Solidcam relocates UK tech centre

Solidcam UK is set to open a new technology centre in Barnsley which will deliver technology transfer and be a driver for growth. Gordon Drysdale, managing director, says: “We ran successful monthly seminars at our technology centre near Milton Keynes, which enabled engineers to see the whole manufacturing process from design through to the manufacture of finished pars.

We outgrew that location. We are now moving the technology centre to Barnsley, which will bring us together in one location so that customers can see our full range of services and meet all the Solidcam UK team in a new and much bigger environment.”
For further information www.solidcamuk.com

Sandvik Coromant supports E&D Zone

As well as being the UK’s largest manufacturing technologies showcase, MACH 2018 plays host to an Education & Development (E&D) Zone specifically designed for students aged 11-19. The E&D Zone will bring together advanced engineering companies and educational institutions from across the UK, with the aim of shining a light on the vocational education and training that is imperative to closing the skills gap around the world.

The E&D Zone is once again supported by Sandvik Coromant, a supplier of tools, tooling and solutions to the metalworking industry. Kim Olander, marketing manager, says: “Engineering knowledge and skills are in short supply and we need to secure enough skilled people in the future to meet demand. Sandvik Coromant is proud to partner with the E&D Zone once again. We hope to enthuse young people about the vast range of careers that engineering can offer them.”
For further information www.machexhibition.com

JR Gilbert acquires Bryn Precision

A six-figure funding package from the Royal Bank of Scotland has helped to support the acquisition of Bryn Precision (formerly SZ Gears) by Caerphilly-based firm JR Gilbert Engineering. Since a management buy-in that took place in 2012, directors Nick Robbins and Colin Beavis have expanded the business significantly from employing three staff to 33, while turnover has risen from £240,000 to £1.5m in the past five years.

The acquisition of Bryn Precision has secured six jobs and resulted in the recruitment of two new members of staff. Operating from a 10,000 sq ft site in Blackwood, Bryn Precision not only expands the JR Gilbert Engineering business but strengthens its offering with the addition of a niche gear-cutting facility. JR Gilbert now has the ability to produce a range of gears, sprockets, splines, rack and pinion sets.
For further information www.rbs.co.uk/corporate

New face at Master Fluid Solutions

Business in Europe is booming for Master Fluid Solutions and the company is underpinning this growth by expanding its sales team.

The first appointment in this wave of investment is Steve Busby, who joins the company’s European team as business development manager, UK. A qualified engineer, Busby joins Master Fluid Solutions from Oxford Flow, a designer and manufacturer of pressure-control equipment based on technology developed at Oxford University. His base will be Master Fluid Solutions’ European sales headquarters at Needham Market.
For further information www.masterfluidsolutions.com

100th hot-stamping line sold

In 1993, Schuler delivered the first three hot-stamping lines to automobile manufacturer Ford in the USA. What was a new method at the time has since established itself on the market as a global forming technology for automotive lightweight construction – and the trend continues unabated: Schuler has now sold what is the 100th hot-stamping line to a Chinese automotive supplier.

“Compared with forming aluminium, CFRP and dual-phase steels, this technology is an inexpensive alternative for lightweight automobile construction,” says Daniel Huber, the head of Division Hydraulic at Schuler. Oemer Akyazici, CEO of Schuler China, adds: “Chinese automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers, such as Shanghai Superior Die Technology and Baowei are increasingly turning to hot stamping.”
For further information www.schulergroup.com