NEWS

Haas Supported Euroskills European Championship (Review)

Participants at the prestigious Euroskills 2008 in Rotterdam, Holland (September) competed using the latest Haas CNC lathes and vertical machining centres. The machines were supplied and supported by the company’s European headquarters in Zaventem, Belgium, and gave students the opportunity to operate state-of-the art CNC machines, as used by more than 50.000 of the world’s leading manufacturing companies.

Haas Automation enjoys a well-documented reputation for encouraging and nurturing careers in precision engineering, thanks in large part to its worldwide network of modern, purpose built HTEC’s (Haas Technical Education Centres). As well as featuring Haas CNC machine tools, HTEC’s are also supported by some of the biggest and best-known names in precision tooling, CAM teaching software, CAD and workholding solutions.

At EMO 2007 - Europe’s largest manufacturing trade fair - Haas Europe Managing Director Mr. Peter Hall announced the company’s goal of 200 HTEC’s in Europe within the next 5-7 years, each one conforming to the high-standards already established in more than 600 similar facilities in North America and Canada.

“European manufacturing companies know only too well that one of the most serious problems with doing business on our high-cost continent is the critical shortage of manufacturing technologists, including skilled CNC machine operators and technicians,” says Mr. Hall. “The intention is that HTEC's will serve as incubators of local economic growth, provide the inventors, technologists and entrepreneurs of tomorrow and give young people opportunities for exciting and productive careers.”

Mr. Hall is equally enthusiastic about the potential of the biennial Euroskills competition and is keen that Haas Automation Europe does all it can to help such high profile and worthwhile grassroots events.

“Modern manufacturing is an exciting, high-tech and lucrative industry. At Euroskills, talented young people challenged themselves and got their hands on the very best technology available. I speak on behalf of everyone at Haas when I say we were very proud to be part of it.”

The CNC machining category at Euroskills 2008 was won by David den Hartigh from the Netherlands (pictured) who collected the Gold medal. Nico Kleer from Luxembourg was awarded Silver.