Manufacturing in the UK

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New Renishaw technology achieves up to 50 per cent reduction in additive manufacturing build times - UK Manufacturing

Today at Formnext 2023, global engineering technologies company Renishaw launched TEMPUS™ technology, which enables users of its metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems to reduce build times by up to 50 per cent, with no impact on part quality. Alongside this new technology, Renishaw has launched the latest update in its RenAM 500 series of metal additive manufacturing (AM) systems. TEMPUS technology is standard fitment with the new RenAM 500 Ultra system, as well as advanced process monitoring software. The combination of significantly reduced build times and detailed build insights means that the RenAM 500 Ultra delivers cost-effective, reliable additive manufacturing for metal component production...

 

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UKEF backs major Taiwan offshore wind project, creating over £130 million in UK exports

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has agreed to support a Taiwanese offshore wind project with its largest ever project financing guarantee for renewables, securing over £130 million in UK manufacturing and service exports.

The government export credit agency is supporting the Hai Long project – Taiwan’s largest offshore wind project to date – with a guarantee for NT$15 billion of financing, equivalent to £380 million. This contribution supports a project financing package of over £3 billion issued by more than 15 lenders to the Hai Long project, which is being developed by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (“Mitsui”) of Japan and Northland Power of Canada. UKEF was one of seven export credit agencies which guaranteed this financing.

UKEF issued the guarantee under its Buyer Credit facility on the condition that the Hai Long project procures from the UK supply chain, sealing new export opportunities for UK manufacturers.

With the 1 GW facility expected to power over one million households upon completion, this transaction also sees UKEF continue to widen its portfolio of renewable-energy projects which support global efforts to transition towards net zero. This is UKEF’s fourth deal supporting an offshore wind project in Taiwan and brings UKEF’s total commitment to clean energy projects in the Asia Pacific region to over £1.2 billion...

 

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Match made in the West Midlands seals £1.5m Indian export order - The Manufacturer

Two West Midlands manufacturers are celebrating 40 years of working together with a major export order secured at Blechexpo.
Brandauer, one of the world’s leading independent metal stampers, has joined forces with another firm based in the West Midlands, Coventry’s Auric Metal Finishers, to design, develop and supply bespoke EloPin push fit-connectors for a Tier 1 automotive supplier in India.

The £1.5m order will see the Birmingham-based company produce up to 30 million parts annually in 2025 and will help create new jobs in the region.

“This contract involves a very complex component for use in motive control systems and the customer was struggling to source the technology in India, so they turned to the West Midlands for inspiration,” explained Rowan Crozier, CEO of Brandauer.

“We have significant experience in push-fit connectors and were able to tweak our EloPin product to come up with a solution. Better still we can complete all the tooling at our new Precision Tooling Academy we run with In-Comm Training.”

He continued: “The relationship with Auric Metal Finishers was also key to the deal. We understand the way each other works and, its unique ability to deliver reel-to-reel precision plating, ensured we could deliver the finish that was crucial to the end application.

“Export continues to be a major source of revenue and we are delighted that we have been able to sign another landmark deal at Blechexpo, one of the largest events for our sector. There aren’t that many West Midlands firms exhibiting here, but the two of us are doing our bit to put the region on the manufacturing map.”

David Harris, Managing Director of Auric Metal Finishers, added his support: “Our advanced reel-to-reel technology applies coats precisely where you need them and there are not many firms that can deliver that type of pinpoint accuracy in the UK.

“This has meant we have become a strategic supplier to Brandauer over the last four decades, getting involved in the development phase of projects to ensure the right finish and process is specified. Taking this approach can often eliminate unnecessary costs and reduce lead times significantly.

“There is a wealth of manufacturing expertise in the West Midlands and this latest deal with India proves it.”

Established more than 162 years ago, Brandauer make components that are used in 90% of the world’s kettles, in re-con drones that save lives, edge connectors for the dimming of rear-view mirrors in 55% of car models and for high-profile male grooming products used by millions of people.

More than 70% of the company’s current revenue stream comes from overseas business, with billions of components sent every year to the US, China, the Middle East and the EU...

