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.
Brand new battery technology to be trialled on TransPennine train
A new battery-powered train, which could help reduce the rail industry’s carbon footprint, commenced testing earlier today.
The battery, which generates a peak power of more than 700kw, has now been successfully retrofitted onto a TransPennine Express ‘Nova 1’ train (five-carriage intercity Class 802), ahead of the trial on Transpennine routes this summer. More via The Manufacturer
JLR invests £5m to reimagine the manufacturing shopfloor experience
JLR is making a multi-million-pound investment to transform the workplace experience for production workers at its manufacturing facilities.
The luxury car manufacturer has launched a rollout of radios at its manufacturing facilities. Following two years of extensive research, testing and development, the radios were switched on at its Solihull plant in Birmingham last week. More via JLR
Babcock promotes future skills at annual Festival of Engineering
Babcock recently welcomed more than 300 local primary school pupils to its annual Festival of Engineering at Rosyth to help them explore the kinds of skills they will need for a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). More via Babcock
Airbus to establish Tech Hub in Japan
Airbus has announced plans to establish a Tech Hub in Japan. The new initiative is designed to develop partnerships in the country to advance research, technology and innovation in aerospace and push boundaries to prepare for the next generation of aircraft. The new Airbus Tech Hub, coordinated from Tokyo, will focus on three key research areas, including the development of new materials, decarbonisation technologies, robotics and automation. More via Airbus
Brits enjoy best ever EV choice with more than a hundred models now available
British motorists can enjoy more battery electric vehicle (BEV) choice today than ever before, with almost a third (29.3%) of models on the new car market available as zero emission, according to new analysis by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). More via The Manufacturer
Lift off for UK’s National Satellite Test Facility
The UK’s first ‘one-stop shop’ for large satellite testing has officially opened its doors and is set to welcome its first customers.
The National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF), operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) RAL Space, is set to ensure that spacecraft up to seven tonnes will survive launch and the harsh conditions of space. It is based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus and forms part of the STFC-supported Harwell Space Cluster. More via UK Research and Innovation
Bentley opens Bulgarian service centre to boost customer support
Bentley Motors opens today the luxury marque’s first-ever service centre in Bulgaria. The state-of-the-art facility, located in Sofia, is equipped with a suite of service and repair technologies, ensuring Bentley’s Bulgarian customers receive the very best service for their cars. More via Bentley Motors
Walkers crisps switches to trucks powered by used cooking oil for UK deliveries
PepsiCo has announced it has continued to expand its use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – used cooking oil – across its supply chain, in a move estimated to save the company an additional 13,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the end of 2024. More via The Manufacturer
