Policy centre to champion SME manufacturers 

A new independent policy centre has been established to give the UK’s vast network of SMEs in manufacturing and engineering a unified, influential voice in the corridors of power. More than 325,000 SMEs, in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, often supply chain businesses, are the backbone of the UK economy, driving innovation, job creation and growth. The centre’s mission is to engage SMEs directly, to unify and amplify their voices as an independent arbiter that brings together industry, industry bodies, policy organisations and government.  

More information https://enginuity.org/   

MACH 2026: Visitor Registration Now Live

In just over four months, the MACH 2026 exhibition will open its doors at the NEC, Birmingham to over 30,000 members of the manufacturing community – bringing together buyers, sellers, specifiers and designers. The biennial event offers an unmissable opportunity to experience new technology live and in action and is perfectly timed for UK manufacturers preparing for growth in capacity and capability. 

Registration is now open for the show, owned and organised by the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) and sponsored by Lloyds, which is the UK’s largest for inspiring, innovating and connecting the manufacturing community. It is due to take place across five halls of the NEC from 20 to 24 April 2026. All aspects of manufacturing technology will be on display.More information www.machexhibition.com

Redefining sustainability in powder coating applications

Interpon, AkzoNobel’s powder coatings brand, says it is redefining the role of sustainability in powder coatings applications and inviting manufacturers and designers to ‘Own Your Impact’ – a new, holistic approach that turns sustainability into a catalyst for performance, innovation and measurable results. 

Through ‘Own Your Impact’, Interpon helps businesses embed sustainability across their operations and translate environmental ambition into competitive and economical advantage, reflecting its value-driven sustainability belief that performance and purpose go hand in hand. 

It is a call to action, encouraging customers to take control of the areas where sustainability can make the greatest difference to their business. It moves beyond narrow sustainability claims to demonstrate how connected actions, from improving coatings and production lines to reducing waste and emissions, can deliver tangible results across an entire operation.

Working in close partnership with its customers, Interpon provides the products, tools and expertise to bring these improvements to life, helping businesses operate more efficiently, innovate faster and achieve stronger performance with lower environmental impact. 

Jorrit van Rijn, marketing director at AkzoNobel Powder Coatings, says that ‘Own Your Impact’ reflects a results-driven approach to sustainability that connects performance and purpose: “Our goal is to make sustainability work for our customers, not as a separate initiative, but as an integral part of how they run and grow their business. With ‘Own Your Impact’, we help them identify where sustainability creates the greatest value, whether that’s improving line efficiency, reducing energy use, extending product life, or validating progress through data and audits. 

“It’s a complete approach that connects innovation, performance and measurable results. By supporting customers at every stage, we help turn sustainability into better productivity, lower costs, and stronger competitive advantage.” 

More information www.interpon.com

Enhancing production with a second MecWash

HellermannTyton is a global specialist in cable management solutions, supplying high-performance products to the aerospace, automotive and electrical sectors. At its Plymouth facility, the company manufactures heat-shrinkable tubing and related components. These products require precise cleaning processes to maintain their integrity, as excessive heat during cleaning could cause premature shrinkage and render the components unusable.

Maintaining strict quality standards while meeting rising production demand prompted HellermannTyton to seek increased cleaning system capacity. However, the cleaning challenge was tough. For a start, heat-shrinkable tubing must never exceed 38°C during cleaning and drying, while silicone residue, notoriously difficult to remove, requires consistent elimination to guarantee product performance and quality.

HellermannTyton had already invested in a MecWash Midi system, which had proven reliable over time. However, increasing production volumes required an additional system capable of meeting both the technical requirements of sensitive heat-shrinkable parts and the operational demand for 24/7 production.

After consulting with MecWash Systems, HellermannTyton installed a MecWash MWX400 precision aqueous parts-cleaning system specifically designed for complex cleaning applications and sensitive materials.

The introduction of the MWX400 delivered significant benefits to HellermannTyton’s operations. The system not only enables continuous, around-the-clock operation (24/7), scaling production without compromising quality, it also ensures complete removal of silicone residues while protecting delicate components.

Says Steve Walker, continuous improvement engineer at HellermannTyton: “The MWX400 allows us to clean and dry heat-shrinkable components at the precise temperature needed to maintain quality, while removing even the most stubborn silicone residues. It has increased our production capacity and runs reliably 24/7.”


By adopting the MecWash MWX400, HellermannTyton has strengthened its production capability, ensuring both quality and scalability in its cable management solutions.

More information www.mecwash.com

DN Solutions launches DNC series for semiconductors

DN Solutions, the world’s third-largest and South Korea’s leading machine tool manufacturer, has launched its new DNC series (DNC 8050, DNC 8060) of high-precision grinding machines for semiconductor manufacturing.

The name ‘DNC’ stands for DN Solutions Ceramic, representing the company’s ceramic machining equipment. These machines are designed to manufacture consumable components such as focus rings used in the semiconductor wafer process. Since these parts operate inside chambers that endure high temperatures and exposure to chemicals, they are made from materials like quartz, ceramic and silicon carbide (SiC) — all of which are notoriously hard to machine. The DNC series enables precise grinding of these hard-to-cut materials.


Quartz is harder than carbon steel yet brittle and prone to fracture, making it challenging to machine with conventional tools. Even with costly diamond tools, micro-cracks and breakage often occur. Moreover, quartz is sensitive to impurities, demanding an exceptionally clean machining environment.

To address these challenges, DN Solutions developed a high-performance grinding spindle for the DNC series, capable of 10,000 rpm and 7.5 kW output. This spindle delivers both high productivity and precision, even when machining difficult materials such as quartz and ceramics.

Vibration- and heat-induced errors have also been minimised. The monolithic, high-rigidity bed and high-precision feed-axis guides suppress vibration and prevent thermal displacement during long continuous operations. While conventional machines tend to lose precision due to spindle drift, DN Solutions says its DNC Series ensures long-term accuracy and structural rigidity, extending equipment lifespan.

Fine quartz dust (sludge) produced during machining can cause serious equipment failure. To prevent this, DN Solutions adopted a fully enclosed sliding cover that shields the inclined bed surface, blocking coolant and dust from entering the machine interior.

More information www.dn-solutions.com