 

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Almost 1 in 10 of scale-up businesses in the UK are in the manufacturing sector - The Manufacturer

OakNorth, the neobank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, has published new research with the Social Market Foundation, a cross-party think tank, revealing the outsized impact of scale-up businesses on the UK economy by region, country and sector.

Small but mighty​

The new report, titled ‘The Scale of the Opportunity’, follows the recent publication of ‘Full Scale’, which reveals the barriers preventing more SMEs in the UK from reaching scale-up stage and provides recommendations to government on how to overcome them. This new research has found that while scale-ups represent just one percent of all SMEs in the UK, they account for 22% of all SME turnover (£497bn), as well as eight percent of all SME employment.

Manufacturing momentum​

The research reveals that almost one in ten (eight percent) of scale-up businesses across the UK are based in the manufacturing sector. With the right financial interventions, such as potentially using EIS/SEIS/R&D credit budgets and focusing on equity investment through the British Business Bank, the UK can create more clusters of successful scale-ups such as these.

Surprisingly, only two percent of scale-up businesses are from the real estate sector, so one of the recommendations to government is to reform planning to boost business expansion and home building, which would see this figure increase...

 

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East Midlands manufacturer awarded £3m contract to fit out one of UK’s first Passivhaus secondary schools - East Midlands Business Link

Mansfield-based Deanestor has been awarded another major contract in the education sector – a project worth over £3m to fit out the new 1,600-place Perth High School.

The school is one of the first secondary schools in the UK to be built to Passivhaus standards.

This will be Deanestor’s 14th contract for Robertson Construction and it follows its successful completion of a number of school projects in Scotland.

Deanestor will be fitting out 274 rooms across the new campus and will manufacture or procure more than 2,700 items of fitted and loose furniture, including storage solutions, changing benches, teaching kitchen, learning walls, tables and chairs, equipment for sports and arts, workbenches and tools for technology and engineering...

 

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New Welsh Export Champions announced by UK Government

Nine new Export Champions for Wales have been announced by the UK Government at the start of International Trade Week 2023.

Representing key sectors in the Welsh economy including manufacturing, AI and FinTech, the new Export Champions will promote the benefits of exporting and encourage other companies across Wales to consider selling to overseas markets.

This will be done by taking part in trade events, sharing their exporting stories with those in their sector and providing advice to other businesses about how to break into new markets abroad.

Wales now has 18 Export Champions working to promote different sectors of the economy and 10 took part in an event at the Wales Office in Whitehall, London on Monday (6 November) to mark the beginning of International Trade Week (6-10 November) and highlight the best of Welsh business...

 

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Advanced manufacturing institute unveils £6m expansion - Production Engineering Solutions

The UK’s first ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’ has unveiled a £6m expansion that will aim to boost industry’s journey towards a clean, sustainable, and digital world.

Coventry University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), which was originally born out of a collaboration with Unipart Manufacturing in 2014, relaunched yesterday at a special event that attracted over 200 domestic and international guests.

Benefitting from a £5m University investment followed by a £1m grant from the Government’s Local Growth Fund though the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), the recent changes have delivered nearly 2,000m2 of additional space that is home to state-of-the-art laser welders, six new laboratories, a robotic and testing area and new digital twin capabilities.

The relaunch marks nearly a decade of achievement for AME, with over £110m of Research & Development (R&D) and commercial projects completed for the likes of Aston Martin, Ford, Lotus and Hyperbat, helping generate more than £500m of economic benefits for the UK.

Nearly 175 companies – including OEMs, tier ones and SMEs in the supply chain – have been involved in collaborative work, whilst more than 400 students have graduated through the unique combination of real-world shopfloor and classroom learning...

 

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Local(ish) news:

Exeter company invests £1.4m in new machines to meet global demand - Devon Live

An Exeter manufacturing company, which exports across the globe, has invested more than £1.4million in new machinery to meet increased demand for its products. HEL Performance designs, engineers, manufactures and distributes race-winning braking products and related services for the automotive industry. It produces all of its mainline stainless steel and aluminium products on its own machines from its factory near Whitestone, on the edge of Exeter.

