Each day The Manufacturer compiles the top manufacturing news stories from around the web. To make your life a little easier, we trawl through all the major trade publications, broadsheets and business magazines to find you the most important manufacturing news each morning. Don't forget to bookmark this page and check back daily.
Construction begins at Sutherland, the UK mainland’s first vertical launch spaceport
Orbex has announced that construction has begun at Sutherland Spaceport (formerly known as Space Hub Sutherland) in Scotland, making this the first vertical launch spaceport to be built on the UK mainland.
Located on the North coast of Scotland, the spaceport will be the ‘home’ spaceport of Forres-based rocket and launch services company, Orbex, which will use the site to launch up to 12 orbital rockets per year for the deployment of satellites into Earth’s orbit. Read more via The Manufacturer
New car market grows for ninth month running
The UK new car market recorded its ninth successive month of growth in April, with an 11.6% increase to reach 132,990 registrations, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The performance marks the best April since 2021’s 141,583 units but remains 17.4% down on 2019 volumes. Read more via SMMT
JCB launches zero-emission electric drive scissor range
JCB Access is updating its hydraulically-driven scissor range, with six electric drive scissor platforms. Initially there will be three models, the S1932E, S2632E and S3246E, followed later this year by the S2646E, S4050E and the S4550E.
With these new models, the hydraulic drive motors are replaced by electric drive motors. The efficiency improvement, from replacing hydraulic with electric motors, results in an increase in productivity, with up to a 53% longer run time on a single battery charge. This reduces overall charging cost, lowering total cost of ownership for the customer. Read more via JCB
Manufacturing collective launches MANifesto as wait for Industrial Strategy goes on
Eight manufacturing SMEs have responded to the lack of a coherent industrial strategy in the UK by launching their own MANifesto today.
The Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), which comprises seven sub-contract manufacturers and an engineering design agency, has responded to the Government’s faltering strategic vision for industry by delivering their own blueprint for making the country globally competitive. Read more via The Manufacturer
New laser technology from Leonardo could lead to breakthroughs in green energy, novel medical therapies and advanced imaging capabilities
Leonardo has delivered a new technology for ‘extreme photonics’ research that will allow scientists and engineers to accelerate the development of research projects with potentially world-changing implications. Future applications of the technology developed under this research could revolutionize medical treatment, enable new forms of green energy, and advance imaging capabilities. Read more via Leonardo
Shell and Volkswagen push ahead the expansion of charging infrastructure: Opening of the first innovative Flexpole charging station
Shell Germany and the Volkswagen Group are jointly driving forward the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric mobility: On May 4, 2023, the first innovative 150 kW Elli Flexpole charging station was put in operation at a Shell service station in Göttingen.
The charging station of the Volkswagen brand Elli has a unique battery storage system that enables connection to a low-voltage grid. Thanks to this new technology, the charging stations can be installed easily and flexibly, and the grid expansion can be accelerated. Following a successful test operation, Shell and Volkswagen also plan to install the Flexpole charging station at other locations in Germany and Europe. Read more via Volkswagen
AMTE Power gets first UN testing for sodium cell
AMTE Power has become the first European business to receive UN38.3 transportation testing certification for a sodium-ion cell. The accreditation for its Ultra Safe sodium-ion product marks another important step forward in AMTE Power’s commercialisation plans, allowing it to access global markets. Read more via AMTE Power
Baby loss charity Sands named as the latest beneficiary of Alloy Wire International’s ‘Wired for Good’ campaign
Alloy Wire International has made its seventh donation of the ‘Wired for Good’ campaign, providing a charity that is committed to saving babies lives and supporting bereaved parents with £5000.
The Black Country manufacturer of round, flat and profile wire has now spent £35,000 on backing local charities and causes close to their employees’ hearts and this latest funding boost was made after several workers wanted to pledge their support to Sands. Read more via The Manufacturer
