News » UK News Chinese motor-maker Moons sets up UK operation
The Chinese motor manufacturer Moons Industries has set up a UK subsidiary based in Reading, Berkshire.
Half of UK machine-builders have no digitalisation strategy
Almost half of all machine-builders in the UK and Ireland have no strategy in place to embark on a digital transformation of their businesses, according to a survey conducted by Siemens. Moreover, just 17% of them are planning to implement smart and connected technologies in the coming two years, despite many of them having assets that are already IoT-ready and sensor-enabled.
New group will champion uptake of automation in the UK
A new organisation has been launched to champion the uptake of automation in UK manufacturing. Called the UK Automation Forum, it brings together industry experts, end-users, policy-makers and technology suppliers to discuss the adoption of automation technologies in the UK.
Brompton Bicycle is a winner in £3.7m smart factory grants
UK Research and Innovation has awarded grants totalling £3.7m to 11 late-stage robotics and automation collaborative projects aimed at improving productivity, sustainability and resilience. The 9-15-month projects, covering areas such as process control, machine vision and gripper technologies, have each secured £107,000–£535,000. The winning projects involve a total of 30 organisations.
UK motors start-up emerges from stealth with ‘reinvented’ SRM
A UK start-up has emerged from a period of stealth to announce that it has developed a patented switched reluctance motor (SRM) technology which reduces torque ripple by 50%, making it significantly smoother and quieter than other SRMs. Monumo, based in Cambridge and Coventry, recently raised a £10.5m in seed funding and says it has signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) with numerous tier one engineering companies and OEMs.
UK motor-maker abandons Sunderland production line plans
The British electric motor developer and manufacturer, Saietta, has abandoned plans to manufacture electrical steering pumps at a former ZF Automotive plant in Sunderland. It says it has been unable to reach commercial agreement on a contract to manufacture the pumps for a customer and that it has received a £600,000 offer for the production line. Following the news, Saietta’s share price fell by more than half.
Tool helps to assess careers in controls, drives and machines
An online tool that helps people assess their prospects for a career in drives, controls, power electronics and machines, has been launched by the Electric Revolution Skills (ERS) Hub – the UK Government-backed platform that provides a national skills resource to help attract people into the “electrification” sector.
Southern Manufacturing has a new owner
Easyfairs, which describes itself as the world’s largest privately owned exhibition organiser, is buying European Trade & Exhibition Services (Etes), which organises the UK’s annual Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibition. The 2024 event, which takes place at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre from 6–8 February, will be run by Etes, but Easyfairs will take over after that. The details of the transaction have not been revelaed.
Edwin James buys ACS to boost SI and digitalisation services
The Scottish engineering services provider Edwin James Group has bought Burton-on-Trent-based Automated Control Solutions Holdings and its subsidiaries Automated Control Solutions and ACS Electrical Engineering (together trading as ACS), for an undisclosed sum.
Manufacturers see UK becoming a more competitive base
British manufacturers are viewing the UK as a more competitive place to locate their activities than they did 12 months ago, with an growing number believing they are moving ahead of their European rivals. However, they remain wary of the threats posed by the US, India and China.
AI tool will simplify the use of hazardous area standards
The Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) is working with the British Standards Institute (BSI) and Innovate UK’s Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge, to develop an AI-powered tool to help electromechanical repairers ensure that they repair hazardous area motors to the correct standard.
Motor-maker Parvalux opens new £30m HQ in Poole
The UK motors and gearboxes manufacturer, Parvalux, has officially opened a new £30m headquarters building in Poole, Dorset, which brings together operations which were previously spread across three sites. The company, which was acquired by the Swiss motor-maker maxon in 2018, is hoping to double in size by 2030.
Pumping station upgrade wins AEMT project of the year
A project which solved frequent tripping problems at a water company pumping station has been chosen as project of the year in the annual AEMT (Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades) awards, which were presented recently at ceremony in Coventry.
Yaskawa moves UK HQ to EV hotspot in Sunderland
Yaskawa, the Japanese manufacturer of drives, motion controls and robotics, is moving to a new 35,000ft2 (3,250m2) UK headquarters and manufacturing facility in Sunderland. The site, at Hillthorn Park, is next to Nissan UK and the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP).
ABB and UK firm will use gravity to store energy in old mines
ABB has signed an agreement with the UK-based gravity energy storage firm Gravitricity to explore how hoist technologies could accelerate the development and implementation of gravity-based energy storage systems operating in former mines.
