EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Stewart Lane Named New MTA President

The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), the UK’s leading trade body for the
manufacturing technology sector, has appointed Stewart Lane, Renishaw’s head of EMEA
business development, as its new president. A proven leader for the manufacturing sector,
Lane brings a wealth of technical expertise, commercial insight and industry experience to
the role. 
With a degree in manufacturing systems engineering and 25 years of experience at
Renishaw, Lane has held a wide range of roles at the global FTSE250 engineering business.
He also spent several years working within quality and management functions for a number
of French and Swedish industrial businesses and speaks both languages fluently.
More information www.mta.org.uk

New Site For Open Mind

CADCAM software developer Open Mind has established a new subsidiary in Seoul, Korea, to continue its course of international expansion. With Open Mind Technologies Korea, the company is strengthening its presence in Asia and creating a foundation for further growth.

“Korea is one of the most exciting and important markets in Asia, with a highly developed manufacturing industry and leading high-tech sectors,” says Volker Nesenhöner, CEO of Open Mind Technologies AG. “This dynamic economy offers ideal conditions for the use of our hyperMILL software.”

More information www.openmind-tech.com

Sustainable Aero AM

The MTC in Coventry has joined the Digitally Enabled Competitive & Sustainable Additive Manufacturing (DECSAM) project. Led by Airbus, this £38m, four-year UK aerospace programme will develop and deploy the latest additive manufacturing technologies (AM), such as beam shaping and in-situ process monitoring, to make metal laser powder-bed fusionmore cost-effective, productive and sustainable for flight-ready parts. The project, which runs until June 2028 is funded through Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the UK Department for Business and Trade.

More information www.the-mtc.org

A Stronger Role in Global Production Metrology

Bruker Alicona, a global specialist in high-resolution optical 3D metrology, has undertaken the legal merger of Alicona Imaging GmbH and Bruker Austria GmbH.The unified entity, headquartered in Raaba/Graz, Austria, reinforces the company’s position within Bruker’s global network. The merger is purely legal; the Bruker Alicona brand remains unchanged, continuing its reputation for “Made in Austria” precision. General manager Urban Muraus heralds the move as a signal of confidence in production metrology.Founded as a Graz university spin-off, Bruker Alicona says it has grown to become a trusted industry partner.

More information www.alicona.com

Celebrating the Best of UK Industry Skills

Nominations are now open for the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026, spanning the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Each year, theseawards recognise individuals and organisations championing skills excellence and driving industry innovation.Nominations will remain open until midnight on 25 January 2026, with the winners announced at a ceremony on 1 July 2026 in London.The awards honour achievements across a range of categories, highlighting apprentices, educators, training providers and employers making outstanding contributions to the advancement of skills.

More information www.enginuity.org/skills-awards-2026