Published 8/16/2023

Joint Ribbon Cutting at Fagor, Danobat Showrooms

Danobat and Fagor co-hosted an inaugural event for their co-located facilities in the Chicago area.

Senior Associate Editor, Modern Machine Shop

On June 9, CNC manufacturer Fagor Automation and grinding machine manufacturer Danobat USA inaugurated the companies’ new joint headquarters in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, with a ribbon-cutting event attended by customers, press and local politicians. Both companies invited attendees into their respective showrooms to get a taste of the technology they offer.

Danobat GM Manex Ochoteco told attendees of the even that the Illinois facility would be at the center of the company’s presence in the U.S. Photo Credit: Danobat

Danobat, for example, had both its LG-1000 and CG-1000 grinding machines on display, two machines designed for both small-batch and high-production work. Both grinding machines incorporate granite bases for the rigidity and damping properties they provide, as well as direct-drive linear motors that improve acceleration and reduce wear that can otherwise contribute to positional inaccuracies. The two machines share numerous parts, enabling Danobat to keep enough replacement parts on hand to service its U.S. customers.

Danobat displayed a selection of grinding machines at the event, with technical experts there to discuss the machines’ features with attendees. Photo Credit: Danobat

Fagor’s showroom highlighted the flexibility of the company’s CNCs, which are designed for OEMs to easily adapt them to any machine. Because they are compatible with different common programming languages, the company says anyone who can build a website can design a custom interface that meets the needs of its customers.

This means OEMs can easily design interfaces for specific processes required by machine tool users. Additionally, the company sells turnkey packages to retrofit traditional knee mills and lathes with CNC, a great help for machine shops who need to keep older mills running after talented machinists retire.

Fagor’s new headquarters at Rolling Meadows is designed to be the center of the company’s U.S. presence. According to CEO Jose Perez, the talent pool of the Chicago area and the resources provided by local universities have been a great help in establishing this presence. Photo Credit: Fagor Automation

At the event, Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica welcomed the two companies to Illinois, and Economic and Commercial Councilor Maria Jesus Fernandez of the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain thanked both companies for demonstrating Spain’s manufacturing leadership to the world.

Danobat President Manex Ochoteco expressed his confidence in housing the company’s Marketing and Applications Engineering departments in Illinois, saying, “This facility will be the center of our company’s U.S. presence.” Danobat Group GM Pello Rodriguez praised the facility for enabling the company to engage with customers at the local level.

Fagor CEO Jose Perez thanked the mayor for assisting the companies in building this new facility and discussed the value of the Chicago area for the company. He specifically thanked local colleges for connecting Fagor to the talent pool of skilled workers in the region. Fagor GM Harsh Bibra expressed his optimism for the new facility, declaring, “This is the place where we fulfill our future dreams.”