TaeguTec Drives Productivity At Mathison

A decades-long relationship between a Gosport-based precision engineering company and cutting tool specialist TaeguTec demonstrates that the right combination of tooling expertise and new machine tools can unlock substantial productivity gains.

Mathison Engineering Ltd, established in the 1980s, has evolved from a one-man operation to become a respected precision engineering business serving the marine, aviation, and food industries. Managing Director Steve Mathison, who took over from his father, has recently invested in new SYIL machining centres that have transformed the business's capabilities, and finally allowed TaeguTec's advanced tooling to perform as designed.

The partnership between Mathison Engineering and TaeguTec stretches back over 20 years, originating with Steve's father, John Mathison. "Our relationship with Iain Lacayo (TaeguTec Senior Technical Sales Engineer) has been going on for absolutely ever," explains Steve. Over two decades, TaeguTec has established itself as Mathison Engineering's primary cutting tool supplier, with Iain becoming a trusted technical adviser and problem-solver.

"Iain has always been our go-to man. If there are issues or problems with machining, he's been there to help and advise us on the correct tooling, speeds, feeds, and all those little issues that come along, which you don't think of," says Steve. TaeguTec has remained constant throughout the company’s journey. "We were one of many initially, but it's been filtered out. Now, we're the main supplier for indexable turning, parting-off and milling tools," adds Iain.

Superior Tools
Mathison Engineering faced a frustrating paradox of high-performance TaeguTec cutting tools with machinery that couldn't exploit their full potential. "Some of our machines were too old; they were struggling to keep up with the recommended tooling," Steve explains. "Where TaeguTec tooling could run at speeds well beyond 20,000rpm, our machines could never get that far."

The company's three ageing Fadal machining centres, limited to approximately 10,000rpm, meant the potential of TaeguTec's advanced tooling had never been fully utilised. "We had to divide everything by half—half the speed, half the feed. Sometimes that's not really good for a tool, but the cutters still did the job better than anybody else's products.”

Despite these constraints, TaeguTec remained the primary supplier. "We've got all the TaeguTec tool holders and tips. The tooling is brilliant, it works wonderfully," says Steve.

The Breakthrough
The turning point came in March 2025 when Mathison Engineering took delivery of a SYIL X5 machining centre with a 20,000rpm spindle. The results were immediate and dramatic. "That machine can turn out work twice as fast compared to our Fadal’s—that's a 100% productivity improvement." For the first time, the machinery and TaeguTec tooling were properly aligned.

The Complete Solution
Mathison Engineering's reliance on TaeguTec spans virtually every cutting operation. The breadth of TaeguTec's product range means that whether drilling, milling, turning, or parting off, TaeguTec provides the solution. For milling operations, the company depends heavily on TaeguTec's indexable solutions. The WinMill system's 8mm two-flute indexable end mill with CVKT inserts has become indispensable for small slots and detailed work, effectively replacing solid carbide tooling with a more economical solution.

"It's quicker and more repeatable than solid carbide tools because you don’t have to do offsets. You just turn your insert around and away you go,” explains Iain. The Chase4Mill system, with its 90-degree, four-edged inserts, handles everything from rough milling to precision shoulder work, whilst the ChaseMold system with RYMX inserts excels at stainless steel milling common in marine component work.

TaeguTec's DrillRush indexable drilling system covers hole-making from 8mm up to 80mm diameter. As Iain notes: "The workhorses at Mathison are the little end mills, indexable tools from 8 to 25mm diameter." For turning and parting operations on the CMZ lathes, TaeguTec's face grooving systems and parting tools deliver the reliability and surface finish required for challenging marine applications.

What distinguishes TaeguTec is the consultative approach. "We quite often pick a tool out of the book, and Iain says: 'No, you don't. You want that one because that's better for you—it's got double the amount of edges on the tips,’" explains Steve. "I'd much rather pay a little more for a tip and have eight edges than just two. He saves us a lot of money with his knowledge of the TaeguTec range."

Measurable Improvements
With the SYIL X5 running TaeguTec tools at their designed parameters, improvements across every metric have been substantial. "Tools are definitely lasting longer because we're now able to use the right speeds and feeds," Steve explains.

The 5-axis Future
Impressed by the transformative results, Mathison Engineering has purchased a SYIL X11 machining centre with a 5-axis rotary table. "We've never done five-axis before, but when we need to talk to someone about 5-axis, we go straight to Iain for his advice." TaeguTec is already positioned to support this development. The X11 is equipped with 20-bar coolant pressure specifically to enable TaeguTec's Typhoon high-speed machining system.

"We've already started asking Iain questions about the Typhoon and how it works," says Steve. "Now we've got the equipment that will handle his tooling. We can now take on more complex work." Operating at 35,000rpm with high-pressure coolant delivery, the Typhoon system will enable even more aggressive cutting parameters. "The X11 will take Mathison into the area where small cutters are in the ideal window of where they should be," explains Iain.

The relationship extends well beyond cutting tools. Steve particularly appreciates TaeguTec's comprehensive spare parts support. "You can buy screws, seats, clamps—unbelievable," he says. "You can buy those parts, so the expensive holder doesn't become obsolete. You can just refurbish it, and you're off and running again."

Looking ahead, TaeguTec is working closely with SYIL to provide integrated tooling packages for new machine installations through a voucher programme. This ensures that from day one, machines and tools are optimally matched.

The Indispensable Partner

"Now the tooling and the machine are paired together; they work well as a team," concludes Steve. "That's what makes the difference." For Mathison Engineering, that team will always include TaeguTec as the go-to solution for every cutting challenge. As the relationship between Mathison Engineering, TaeguTec, and SYIL continues to strengthen, it serves as a compelling case study in how long-term supplier partnerships, expert technical support, and perfectly matched tooling solutions combine to deliver measurable, transformative business benefits.