EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

UK needs more digital skills funding

Nearly 85% of SME manufacturers are crying out for more government funding to help them bridge the digitals skills divide, says a new report by Oxford Innovation Advice. The report reveals that 80% of companies are looking to digitally upskill their staff but cite the biggest barriers as cost and a lack of in-house knowledge.

Some 68% of the 239 participants are planning to invest in digital technologies, meaning there is a massive opportunity for the new Labour administration to deliver more specialist support. Oxford Innovation Advice has developed a five-point policy action plan that it plans to submit to Government.

Download the report at www.bit.ly/4huBLWF

Grob UK open house opens this week

Registration is now open to attend the Grob Machine Tools (UK) open house event on 13-14 November 2024 at its facility in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. This event will be an opportunity to see live demonstrations of the company’s latest machining and pallet handling automation solutions running alongside its industry 4.0 systems. The aim is to highlight Grob’s expertise in sectors that include aerospace, automotive and medical. Also in attendance will be 21 technical partners exhibiting technologies such as tooling, work holding, metrology, CADCAM and coolant.

More information www.bit.ly/4hvvWIA

United Grinding to buy GFMS

The United Grinding Group has signed an agreement with Georg Fischer AG to acquire its GF Machining Solutions (GFMS) division. Together, United Grinding and GFMS aim to become a global leader in precision machining. The transaction is valued between CHF630 and 650m (£560-578m) and is expected to close in Q1/Q2 2025 subject to regulatory approvals.

With roughly 2000 employees at more than 20 locations, United Grinding Group is a major manufacturer of grinding and other machine types with brands that include Mägerle, Blohm, Jung, Studer, Schaudt, Mikrosa, Walter and Ewag. Acquiring GFMS will add brands such as AgieCharmilles (EDM), Mikron (milling) and System 3R (automation) to the product family.

More information www.grinding.com

Mayor visits A&M EDM

Precision engineering company A&M EDM welcomed Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, to commission a new CNC machining centre funded by a UK Government grant to accelerate growth at manufacturing SMEs. The investment in a three-axis Hurco machining centre increases A&M’s capabilities to produce complex Inconel parts for aerospace customers. From a two man start-up in 2002, the company has grown to a current workforce of 84 and sales over £8m. Since 2014, A&M EDM has trained 23 apprentices, with eight apprentices currently on the books.

More information www.amedm.co.uk

Group Rhodes expansion

Group Rhodes, a manufacturer of solutions for the metal-forming, composites and material handling sectors, has marked its 200th anniversary by revealing a 2323 m² facility expansion adjacent to its production facility in Wakefield. The new area will allow the group to enhance its operations with new spares and storage space, enabling it to be more responsive to customer requirements. The news comes just weeks after Group Rhodes announced it had appointed 16 new employees across its Rhodes Interform, BJD Crushers and Craven Fawcett businesses.

More information www.grouprhodes.co.uk