Lye, Stourbridge - In the heart of the West Midlands, nestled amidst the industrial landscape, Midland Deburr & Finish says it stands as a testament to the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and unwavering determination. As the company commemorates its 25th anniversary this month, Directors Chris and Sue Arrowsmith reflect on the remarkable journey that has shaped their lives and the landscape of metal finishing in the region.

Arron Wilcock, a Reliability Maintenance Engineering Apprentice at Amazon, who is part of a Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Training Apprenticeship Programme, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Enginuity Skills Awards Trophy Design Competition.

A honey manufacturer says it will double growth and create five new jobs after investing in automation, with the support of Made Smarter.

Can technology save the planet? The sentiment at the World Economic Forum annual conference in Davos evoked an overwhelming yes. Next generation technologies have undeniable potential. Yet, the success of these technologies hinges on how we navigate their implementation. Stefan Reuther, Member of the Executive Board at automation supplier COPA-DATA, reflects on the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual conference — what change is required to achieve the twin transition?

Nanotechnology, biomaterials, textiles, polymers, metals and glass; MRE 2024 will delve into a diverse range of sustainable and functional materials innovations when it returns to the Business Design Centre, London, from 23 – 24 April 2024.

Leeds Manufacturing Festival  has announced it will host the launch of a pioneering new digital platform this week, showcasing the very best employers offering engineering apprenticeships across the UK, as part of the festival’s campaign to address the skills and recruitment crisis facing manufacturing and engineering firms.

A MAJOR investment in Barrow-in-Furness can only be good news for supply chain companies and the wider economy. That’s the view of Forth which has one of its three Cumbrian bases in the town.

BEP Surface Technologies, a leading metal surface specialist, has announced it has launched an innovation arm, BEP Solutions, to accelerate international R&D partnerships to solve global challenges.

PWE looks at how advanced robot controllers can provide enhanced troubleshooting in smart factory settings — while prioritising data security.

PWE looks at how an offshore platform in Malaysia solved an increased rate of seal failures on the condensate pumps by a retrofit

We all know that compressed air leaks are a huge source of energy (and money) waste, but do you know how much they really cost? After conducting around 60 surveys in different facilities from different industries, using an ultrasound camera, UE Systems concluded that the average leak would cost around £1200 per year. When you think that any industrial site will have dozens or even hundreds of leaks, you can quickly realise the savings potential. PWE reports

The Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) is working with the British Standards Institute (BSI) and UKRI’s Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, to develop an AI-powered tool to help electromechanical repair specialists ensure they repair hazardous area motors to the correct standard. PWE reports

PWE takes a look at how Babcock Wanson’s Navinergy is changing the way boiler rooms are managed, providing users with advanced tools to improve efficiency and maintain regulatory compliance

Beth Ragdale, Product Manager at automation specialist Beckhoff UK, explains the value of consolidating production line data

The engineering and infrastructure sector is developing at a rapid pace. There has been growth over the past decade, with the number of people working in engineering increasing from 5.4 million in 2010 to 5.7 million in 2021, with a peak of 6.3 million in 2019. PWE reports.

According to predictive maintenance provider, Senseye, large plants lose an average of 27 hours a month to machine failures. Digital, dynamic control of industrial cranes on the factory floor is a largely unknown, but pivotal, source of uptime. Andy Swann, business development manager for cranes & power transmission at CP Automation, explains why

BEP Surface Technologies, a leading electroplating and surface finishing specialist, has announced it has cut energy use by 20% after investing in control and automation technologies.

With a recent report further underlining skills shortage issues faced by the UK manufacturing sector, a prominent utilities equipment supplier is calling upon industry professionals to re-evaluate their current approaches to temperature control. PWE reports

Product quality is high on the priority list of any reputable manufacturer. Whether your business manufacturers finished articles or components for other business to incorporate into their products, the risks are the same: If your production equipment fails, your business quickly transitions from a profitable organisation to a loss-making company. PWE reports

ChatGPT demonstrates the potential impact that large language models could have on the way people interact with machines. According to Boston Consulting Group, generative AI will surely bring about a boost in productivity from people and machines working together; and there is no place where people and machines interact more than in industrial automation segments. Aurelien Le Sant, Chief Technology Officer, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric explains further

The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has appointed Steven Rohan as its new president.

The recent Talking Industry panel discussion, sponsored by the Drives & Controls Exhibition, delved into the intricacies of network connectivity in the industrial sector. The discussion, which featured seasoned experts David Bradley-Foley, Managing Director of HMS Networks, UK and Ireland, and John Browett, General Manager of CC-Link Partner Association Europe, highlighted several key trends shaping the landscape of industrial communications

ERIKS Industrial Services and Festo UK & Ireland are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their partnership with a host of activities that will develop the relationship further and continue to grow business for their mutual benefit.

ABB has entered into an agreement to acquire SEAM Group, a major provider of energised asset management and advisory services to clients across industrial and commercial building markets.

