ROUND-UP APRIL 2020
In Brief
Industry
Rockwood wins contract
Newton Abbot-based Rockwood
Composites has been awarded
the contract to produce parts
for 130 decoy launch systems
for Babcock International’s
Eurofighter programme.
Rockwood’s revolutionary
‘bladder moulding’ technology
allows the parts to be produced
to the same standard, but with
lower costs and fewer defects.
CAD CAM Automotive
JV creates 600 new jobs
Coventry-based CAD CAM
Automotive has set up a new
joint venture agreement with
BKM Holding, a leading electric
vehicle manufacturer from
Belarus, which will create 600
new jobs by establishing a zeroemissions
manufacturing plant
in the UK. The two companies –
which have a combined heritage
of over 150 years – have created
a joint venture company called
Wave Industries. Production
of an initial 300 electric buses
will start in 2021, with full
production of up to 800 units
per year expected by 2025.
MAHLE opens test centre
MAHLE Powertrain has opened
a new, dedicated facility for
the extensive testing of battery
modules at its Northampton
technical centre. It enables the
disassembly of vehicle batteries
for post-test assessment, and
provides a climate-controlled
environment to carry out realworld
simulated testing.
Record online
Make UK learners
Over three-quarters of
the 1,762 apprentices
currently enroled at the
Make UK Technology
Hub in Aston,
Birmingham (see p18),
were able to continue
their studies online in
the first week of virtual
teaching and
assessments, with a
record 118 online
learners recorded in one
day, being taught their
academic studies.
The online move has
come about because of
the Covid-19 crisis,
which has forced
schools and colleges
across the country to
shut indefinitely.
Stephen Mitchell,
director of apprentices
and technical training at
Make UK, said: “These
are testing times for all
businesses and
educational institutions;
through our interactive
online classes, our team
of highly experienced
lecturers have been able
to maintain studies, with
numbers going from
strength to strength into
the second week.”
Raisa Matadar, a third
year Make UK apprentice,
added: “Our new remote
learning classes have
enabled us to continue
progressing in all
subjects of our technical
qualification. We have
been able to engage in
our lessons with our
tutors, just as we would
if we were back at the
training centre. The most
beneficial feature I have
found is the ability to ask
questions directly
through the audio option
and to be talked through
the online learning
resources.”
People
Collaborate to Innovate
2020 (C2I 2020), a major
awards campaign run by The
Engineer magazine (sister
publication to Manufacturing
Management) is now open for
entries. Now in its fifth year,
C2I was established to uncover
and celebrate the UK’s most
innovative collaborative
engineering projects. The
competition is open to any
innovative engineering project,
whether from industry or
academia, that represents a
collaboration between two or
more separate organisations
and has had, or is likely to
have, a demonstrable impact
in its area of application.
Sustainability
Tamlite cuts plastic
Leading lighting manufacturer,
Tamlite has eradicated more
than half a million plastic bags
from entering the supply chain
over the last 12 months. The
move to reduce its reliance
on plastic is part of its ongoing
award-winning circular
economy strategy, and has
seen the company invest in
more sustainable packaging
methods, such as cardboard.
Putting a spin on waste
Waste management specialist
Axil Integrated Services has
helped appliance manufacturer
Whirlpool cut waste at its
manufacturing sites by as
much as 10 tonnes – equivalent
to 50% – per month. The
measures introduced include
enhanced recycling systems
and the implementation of a
‘clean as you go’ philosophy
in the waste yard.
Hot topic
UK R&D expenditure hit £37.1 billion
in 2018, according to the most recent
statistics released by the ONS. Overseas
funding makes up £5.1 billion of this, a
rise of 1.4% from the year before.
Training & Skills
Female HARIBO cohort
Five female students have
embarked on an engineering
scholarship with the UK’s
largest sweets manufacturer,
HARIBO. The group, who
came through a 12-month
selection process, are being
sponsored by HARIBO as part
of the Arkwright Engineering
Scholarship, the most
presitgious scheme of its
type in the country.
Müller’s recruitment push
Müller has launched a major
recruitment drive for up to
300 additional key workers
to help meet the rising levels
of consumer demand for
dairy products like fresh milk,
yogurts and butter. There
are vacancies nationwide,
ranging from delivery drivers
and dairy technicians to
factory operators, packaging
operatives and mechanics.
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