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.
New report reveals how creativity and technology are driving a manufacturing agility uptick in 2023
A new report has revealed how manufacturers are leveraging creativity and technology to boost their agility.
The 2023 Manufacturing Agility Assessment, researched and produced by The Manufacturer in partnership with HSO, shows there has been an uptick in manufacturing agility over the last 12 months. Indeed, 56% of companies say they are now “extremely” or “highly” agile. And considering SMEs make up half (49%) of this year’s survey respondents, it paints a positive picture of the state of these smaller organisations, often referred to as the UK’s lifeblood. Find out more at The Manufacturer
West Midlands Gigafactory in advanced talks with leading Asian battery manufacturers
The West Midlands Gigafactory joint venture has confirmed that it is in advanced discussions with several leading Asian battery manufacturers about future investment at the Coventry site.
The West Midlands Gigafactory’s Coventry location is the only available site in the UK with planning permission in place for a large-scale battery production facility with capacity for up to 60GWh per annum – enough to power 600,000 electric vehicles. It is perfectly placed as a pioneering centre of excellence for battery technology and manufacturing, located at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing industry.
The ground-breaking location is the first of its kind in the UK is offering an all-in-one solution for battery research, industrialisation, manufacturing, testing, recycling and electrified logistics designed to foster the UK’s growing battery ecosystem. Find out more at Coventry City Council
National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Rolls-Royce SMR partner on automated monitoring for nuclear Small Modular Reactors
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Rolls-Royce SMR have partnered on a new project to investigate safe automated reactor operation for nuclear-powered Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
The NPL-led project is investigating the potential of using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (a technique for measuring the elemental composition of samples) for the automated measurement of the constituents in different water chemistries within a Rolls-Royce SMR as an indicator of reactor operating conditions. Find out more at The Manufacturer
New projects to kickstart future vaccine development awarded £25m
Three projects designed to build our understanding of viruses and how the immune system reacts to different challenges will share £25m in new funding from UKRI.
The ambitious research will inform the development of new, broader and longer-lasting vaccines.
The funding is part of Tackling infections, one of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) five strategic themes. These projects are just three of a number of investments in ways to investigate and better manage future infectious disease threats. Find out more at UK Research and Innovation
Bury St Edmunds-based ingredients manufacturer, Treatt, sees profit grow by £17m
Leading ingredients manufacturer, Treatt, has seen profit growth return and a resilient revenue performance.
The Bury St Edmunds-based manufacturer and supplier of natural extracts and ingredients for the beverage, flavour and fragrance industries, made the announcement today following a trading update for the year ending September 30 2023 (FY23)
The company, based in Suffolk Park has seen ‘resilient’ revenue growth of 5 per cent at circa £147m compared with £140m in FY22. Find out more at Suffolk News
Free national manufacturing directory can boost industrial supply chain resilience and drive UK economic growth, says HVM Catapult
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is making it easier for domestic manufacturers to connect with a new free-to-use UK Supply Chain Directory.
Launched by the HVM Catapult as part of the Made Smarter Innovation | Digital Supply Chain Hub, the free tool brings together hundreds of thousands of businesses across UK industry in one easy-to-search online resource. Businesses are also able to claim their company profile within the directory, allowing them to better showcase key information and help to attract new customers and suppliers. Find out more at HVM Catapult
Airbus Helicopters pioneers user-friendly ways to fly eVTOLs
Airbus Helicopters’ demonstrator FlightLab has successfully tested an electric flight control system in preparation of a new human machine interface (HMI) that will equip CityAirbus NextGen, Airbus’ eVTOL prototype. This milestone represents an important step towards ushering in a new generation of electric powered urban air mobility aircraft.
The pilot controls have been considerably simplified thanks to the enhanced piloting assistance provided by the electric flight control system. Marking a first in the helicopter industry, one single piloting stick replaces the three conventional pilot controls (cyclic, pedals, collective) and is able to control all aircraft axes. Using the single stick, the pilot is able to perform all maneuvers: take-off & landing, climb, descent, acceleration, deceleration, turn, and approach. Find out more at Airbus
UK 3D printing firm RYSE 3D targets major growth after contract wins
A Warwickshire manufacturer is transforming the world of additive manufacturing after securing a string of global contract wins.
RYSE 3D, which was founded by University Graduate Mitchell Barnes in 2017, has carved a niche in the sector for its ability to provide production components to some of the automotive world’s most exciting current and future vehicles.
The Shipston-on-Stour firm is now involved in 14 Hypercar projects, providing parts ranging from full HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems to brake ducts and wing mirror vision systems for next generation vehicles. Find out more at The Manufacturer
CoolKit secures new factory in Blackburn
Temperature-controlled van specialist CoolKit has moved to a new 7,000m2 premises following the blaze that devastated its Burnley manufacturing site at the beginning of July.
The new site in Blackburn, eight miles away from its former location, is said to be ideally situated near the M65 motorway.
The company has already started to move some of its operations to this site, with the plan to have the entire business and the 100+ workforce relocated by the start of next year. Find out more at Cooling Post