As the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is to ‘inspire inclusion’, Towergate Health & Protection is reminding employers of the importance of providing female employees with equal, adequate, and appropriate support. Three of Towergate Health & Protection’s inspirational women have provided their thoughts regarding changes needed relating to health and wellbeing support in the workplace.

Schneider Electric UK has announced it has opened applications for its newly expanded 2024 apprenticeship programme. The company, a global leader in energy management and automation says it will see it’s cohort double in size for its 2024 apprenticeship programme, with opportunities spanning Levels 3 to 6 across a broad range of specialisms.

Make UK, one of the country’s leading business organisations, has announced it has partnered with Peoplesafe, a personal safety technology leader, to protect the manufacturing industry’s workers.

Rubis Terminal has become the latest company to join EEMUA, the international membership body for companies that own and operate industrial facilities or that are significant purchasers or users of engineering equipment and materials.

Pilz Automation Technology has announced it is continuing its series of free Machinery Safety webinars throughout 2024, with some new additions to the schedule.

The BCMPA says it  was delighted to host 24 of its members at the Contract Pack & Fulfilment (CP&F) zone at Packaging Innovations & Empack at the NEC as retailers, brand owners and entrepreneurs continued to seek the support of UK contract manufacturers, packers and eCommerce/fulfilment providers.

The Leeds Manufacturing Festival returns this month with an extended, year-round programme of events highlighting career opportunities for young people in the region’s manufacturing sector.

Vital Energi has announced it has signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Birmingham to develop and commercialise a range of innovative thermal storage solutions, which will help accelerate decarbonisation within the heating and cooling sector.

January 2024 was Electro-Wind’s 45th Anniversary. Whilst the first generation started and developed the business for 20 years, the next generation, the current Directors, have been committed to leading the company’s growth for the last 25 years.

Most e-bikes are powered by Lithium Ion (Li-on) batteries, larger versions of the kind found in smartphones, tablets, and some laptops.

CEO of multi-disciplinary engineering firm adi Group Alan Lusty speaks ahead of National Engineers Week 2024, commenting on the dire need to engage and inspire young students into the profession.

OMRON has announced it has been listed within the top 97% among peer sector companies on the globally recognised Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World*1), an SRI (socially responsible investment*2) stock price index.

The UK's premier packaging event looks set to be the most insight-packed, inspiring, and forward-thinking to date, with over 7,000 visitors expected across the two days.

Entries for award nominations are now open. The Energy & Utility Skills Conference and Awards is the inaugural event dedicated to fostering knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and excellence in the energy and utilities industries, focusing on skills relating to tackling climate change and achieving net zero.

To mark the 17th annual National Apprenticeship Week, HMG Paints says it is celebrating the variety of apprenticeship journeys currently taking place within the business.

The first Lifting Equipment Technician apprentice will be undertaking their End Point Assessment at the LEEA workshops in Huntingdon on 15th March 2024.

Every year, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) celebrates the power of apprenticeships, highlighting the positive impact they make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Oxford-based electrical/mechanical contractor and Royal Warrant holder Lowe & Oliver has announced it is officially launching its new apprentice training facility, the ’centre for excellence’, to mark the beginning of National Apprenticeship Week.

Wendy Tai, Director of Product Marketing for ServiceMax, looks at why there is a need for a Gen Z injection to meet digital-driven maintenance challenges and asks whether the industry is doing enough to embrace and train a younger generation of technicians?

Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, will hold this year’s National Manufacturing Conference, in London on Tuesday 27 February 2024. The flagship annual event at the QEII Conference Centre, Westminster will once again bring together leading politicians, senior industrialists, and manufacturing innovators against a challenging landscape of high energy prices, supply chain pressures and an uncertain economic climate.

Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, has announced five pioneering UK businesses chosen for a new Hydrogen Sensor Accelerator Programme.

Visku, a supply chain consulting and warehouse solutions provider, has announced it hosted a special event for the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) at its Wellingborough HQ on 24th January where Jonathan Reynolds, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business & Trade, set out Labour’s plan for small businesses.

Four Northern Ireland manufacturing companies are preparing to transform their production operations and improve their output, after graduating from the latest Digital Catapult Smart Nano NI Accelerator Programme. Following the completion of the programme, it is hoped that by adopting new digital solutions these four companies will further accelerate smart manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

To encourage more girls to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, global engineering technologies company, Renishaw, has hosted students from Denmark Road High School in Gloucester.

Fluid Power & Systems and Air-Tech, alongside Drives & Controls, will be taking place at the NEC on June 5th and 6th as part of Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week 2024. Readers of Plant & Works Engineering will find much of interest among the new technology and educational content both in these 2 events  and in the adjoined Smart Factory Expo, Maintec and Design Engineering Expo events. PWE takes a closer look at what visitors can expect.

Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification, has announced that it has been awarded two new accreditations by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) to deliver services on behalf of its energy and engineering technical service business units, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 and ISO/IEC 17065:2012.