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.
UK aircraft orders hit record high in Q1 2024 but deliveries lag
While aircraft orders continue to gain momentum, challenges and kinks with production capacity are causing a downward trend (year on year) in aircraft deliveries.
There were 301 aircraft orders placed in Q1 2024, which represents a 9% improvement on the first quarter of 2023, while ADS records highlight that the number of aircraft on backlog order is 17% ahead of 2023, at 15,812. Notably, there are 30,000 aircraft engines on firm order. More via The Manufacturer
World’s biggest 3D printer whirs into action
A giant 3D printer, which is big enough to make a house, has been unveiled at the University of Maine.
The university says it has beaten its own record for the world’s largest polymer 3D printer – with the new printer four times bigger than the previous machine.
The Factory of the Future 1.0 (FoF 1.0) can print objects 96ft (29m) long – approximately the length of a blue whale. More via BBC News
New Ford subscription service helps businesses transition to electric
Ford is now offering business owners the chance to subscribe to Ford E-Transit vehicles on a monthly subscription basis through its new Ford Drive venture. The flexible solution not only allows businesses to add to their fleets as they need to, it can also give those looking to transition to electric commercial vehicles a way to test the real-world suitability without the costly commitment of buying. More via Ford
Sertec Group named as Company of the Year at the ‘Metalforming Oscars’
A supplier of millions of components every day to cars, lorries and engines has been named as the Confederation of British Metalforming’s Company of the Year at a prestigious event last night.
Sertec Group, which employs over 2200 people across ten global locations, beat off strong competition from the sector to win the main award, with judges impressed by ‘its journey to excellence’ that has seen it enjoy a major increase in productivity, improvements in on-time delivery in full and the implementation of a comprehensive employee engagement approach. More via The Manufacturer
Airbus reports First Quarter (Q1) 2024 results
Airbus has reported its consolidated financial results for its First Quarter (Q1) ended 31 March 2024.
The multinational aerospace corporation delivered 142 commercial aircraft in the period and made €12.8bn in revenue. More via Airbus
Leonardo readies Royal Air Force to handle Future Combat Air mission data in new 10-year contract
Leonardo has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) agency to supply, develop and future proof the tools which generate and analyse data used by the UK Armed Forces’ combat aircraft. The contract covers the next 10 years, extending the close partnership between Leonardo and the MOD’s Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Centre (JEWOSC), based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. More via Leonardo UK
Drone image shows demolition progress of Honda’s Swindon site
It has been over a month since demolition of Swindon’s massive former Honda factory began.
Work started at the site, on the old South Marston airfield, on March 4, with the car factory making way for new premises helmed by developer Panattoni. Now, a new photo taken by drone pilot Jason Spickett has shown exactly how much of the establishment big enough to be sign-posted on the A419 has been knocked down. More via Swindon Advertiser
Portakabin partners with global leader in acoustic engineering
Modular building market leader Portakabin has partnered with Saint-Gobain Ecophon to offer optimal acoustics in its buildings.
Saint-Gobain Ecophon aims to optimise indoor teaching environments so that speech and sound is easy to hear and understand. More via The Manufacturer