Its products are distributed to more than 90 countries worldwide and its stainless-steel brake lines are used in Moto GP and World Super Bikes. Its brake calipers, master cylinders and thumb brakes are all used in British Super Bikes and customers include major British motorcycle marques, as well as automotive manufacturers.

Following its research and development strategy, HEL Performance has further invested in four new Star CNC SW 20 sliding head lathe machines which are used to create its stainless-steel banjo fittings. The investment will reduce production time to 100 seconds each. They have also invested in two new Brother CNC Milling machines complete with Lang Robot loaders to allow the machines to be run 24/7...

 

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Cable manufacturing factory secures £9m - Energy Live News

Scottish high voltage direct current cable (HVDC) manufacturer, XLCC, has received a £9 million grant from Scottish Enterprise to advance its £1.4 billion Hunterston cable manufacturing facility.

With planning approval from North Ayrshire Council, the site is poised to employ up to 900 highly skilled workers.

XLCC aims to establish the UK’s first HVDC factory, addressing the growing global demand for efficient electricity transmission via subsea connectors...

 

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New ‘Investment Readiness’ programme to unlock growth potential of hundreds of manufacturing firms - UK Manufacturing

Hundreds of small to medium-sized manufacturers (SMEs) in Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull are set to receive a major investment readiness boost with the launch of a new support package.

Oxford Innovation Advice has been contracted by Business Growth West Midlands to deliver an Investment Readiness programme across three of the region’s leading industrial areas.

Utilising over £1m of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the initiative will help manufacturing SMEs demystify the world of business finance, covering topics such as debt and asset finance, grant funding opportunities, equity and the increasingly popular crowdfunding route.

The support will be delivered through a combination of workshops, masterclasses and one-to-one mentoring by finance specialists, all of whom have years of experience in unlocking funding and helping firms grow.

There will also be access to bespoke online resources that will help bosses better understand key measures, financial forecasting, cashflow needs and creating pitch desks to entice potential investors...

 

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The UK must harness the power of advanced manufacturing - UK Manufacturing

UK advanced manufacturing can support sustainable regional and national economic growth, but this requires long-term political vision and commitment, according to the leaders of the UK’s five most successful manufacturing sectors.

With a general election coming up, a coalition of the UK’s leading advanced manufacturing sectors, the Manufacturing Five (M5), is calling on all political parties to unite around a long-term vision for UK manufacturing.

With a combined turnover of £309 billion, the M5 has come together to propose an essential new ‘manifesto for growth,’ which sets out the critical actions needed to drive the competitiveness and growth of innovative manufacturing.

The five-point ‘manifesto for growth’ sets out the reforms necessary for the UK to close the gap with global competitors and unlock the potential for manufacturing to drive prosperity and pride across the UK.

The plan focuses on building the workforce of tomorrow, regulating for growth, supporting innovation, leadership in sustainability, and securing Britain’s place as a leading trading nation.

The report underscores the critical importance of advanced manufacturing in shaping the UK’s future. It stresses the need for a coherent, long-term strategy to ensure their continued success.

Vital for the UK economy, the M5 sectors span life sciences, chemicals, food and drink, automotive, aerospace, defence, security and space, and employ nearly one million people in roles that are 46% more productive than the national average. Moreover, these sectors are responsible for over £2 out of every £5 invested in research and development (R&D) by UK businesses.

Despite these strengths, the sectors have faced disruptions and changes in operating environments, resulting in significant challenges to overcome, in addition to a new era of global competition driven by targeted national industrial strategies.

To meet these challenges head-on, any future government must play a central role by creating the conditions for UK manufacturing to thrive and innovate. This approach is essential in generating new job opportunities, supporting British innovation, and encouraging investment across all nations and regions of the UK.

