Renishaw joins Empowered Employers campaign

To help create an inclusive and diverse business community, Renishaw is partnering with the Empowered Employers campaign, led by Barnwood Trust, a Gloucestershire-based charity. Empowered Employers aims to help organisations consider attitudes and policies that enable meaningful work opportunities for disabled people, people with mental health challenges and neuro-divergent people. Partners of the Empowered Employers campaign will contribute to the conversation and support the campaign by raising awareness about barriers to disabled people in employment and to challenge existing misconceptions.
For further information www.renishaw.com

Careers take flight at MTC Training

Ambitious apprentices at MTC Training – the training arm of the Manufacturing Technology Centre – are celebrating after completing an important milestone in their early careers.
Learners have been awarded certificates that recognise their contribution to Project Slingshot, a collaborative initiative giving learners the opportunity to help build and fly an aeroplane. The event was the final milestone in the first year of their apprenticeship training at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre before returning to their employers to begin their on-the-job training in the second year of a four-year programme.

Project Slingshot is an Air League initiative to deliver STEM learning through building a fully flight-capable light aircraft. The programme is part of MTC Training’s comprehensive programme, which supports learners to develop the additional skills required for personal and professional success, alongside the technical expertise delivered within the core apprenticeship standard.
For further information www.the-amtc.co.uk

Simonds Saw introduces new bandsaw blades

US-based saw blade manufacturer, Simonds Saw, has launched a new range of bi-metal bandsaw blades that is available in the UK from Addison Saws. This newly-configured range of bi-metal blades raises performance in all metal-cutting market segments, and is a notable overhaul to the company’s bi-metal product offering.

Multiple rounds of testing, prototyping and optimisation with professionals in the field led Simonds Saw to develop four new bandsaw blades. According to the company, this new range excels at general-purpose cutting, production cutting, cutting of structural steel, and the cutting of tough exotic alloys.

“We fully expect our new product line of bi-metal bandsaw blades to have a global impact on the metal-cutting industry,” says Simonds Saw’s president David Miles. “We’re excited for loyal bandsaw users all over the world to put these new products to good use. Whether they’re cutting structural steel in Gary, Indiana or sawing titanium in Shanghai, China, we now have the optimal blade to maximise uptime and materials, in any application.”

This highly-specialised range of bi-metal bandsaw blades has been developed to meet the demands of any metal-cutting application. According to Simonds Saw, the range boasts increased benefits for the next generation of bandsaw blade operators worldwide.

Addison Saws is the UK’s exclusive Simonds retailer, with the full range available directly or from the company’s network of nationwide dealers. All bandsaw blades are hand-welded on site and to order, with many available for next day delivery or collection from Addison Saws’ Stourbridge site.
For further information www.addisonsaws.co.uk

Schuler service centre opens for business

Sheet metal forming system manufacturer Schuler has put a new service centre into operation at its headquarters in Göppingen to provide even better support for press operators. The facility has a warehouse with more than 10,000 spare parts from which customers receive their order within 24 hours. If the required component is not in stock, experts from Schuler ensure in-house production thanks to extensive machinery and around-the-clock availability. The Göppingen site is home to bed milling, portal milling, turning and herringbone gear manufacturing machines, among many others.
For further information www.schulergroup.com

Ficep Kronos helps John W Laycock diversify

Ficep UK has completed the installation of a Kronos system at John W Laycock, which will help the business build on its success and expand its offering as a steel service provider.
Established in 1740, John W Laycock provides steel services to businesses and domestic customers across the UK, including cutting, drilling and fabrication. At the end of 2021, the business made the decision to add to its services and offer in-house profiling services, having outsourced profiling services in the past.

Waiting for thermally cut profiles to arrive had become an obstacle and the business wanted to regain control and improve lead time, cost and quality for its customers. The business contacted Ficep, which recommended the Kronos due to the production benefits it would bring, its footprint and its flexibility.

Upon delivery, the machine was lowered 6 m through an opening into the basement of John W Laycock’s new two-storey premises in Keighley, West Yorkshire, which the business acquired specifically for this project at the end of 2021. The machine was officially commissioned and signed off in July 2022.

The Kronos heavy-duty gantry-style thermal cutting system integrates all cutting, drilling and marking processes into a single operation to reduce material handling cost. It will enable John W Laycock to better service its customers and offer competitive lead times on any quantity, from single pieces to multiples, one offs and repeat customers.

Mark Sugden, fifth generation John W Laycock managing director, says: “We’re keen to grow on our successful foundation by offering this new service. It was clear from the start that Ficep understood our market position and future opportunity for the growth of our business, and they had an immediate recommendation for the machine we needed.”
For further information www.ficep.co.uk