Laser Cutting

Kaizen Engineering provides sub-contract laser cutting from a 17,000 sq ft facility on Thomas Street, Shaw, Oldham, dedicated exclusively to cutting. At the heart of the cutting shop is an 8kW Trumpf fibre laser, backed by a Trumpf CO₂ machine for thicker plate work. Together they give us more than 350 hours of cutting capacity every week, so we can turn round anything from a single prototype to repeat production batches. Being just off the M62, we supply laser cut parts to customers across Oldham, Manchester and Greater Manchester, and over the Pennines into Yorkshire, including Leeds and Sheffield.

Laser Cutting Capacity and Materials

• Flagship machine: 8kW Trumpf fibre laser
• Additional capacity: Trumpf CO₂ laser for thicker plate
• Capacity: over 350 hours of cutting per week
• Mild steel: up to 25mm thick
• Stainless steel: up to 25mm thick
• Aluminium: up to 12mm thick
• High-strength steels: we stock quenched and tempered materials with tensile strength up to 1100 and hardness up to 600HB (Brinell)

We hold a large stock of material on site, including carbon steel grades such as S275 and S355, wear plate, and 304 and 316 stainless steel. Keeping common grades in stock means we can offer rapid lead times, including same-day or next-day delivery where the job allows.

Why Our 8kW Trumpf Fibre Laser Matters

Fibre lasers cut thinner sheet much faster than older CO₂ technology, with a finer beam that gives a clean, consistent edge. For buyers of laser cut parts that means:

• Faster turnaround on sheet work: high cutting speeds on mild steel, stainless and aluminium mean more parts off the bed in less time, which helps keep lead times short on batch and production work.
• Excellent results on stainless and aluminium: fibre is well suited to reflective metals, so edge quality stays high on stainless and aluminium sheet as well as carbon steel.
• Lower cost per part on thinner gauges: speed and efficiency on thinner material help keep unit prices competitive without cutting corners on quality.
• Tight nesting and less waste: a narrow kerf and precise path control mean parts nest tightly on the sheet, so you get more usable parts from every plate.

We still keep a Trumpf CO₂ laser in the shop for thicker plate jobs where that process remains the better fit. Most day-to-day sheet and plate work for customers in Oldham, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield runs on the 8kW fibre.

Why Choose Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting is generally the fastest way to profile sheet and plate compared with traditional methods, and it is more energy efficient than alternatives such as plasma. For our customers that means:

Accuracy and Edge Quality

The laser beam does not wear during cutting, so precision and edge quality stay consistent from the first part to the last. That consistency matters when parts go on to be folded, welded or assembled.

Complex Shapes Without Tooling

Parts are cut straight from your CAD data, so intricate profiles, slots and holes need no dedicated tooling. Design changes are simply a new program, which keeps prototype and short-run work cost effective.

Less Waste, Less Distortion

A narrow kerf and small heat-affected zone mean less wasted material and minimal distortion. We nest parts efficiently across each sheet to keep the material cost per part down.

Repeatable Batch Production

Once a part is programmed it can be cut again and again to the same standard. That makes laser cutting just as suited to scheduled, repeat orders as it is to one-off jobs.

Cut, Fold, Fabricate and Assemble Under One Roof

Many of the parts we laser cut go straight on to our other departments, which saves you managing several suppliers and moving parts between them:

• CNC press braking: components up to 4m wide and up to 20mm thick
• Steel fabrication: an 11,000 sq ft fabrication facility with MIG and TIG welding in mild and stainless steel
• Assembly: finished assemblies, with no extra transport or storage between processes

You can see our full range of engineering services or read more about Kaizen Engineering.

Laser Cutting for Oldham, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield

We support large UK manufacturers on a just-in-time basis as well as smaller local businesses that need a handful of parts. Our Shaw site is ideally placed for customers in Oldham, Rochdale and the rest of Greater Manchester, and the M62 gives us a direct route into West and South Yorkshire for customers in Leeds and Sheffield, as well as Cheshire.

Send Us Your Drawings for a Quote

To get a quotation, email your drawing (DXF, DWG or PDF) to sales@kaizen-eng.com with the material, thickness, quantity and any delivery date you’re working to. If the parts need folding, welding or a finish, let us know and we’ll quote the whole job. You can also call us on 01706 847 172 or use our contact form.

Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Friday: 7:30am – 12:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed

Kaizen Engineering
Thomas Street, Shaw, Oldham OL2 8PG

Laser Cutting FAQs

What thickness of steel can you laser cut?

We laser cut mild steel and stainless steel up to 25mm thick, and aluminium up to 12mm thick.

Do you take on one-off and prototype jobs?

Yes. We cut everything from single prototypes to high-volume production runs, and because laser cutting needs no tooling, small quantities stay cost effective.

Which areas do you supply?

We’re based in Shaw, Oldham, just off the M62. We supply customers across Oldham, Manchester and Greater Manchester, and into Yorkshire, including Leeds and Sheffield, as well as Cheshire.

What materials do you keep in stock?

We hold a large stock on site, including S275 and S355 carbon steel, wear plate, 304 and 316 stainless steel, and high-strength quenched and tempered steels. Ask us if you need a grade not listed here.

What do I need to send for a quote?

A drawing (DXF, DWG or PDF), plus the material, thickness, quantity and required delivery date. Send it to sales@kaizen-eng.com and we’ll come back to you with a price.

What laser machines do you run?

Our main machine is an 8kW Trumpf fibre laser for fast, high-quality cutting of sheet and plate in mild steel, stainless and aluminium. We also run a Trumpf CO₂ laser for thicker plate work.

Can you fold and weld the parts after cutting?

Yes. We offer press braking, fabrication and assembly on site, so your parts can go from flat sheet to finished assembly with one supplier.