50 new jobs in Sheffield

BAE Systems is establishing a new artillery development and production facility in Sheffield, funded with investments of more than £25m, which will create 50 high-skilled jobs. The new 8733 m² facility will house a state-of-the-art factory specialising in artillery expertise that will deliver the company’s M777 lightweight towed howitzer manufacturing capability and support the Government’s ambitions to sustain and revitalise vital UK artillery capabilities.

Work is already underway to prepare the site for operations in 2025. BAE Systems’ Weapons Systems UK designs, develops, manufactures and supports artillery systems and naval guns.

More information www.baesystems.com

More space for Tadweld

Tadweld, a specialist in steelwork solutions for over 40 years, is making a £1m+ investment in a new building adjacent to its current site in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. The expansion

will enable the company to expand its operations significantly, adding 1022 m² of manufacturing space, 557 m² of offices and a further 557 m² of yard space. After renovation during 2025, Tadweld expects the new building will become the administrative headquarters of the business, taking its workshop count to four. The company is looking to create an additional 30 skilled jobs over the coming five years.

More information www.tadweld.co.uk

Italian machine tool orders increase

In Q3 2024, Italy’s index of machine tool orders – compiled by the Economic Studies Department and Business Culture Centre of UCIMU – returned to positive territory by recording a 7.9% increase compared with the same period in 2023. Orders collected overseas reported a 10.7% upturn, while domestics orders saw a 4.3% rise. Riccardo Rosa, president of UCIMU, states: “The return of the order index to a positive sign after six consecutive quarters of decline is welcome news, because it interrupts a trend that has accompanied the sector for too long.”

More information www.ucimu.it

New Industrial Strategy Skills Commission

Make UK has launched the Industrial Strategy Skills Commission to help solve the country’s growing skills deficit in manufacturing and engineering. The organisation has brought together some of the most qualified experts in education, training and industry to diagnose the widescale problems in the skills system and create an effective talent pathway into manufacturing. It is this skilled workforce pipeline that will prove critical to the success of the Government’s new Industrial Strategy, called Invest 2035, which aims to drive growth and digital transformation in manufacturing over the next few years.

More information www.makeuk.org