Becker is Schneider’s new president for UK and Ireland
UPDATED: Kelly Becker has been appointed Schneider Electric’s zone president for the UK and Ireland, succeeding from Mike Hughes, who is moving to a new global position overseeing Schneider’s Digital Customer Experience, Digital Marketing and Global Sales operations.
Innovation hubs will help manufacturers to go digital
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the Made Smarter movement are setting up a network of innovation hubs that will help UK manufacturers to cut the risks of implementing new digital manufacturing systems in their businesses. The pilot scheme will allow them to test projects and early-stage technologies in a safe, industry-like environment with expert support.
37% of manufacturers think recovery will take at least a year
A survey of almost 200 UK manufacturers has revealed that more than a third (36.8%) believe it will take then longer than 12 months to return to normal trading, with more than a quarter (26.8%) thinking it will take 6–12 months. Just 26% of companies expect to be at full operating capacity by the start of 2021.
Digital skills helped UK manufacturers to survive Covid
When the Coronavirus pandemic struck, British manufacturers adopted digital technologies rapidly, with nearly half switching to digital working practices within two weeks of lockdown, according to new research published by the manufacturers’ organisation Make UK, and Sage. Within a fortnight, 94% of the 208 companies surveyed said they had staff working from home in industries often associated with manual tasks and a high proportion of production-based work.
Trio enters servodrive market with ‘lowest-cost’ 64-axis system
The UK-based motion control specialist, Trio Motion Technology, has entered the servodrive market for the first time with a drive and motor package that, it says, will make it faster and easier for OEMs to apply its high-performance Motion Coordinator motion controls. It adds that combined with its free Motion Perfect 5 software, it now offers the lowest cost-per-axis motion control for 64 axes.
Variohm adds US magnetic encoder specialist to its group
UK-based Variohm Holdings has acquired the US magnetic sensor and encoder manufacturer, Phoenix America, for an undisclosed sum. The deal will give Phoenix a marketing platform in Europe, while Variohm’s five existing European-based group members – Variohm EuroSensor, Herga Technology, Ixthus Instrumentation, Heason Technology and Positek – will gain an American sales and support channel for their sensor, measurement and motion control products.
Control Techniques rebrand aims to end confusion
The Welsh drives-maker Control Techniques has launched a new identity aimed at clearing “confusion” in the marketplace about the company. CT, which is owned by the Japanese group, Nidec, has also launched several new products including: its largest-ever drive; a dedicated pump drive; a series of I/O modules that allows drives to manage applications without needing a PLC or Scada system; and a new version of CT’s Motion Made Easy servo control suite.
5G in manufacturing project goes live in Bristol
The first phase of a pioneering project to assess the potential benefits of 5G wireless communications for UK manufacturers, has gone live with the switching on of a private industrial 4G network at the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol. The installation – part of the Government-backed 5G-Encode project – will establish a baseline using existing 4G technologies before a second phase, using 5G, goes live next year. The performance of the two technologies will then be compared.
Talking Industry tackles automation in post-Covid era
DFA Media, the publisher of Drives & Controls and its sister magazines Smart Machines and Factories and Plant & Works Engineering, has announced the second in its Talking Industry series of live, digitally broadcast panel discussions with leading experts from the industrial, automation and manufacturing sectors.
UK manufacturing output rises for fourth month in a row
The UK manufacturing sector continued its recovery from the Coronavirus-induced downturn during September. Output and new orders increased as new work intakes improved from both domestic and overseas markets, according to the latest seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).
Mach exhibition is postponed from January 2021 to 2022
Mach, the UK’s largest manufacturing trade event, which had been due to take place at the NEC Birmingham in January 2021, has been rescheduled to April 2022. The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), which owns and runs the Mach exhibition on behalf of the industry, asked companies that had booked to exhibit in January whether they wanted to go ahead with the show, or postpone it to 2022.
UK robot sales fell by 16% in 2019, but its base grew by 5%
Sales of industrial robots in the UK fell by 16% last year compared to 2018, with around 2,000 machines being shipped. The total number of robots in use in the country grew by 5% to 21,700. These figures come from the World Robotics 2020 Industrial Robots report just published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
UK industry cuts spending with no sign of V-shaped recovery
Britain’s manufacturers have slashed investment in a battle to stay afloat, despite improvements in output and orders, according to a survey by the manufacturers’ organisation, Make UK, and business advisory firm BDO.
£300m programme aims to transform UK manufacturing
The UK Government is investing £147m in the Manufacturing Made Smarter programme over the coming five years with the aim of boosting productivity by 30%, accelerating the move to net-zero emissions, creating thousands of skilled jobs, and reshaping the future of manufacturing. The government is hoping that a similar investment by industry will achieve a total expenditure of around £300m.
Government injects £65m into robots, batteries and health
The UK government has announced a £65m cash boost for three key technologies that could transform people’s lives – robots, high-tech batteries and advanced healthcare treatments. The funding will come from its Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, managed by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).