NEWS

VTI Sint-Lucas, Belgium, opened as HTEC

The new facility brings the total number of fully certified HTEC’s opened in Europe to 7, all of which have been established since the program was launched at EMO, Hanover, in September 2007.

The VTI facility has several Haas CNC machine tools, including a MiniMill, an SL-10 turning centre, a TM-1 Toolroom Mill, a TL-1 Toolroom Lathe and a VF-2 vertical machining centre. A separate, adjacent classroom houses 4 Haas CNC simulators and several computers running KELLER CNCPlus-Training- a groundbreaking program designed to teach both novice and also experienced operators, without the specific expertise, how to program a Haas machine using the proprietary Haas CNC. Companies working with Haas to support the HTEC program include KELLER, Esprit, Sandvik, Blaser, Urma and Renishaw. In addition, the VTI facility is supported by a number of other companies, including Cimcool, Iscar, Dormer, Schunk and Mavom Chemical Solutions. Like all HTEC”s, the VTI facility is closely affiliated to the local Haas Factory (HFO), in this case HFO VAN WAASDIJK.

Belgian government officials Mr. Herman Decroo (Minister of State & Vice-President of the Chamber of Representatives) and Mr. Pieter De Crem (Minister of Defence) supported the evening grand opening event, which was hosted and presided over by senior staff from the VTI, including Mr. Stefaan De Langhe, school principal. The event was also covered on Belgian national TV.

The Haas HTEC program continues apace; the VTI grand opening will be followed in June with the official opening of two new facilities in Russia: HTEC St. Petersburg State University and HTEC Samara Technical School of Instrument Engineering, which will bring the total number of European HTEC’s to 9.

“We expect to reach at least 20 fully-certified HTEC’s in Europe by the end of 2008,” says Haas Automation Europe managing director Mr. Peter Hall, “with at least double that number to open during 2009, as the program gains momentum.”

At last year’s EMO, Mr. 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.”