The UK is “falling seriously behind” its competitors in its uptake of industrial automation “based on pretty much every metric”, the recently published Made Smarter review has warned. “Given the UK’s pivotal historic role as the leader of the industrial age, it seems disturbing that we appear to be falling ever further down the list of automated, digitalised countries – yet that is just what is happening,” the report says.
The UK's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) is awarding £68m in funding to several ground-breaking research and innovation projects in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). The awards are part of the government’s £93m of funding for the robotics and AI in extreme environments programme announced by the Chancellor in his April budget.
The engineering plastics specialist igus has increased the size of its UK site from 672m2 to 1,000m2 with the creation of a new upper floor that will accommodate its growing sales and technical support team, while freeing up ground-floor space to meet demand for assembled products.
Mitsubishi Electric is joining the Black Friday frenzy in the UK by offering customers 40% off the price of its Melfa Scara robot starter kits for a limited period, saving them up to £6,785.
The UK is in pole position to benefit from the fourth industrial revolution, reversing its poor productivity, lifting living standards and resulting in a fairer society – but seizing the opportunity will need a new kind of industrial strategy, the CBI has warned.
Steve Brambley is to take over as chief executive of Gambica, the UK’s trade association for the instrumentation, control, automation and laboratory technology sectors, when the current CEO, Dr Graeme Philp, retires on 23 January, 2018, after seven years in the role.
In 2015, a London-based start-up called Automata announced that it had developed a six-axis collaborative robot called Eva that it was planning to sell for about £3,000 – thus undercutting most of the competition substantially. Then things went quiet.
Gareth Jones, previously global vice-president of strategic marketing for Control Techniques, has been appointed UK and Ireland country leader of the ACIM (appliance, commercial and industrial motors) operation of CT’s new parent, Nidec. He will focus on expanding Control Techniques, Leroy-Somer and Nidec’s automation businesses in the UK and Ireland.
Siemens and the University of Sheffield have launched a partnership to accelerate digitalisation, boost digital skills, and promote technology and knowledge exchange to meet the needs of increasingly-digitalised industry. The agreement is the first collaboration in a multi-million pound, UK-wide digitalisation network that will link businesses and universities using the Internet of Things (IoT) to exploit the opportunities offered by digital technology.
Atkore International, the US-based manufacturer of electrical raceway systems, has acquired Flexicon, the UK-headquartered manufacturer of metallic and non-metallic, flexible cable protection systems. The terms of the transaction have not been revealed.
Schneider Electric has announced that Mike Hughes is succeeding Tanuja Randery as president of its UK and Ireland business. Randery, who has been in the post since January 2015, is moving to a new role in the financial sector.
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has been relaunched as an online helpdesk and service to support Britain’s manufacturing industry and help businesses to access information.
EEF, the UK manufacturers’ organisation, has announced that Stephen Phipson, currently Head of the Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) in the Department for International Trade, is to become its new chief executive from 1 December, succeeding Terry Scuoler who is stepping down.
Smaller British manufacturers will soon have access to a “reconfigurable factory” research cell where they can test machining and assembly technologies before building their own production machinery. The cell is being assembled at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) for the Centre’s Integrated Manufacturing Group (IMG).
A team of managers, led by managing director Lee Walkland, has acquired the Sheffield-headquartered gearbox repairs business TDR Transmissions for a seven-figure sum. Walkland is taking over from his father Ken Walkland, one of two existing owners. He will be joined by Darren Morland, Carl Smith and Jason Smith as the new owners.
