Following Astro Technologies Ltd decision to cease trading after many years in the business, a number of ex Astro employees have formed a new company called Productivity Partner Ltd [PPL] which has secured the exclusive distributorships in UK & Ireland for Astro’s three main principals – Fuji, Vitronics Soltec and Autotronik.

This new venture has been named Productivity Partner Ltd (PPL) with a main objective of ensuring that customers for Astro’s three main principals continue to receive advice and timely deliveries on genuine spare parts as well as having access to a Technical Field Based Support team. They have also stated that if you have equipment actually purchased directly from Astro that is still under warranty, PPL will assume responsibility for the remainder of that warranty period

PPL also offers a range of “Bench Top” assembly products including dispensing consumables such as barrels, tips and pistons as well as a quality range of hand tools such as cutters, pliers and tweezers. Also available is an extensive range of ESD protection products including wrist straps, cords, heel straps, bags etc etc.

PPL are due to move into a newly built Technical Centre near Paddock Wood in Kent at the beginning of July, but in the meantime have taken a facility in Tunbridge Wells. Machine sales, consumable sales, spares and technical support are all based from this location.

PPL Managing Director, Malcolm Furminger commented “The decision to form a new organisation with several ex Astro colleagues was the natural thing to do. We have taken many years of expertise with us and our principals have been very supportive of PPL. “