New fibre laser cutter boosts production at Thorlux

Thorlux has recently installed a new turret press metal piercing machine, boosting energy efficiency and manufacturing performance at its headquarters in Redditch, Worcestershire.

The sheet metal area of the Thorlux factory houses four heavy-duty turret press machines. These produce the flat metal components that ultimately become the chassis and parts of Thorlux luminaires.

The new fibre laser cutter machine, installed in April 2025, replaces an older CO₂ laser unit. This new machine uses fibre lasers for more precise cutting and greater energy efficiency. Thorlux engineers have estimated that the new machine could enhance the production capacity of the sheet metal section by up to 14%, equating to approximately 40 extra working hours per week. It is anticipated that the new machine will save 154,560 kW/hours per year, which, coupled with the associated reduction in compressed air requirements, will reduce factory energy consumption by up to 11%.

Thorlux Lighting, as part of the FW Thorpe Group, aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated this target under the Net-Zero Standard. While the Thorlux factory already operates on 100% green electricity, maximising efficiency is essential for growth and productivity; this new machine will create the capacity for further process decarbonisation elsewhere on site.

Improving manufacturing sustainability also means reusing and repurposing existing utilities where possible. Since the previous CO₂ laser cutter is still in good working order, it will be transferred to sister company Solite, a clean room lighting specialist, to increase production capacity at its factory in Stockport, Greater Manchester.