JLR invests £500m

JLR is investing £500m investment to transform its historic Halewood facility and support
the parallel production of electric vehicles (EVs) alongside existing combustion and hybrid
models. Originally built in 1963 to produce the Ford Anglia, Halewood is being transformed
for the electric era. The historic plant has been fitted with technology that includes new EV

build lines, 750 autonomous robots, ADAS calibration rigs, laser alignment technology for
perfect part fitment and the latest cloud-based digital plant management systems to create
the ‘factory of the future’.
More information www.jaguarlandrover.com

Award for industry-academia research

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Boeing
have won the 2024 Bhattacharyya Award, an honour backed by the UK Government that
celebrates the most impactful collaborations between academia and industry. More than 23
years after their initial partnership, the AMRC and Boeing have trained over 2000
apprentices, created 2500 jobs and delivered £350m of inward investment. In 2018, the
AMRC site in Rotherham also welcomed Boeing as a neighbour – the aerospace giant’s first
European manufacturing facility.
More information www.amrc.co.uk

Crowds head for 34th edition of BI-MU

From 9 to 12 October 2024, Milan will host the 34 th edition of BI-MU, the most important
Italian exhibition dedicated to metal-cutting and metal-forming machine tools, robots,
automation systems, digital and additive manufacturing systems, and other enabling
technologies. The only trade fair for the sector in Italy with a truly international scope, BI-
MU will present all faces of innovation.
The exhibition will also offer thematic in-depth analysis and discussion developed through a
rich programme of meetings arranged by organisers and exhibitors, and hosted in the BI-
MUpiù arena. In addition, a special project will be dedicated to education, with the aim of
bringing the world of education closer to enterprises, which must rely on skilled, motivated
young people trained to operate in the factories of the future.
More information www.bimu.it/en