EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Grob sets dates for open house event

Machine tool manufacturer Grob is staging an open house at its Mindelheim, Germany headquarters on 21-24 March. The company will have over 30 machines on show – including four-axis and five-axis machining centres –running live cutting demonstrations. Grob’s liquid-metal additive manufacturing systems will also be in the spotlight, providing economical production of near-net-shape aluminium components. Technical partners at the event will includeSeco, Guhring, Schunk, Open Mind, Haimer, Blum, Heidenhain, Siemens, Lang and Hexagon among others.
For further information https://event.grobgroup.com/en/

Another civil nuclear MOU

Sheffield Forgemasters has signed an MOU to collaborate with Holtec Britain on the development of components for its SMR-160 reactor.Following similar agreements signed with three other nuclear power companies, the MOU with Holtec will see Sheffield Forgemasters develop the design of Holtec’s SMR-160 components to identify the best routes to manufacture.The company says that the latest MOU positions it at the apex of the UK’s manufacturing supply chain for the small modular reactor (SMR) market and builds on its long history of supplying components into civil nuclear projects across the globe.
For further information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

Protolabs expands production capabilities

Digital manufacturer Protolabs is expanding the production capabilities of its global CNC machining service, creating new opportunities for product development worldwide. Customers who upload a 3D CAD model to the online quoting platform can now access a range of better-qualified suppliers through Protolabs’ digital supply network. The seamless transition between in-house and network production options opens up a wealth of advanced machining capabilities designed to reduce part costs, increase tolerances and provide a broader range of finishing options.
For further information www.protolabs.com/en-gb

EKC Group plans for future with big investment

With support from central government funds, EKC group is investing significantly to develop engineering centres of excellence across three of its six community colleges in East Kent. This investment includes 25 machines valued at around £500,000 from XYZ Machine Tools, covering CNC machining and turning centres, as well as an array of manual machines located at Dover Technical College, Canterbury College and Ashford College.

XYZ Machine Tools has a long history of working with the education sector through its ‘XYZ for Education’ initiative, which provides special pricing on the full range of XYZ machine tools, with ongoing training programmes. “We see it as vital to educate and inspire tomorrow’s engineers in order to maintain the UK’s position as a leader in engineering development and manufacturing,” states Nigel Atherton, managing director at XYZ Machine Tools.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Abusy Southern Manufacturing for Hurco

In the opinion of Hurco Europe, one of the exhibitors at the Southern Manufacturing exhibition earlier this month, the show certainly delivered in terms of visitor footfall and customer enquiries.Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Southern Manufacturing was a record-breaker in terms of attendance, with 9144 visitors welcomed through the doors. This increase in footfall was reflected in people coming on the Hurco stand. More than 80 enquiries were booked over the three days, of which 20% were new contacts.

David Waghorn, managing director of Hurco Europe says: “In a non-MACH year especially, Southern Manufacturing is proving to be a significant event for UK manufacturing industry. Recent improvements to the road access and venue have guaranteed a better experience for exhibitors and visitors alike. We had no hesitation in rebooking the same space for 2024.”
For further information www.hurco.co.uk