The report outlines five pillars to drive sustained growth:

1. Building the workforce of tomorrow – developing a skilled and adaptable workforce ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
2. Regulation for growth – implementing policies and regulations that foster innovation and growth within the manufacturing sectors.
3. Delivering an innovation nation – prioritising innovation as an essential element for manufacturing growth.
4. Harnessing Britain’s place in the world – capitalising on the UK’s global presence to promote its manufacturing industries.
5. Delivering a sustainable future – working in partnership with businesses to support the transition to more sustainable manufacturing approaches.

 

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Offshore wind giant secures £370 million UKEF-backed facility to expand UK business - UKEF

In a move which supports the growth of the North Sea offshore wind industry, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has issued a loan guarantee so that Seaway7 can access a £370 million funding package.

The export credit agency has issued the guarantee under its Export Development Guarantee (EDG) so that the offshore wind specialist can invest in its UK operations. The UKEF guarantee covers 80% of the total loan, which has been coordinated by HSBC and with Citibank, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, DNB, HSBC and ING as Mandated Lead Arrangers.

UKEF’s backing is expected to help the firm win and service Engineering, Procurement Construction and Installation (EPCI) contracts for fixed offshore wind projects which will generate UK export revenue. Seaway7 has completed successful offshore wind projects in a range of markets, including Taiwan, the USA and continental Europe.

Further development of Seaway7’s UK business is also set to create over 100 new jobs in Aberdeen’s offshore wind industry by the end of the decade, supporting regional growth and the government’s continued aim of decarbonising the economy by 2050...

 

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Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation orders 35 electric Alexander Dennis Enviro500EV

Alexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that it has been chosen in a competitive tender by Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation to supply 35 battery-electric Enviro500EV double deck buses.

MTR Corporation provides Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway urban rail system including a network of feeder bus services, for which it operates a fleet of 172 buses. Most of them have been supplied by Alexander Dennis from its Enviro200, Enviro400 and Enviro500 vehicle ranges.

MTR Corporation’s new fleet of zero-emission buses will be delivered throughout 2025 and 2026...

 

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Hydro, UK EV startup WEVC partner up on low-carbon aluminium - Reuters

LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Aluminium maker Hydro (NHY.OL) and Watt Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC) said on Wednesday they will explore using recycled and low-carbon aluminium to help meet the climate goals of the UK commercial electric van startup's potential customers.

Hydro's low-carbon aluminium is produced using renewable energy and has a CO2 footprint of 4.0 kg per tonne compared with a global average of 16.7kg. Hydro and WEVC will also evaluate using recycled aluminium in the manufacturing process.

This should help WEVC cut the carbon footprint of its eCV1 electric van by 50% and the plan is for the aluminium to be returned to Hydro at the end of the vehicle's life...

 

[Yokel]

Another one for @WightMivvi and @Wightsparker and other from that locale:

Team of UK companies secure contract to trial 5G infrastructure from the sky - The Manufacturer

A team of UK companies led by Stratospheric Platforms Limited (SPL), a Non Terrestrial Networks telecoms developer, has won a significant contract trialling advanced airborne 5G connectivity from a Britten-Norman Islander.

Aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman will be providing key design and trials support for the project, with Marshall Futureworx providing important cooling systems technology.

SPL is pioneering the concept of using a High-Altitude Platform (HAP) with airborne antenna to provide widescale coverage of high performance 5G from the stratosphere.

The goal of the project is to deliver an unmanned, liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft, designed with a 56-metre wingspan that will, due to its lightweight structure and significant power source, enable a flight endurance of over a week.

The first phase of the contract will see SPLs 5G airborne phased array integrated to a Britten-Norman Islander, with flight trials due to begin in July 2024. The turbine-powered BN2T-4S Islander variant has been selected for the programme due to its performance and payload capacity and the simplicity with which it can be modified to accommodate the equipment. The trial will be conducted under Britten-Norman’s Civil Aviation Authority test conditions.

Britten-Norman will operate the aircraft from its Solent Airport aircraft maintenance (MRO) facility, with the mission to be performed over the North Sea. The 5G phased array will be linked via a backhaul link to the Adastral Tower in Suffolk, England, from which the telecommunications and mission equipment will operate...