The official opening of the new Advanced Metal Processing Centre (AMPC) and the Constellium R&D Centre for Automotive Structures and Industry, took place at Brunel University London last month.

AMPC is the second phase of a national scale-up facility within BCAST at Brunel University London, and follows the opening of the Advanced Metal Casting Centre (AMCC) in 2016. Processing equipment at the AMPC is supported by machining, joining, mechanical testing and 3D inspection facilities.
For further information www.burnel.ac.uk/bcast

A management buyout led by Adam Gillard, Graham Short and Shaunie Mangham has been completed at Yorkshire-based tooling supplier Cutwel Ltd (backed by Leeds-based private equity company NorthEdge Capital).

The funding will support Cutwel as it continues to scale its sales team with investment in recruitment, training and product development. Cutwel aims to double its headcount over the next four years to over 100 employees with the ultimate aim of doubling turnover within the next five years. The company achieved year-on-year revenue growth from £6m in 2012 to more than £16m in the year to April 2018.
For further information www.cutwel.co.uk

Girl power was at the fore last month, with two female apprentices claiming the main prizes at the In-Comm Training Awards.

Integrated Water Services’ Laura Thacker was named ‘Most Improved Learner of the Year’ having overcome several setbacks to develop her skills and excel in her apprenticeship, while Maria Collins from IMI Precision (Norgren) secured the ‘Outstanding Learner of the Year and Peter Wood Memorial’ award. They were joined on stage by Caterpillar Shrewsbury’s Lauren Ball, who is one of the first apprentices in the country to be trained at the Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology in Bridgnorth.
For further information www.in-comm.co.uk

Leading engineers are now working together at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to drive forward cutting-edge capabilities for manufacturing composite components in ways not currently available in the supply chain.

The team consists of Prasad Potluri, professor of robotics and textile composites at the University of Manchester, and Chris McHugh, who has joined the AMRC Composite Centre with decades of textile experience under his belt. They will be joined by Richard Scaife, head of the AMRC Composite Centre; Hannah Tew, partnership lead at the AMRC Composite Centre; and Dr Hassan El-Dessouky, a senior research fellow with the AMRC.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

Matsuura Machinery has appointed three new engineers to its Spindle Department.

Said to be unique for any machine tool supplier in the UK, Matsuura’s Spindle Department, with its Class 1000 cleanroom based in Leicestershire, provides off-the-shelf service exchange spindles for Matsuura users all over the UK and Europe.
Paul Godfrey, spindle build engineer, is an experienced tool fitter and CNC machinist, having served in aerospace and power generation industry sectors. Joining him is Rhys Buxton, apprentice spindle build engineer, who prior to joining Matsuura undertook his apprenticeship at a precision machining company. Buxton is working towards his BTEC Level 3/NVQ3 in Engineering. The final addition is Sam Clegg, technical support engineer, who previously worked as a toolmaker and in machine tool sales.
For further information www.matsuura.co.uk