Sustainable thinking – innovative action

Many manufacturing companies are aiming to ensure their production processes are environmentally conscious and, ultimately, climate-neutral. With its latest sustainability strategy, the Chiron Group and its UK partner, the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) are both playing a role in these efforts. The Chiron Group will soon be carbon-neutral, aided by a number of initiatives. For instance, the German machine tool manufacturer will expand its existing capacity for machine refurbishments and use additive manufacturing to broaden its range of applications in the automated repair of forging dies. All of this technology is now available from ETG.

Among the objectives of the Chiron Group sustainability strategy is to improve energy efficiency at all levels on a continuous basis. With long-term investments in heat recovery and photovoltaic systems, and the commitment to cover any additional electricity requirements exclusively from renewable sources, the Chiron Group’s manufacturing and assembly processes will be climate-neutral by the end of 2022.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Major Mexico expansion for NI

Northern Industrial, a provider of new, reconditioned and obsolete parts and repair services, first opened an office in Mexico City in December 2020, its first location outside the UK prior to launching its German site earlier this year. The company has now launched fully in Mexico under the brand NI Controls and moved into new, fully-equipped premises in Querétaro, where it is looking to boost its workforce further to make Mexico the central hub for the entire Americas. Northern Industrial’s central operation in the UK stocks over 200,000 parts numbers, sourced from over 1350 manufacturers.
For further information www.nicontrols.com/uk

£12m investment helps win quality award

One of the UK’s leading metals service centres is targeting further growth after it secured one of the automotive sector’s most demanding quality accreditations. William King Ltd, which specialises in high-tensile steel, aluminium, light gauge processing, electrical steels and niche metal coatings, received the Jaguar Land Rover JLRQ Award in front of 150 staff at its Atlas Centre facility in West Bromwich.

Andrew McClure, global supplier technical assistance director at JLR, made the presentation in recognition of the company’s outstanding performance over the past year where it has achieved world-class ‘right first time’ and ‘on-time in-full’ delivery scores. It marks the culmination of a £12m investment drive by the firm over the past five years that has seen William King introduce a new press blanking line, slitting facility and stacker, helping it take on new work and create and safeguard more than 50 jobs.

“We’ve been working towards the JLRQ standard for some time, overcoming the additional challenges of Covid-19 to demonstrate consistent quality, cost and on-time delivery,” explains Rachel Graville, who is the fourth generation managing director of family-owned William King.

She adds: “Quality has always been central to the way we operate, so a lot of the building blocks we needed for the award were already there, we just had to focus a little more on standardising processes, implementing a clearer continuous improvement strategy and bolstering training for all staff. Not only have we delivered world-class performance, we have done so against the positive backdrop of a rising order book with JLR, whom we now supply both in the UK and Slovakia.”
For further information www.williamking.co.uk

Walter GB expands team

Unprecedented business growth at Walter GB has led the cutting tool manufacturer to restructure its external teams to support a surge in post-pandemic sales. The restructure at the Bromsgrove company has seen three new field sales engineers employed to strengthen the existing sales structure and deliver enhanced customer service and support as the company continues its growth trajectory. The three new recruits, John Rutherford, Ian Hill and John Hawkins, will serve to drive more sales and further enhance customer support initiatives.
For further information www.walter-tools.com

Major turbine order placed

Red Rock Power has placed a 67 MW order with Vestas for its Benbrack wind farm, following an initial exclusivity agreement last month. The order includes the supply, installation and commissioning of 13 V136-4.5 MW turbines and two V117-4.2 MW turbines in 4.3 MW operating mode. Deliveries and installation of the turbines will begin in early 2024, with commissioning complete that summer. Red Rock’s onshore Benbrack wind farm, located in Dumfries and Galloway, has consent for up to 18 turbines and a total generation capacity of 72 MW, allowing for the potential to increase the number of turbines.
For further information redrockpower.co.uk