensure seamless production flow. The team of engineers simulate almost every part in advance using 3D software. “We work very efficiently; we can deliver the right part to the customer without having to build a physical prototype beforehand, ” the CEO confirms.

In order to provide the best customer service possible, Opie says  “for a company of our size, we have a relatively large sales department. But in a country as large as Australia, the customers aren’t all in one spot. We travel to them and convince them in a personal conference.”

Opie Group’s commitment pays off; the job shop supplies to customers across the continent. 

Read more information on the TRUMPF TruLaser Series. 

Find out more about the Opie Group.