The US motion control and water management specialist Rexnord has acquired the assets of Micro Precision Gear Technology, a UK-based manufacturer of precision gears and other components, for an undisclosed sum. Micro-Precision has 85 employees and annual sales worth about $14m.
More than half of manufacturing SMEs in England are planning to spend more on new machinery and premises over the next six months – a 12% rise on the same period last year.
British manufacturers have seen a significant rise in production levels in the three months to August, as well as markedly improved order books, according to the latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey from the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).
British manufacturers are increasing their innovation in new products, technology and research, and plan to use this to expand their activities in emerging markets over the coming three years, according to a new survey from EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation and NatWest Bank.
The Swedish compressor giant Atlas Copco is buying the British vacuum pump specialist, Edwards, for up to SEK10.6bn ($1.6bn). Edwards, whose headquarters are in Crawley, UK, has more than 3,200 employees and generated revenues worth £595m in 2012, more than half of this coming from Asia.
Magnomatics, the Sheffield-based developer of magnetic transmissions and ultra-compact and efficient motors and generators, is planning to add at least 41 new jobs, after winning a £1m regional growth fund (RGF) grant.
The Bournemouth-based geared motor manufacturer Parvalux has introduced a service that allows it to deliver proof-of-concept gearbox prototypes in as little as two days.
EEF, the UK manufacturers’ organisation, has upgraded its growth forecasts for this year and next, but warned of significant risks if investment does not make up the ground lost in the past five years.
The upturn in UK manufacturing continued to build momentum at the start of the third quarter, with growth rates for production and new orders at their highest levels since February 2011, according to the latest Markit/CIPS Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI).
Roger Evans has been appointed as Schaeffler (UK)’s managing director, with immediate effect, succeeding Kate Hartigan, who is retiring after serving more than 19 years at the company.
Sales of robots in the UK during the second quarter of 2013 were more than double those in the first quarter and almost as large as sales for the whole of 2011, according to figures released by Bara, the British Automation and Robot Association.
About a third of UK manufacturing businesses have given their staff pay rises over the past 12 months, according to a survey of SME owner-managers conducted by Close Brothers. Almost two-thirds of these increases were in line with inflation, while a fifth were above inflation.
Medway (UK), the Kent-based manufacturer and distributor of mechanical power transmission and motion transfer products, has bought another production facility close to its headquarters in Ashford.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has transferred temporarily to the premises of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) while its own Savoy Place venue undergoes a major refurbishment.
Control Techniques is planning to expand its global headquarters and research and product development centre in Newtown, Wales, with the potential to create 40 new full-time engineering and design jobs.
