Autopress goes independent

By David Reed, UT EditorWhaley Bridge, England-There is a new kid on the polyurethane block in the UK, if you can call a group new when its two owners alone have more than 50 years of combined experience.But Autopress, which has operated for most of the last decade as an integral part of OMS UK Ltd, local agent for the Italian PU metering and dispensing equipment maker, now-as of 1 Nov.-has its own premises where it will design, make and supply presses and related 'dry side' equipment to PU processors across the UK and around the world. (See photograph of a recently made press for Malaysian firm Manik Prestasi, as described in a separate story)"It was an enormous step for us, but a fantastic opportunity" says Philip Hindson who, along with Jeremy Band as technical specialist, has taken the company into independence as a 50:50 joint venture. "We decided it was time for doing something on our own," Hindson explained in a 17 Nov. telephone interview, adding that the move, which officially took place 1 July, was the "fulfilment of a long ambition." OMS UK, meanwhile, will continue to sell and supply technical service for the Italian firm's polyurethane metering, mixing and dispensing equipment in the UK-as it has done since it was founded in mid-1987 by Hindson and John Southworth. The latter remains as head of OMS UK, he indicated in a separate 23 Nov. telephone interview."