EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Seeking new young robotics stars

The WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition 2025 opens for applications on 3-28 March, with industrial automation specialist FANUC UK continuing its commitment to the next generation of engineers by supporting a search to find the UK’s best young robotics talent. For the fifth year in succession, the company is partnering with WorldSkills UK for the annual industrial robotics competition.

The competition aims at giving young people the opportunity to learn how to program a robot, enhance their engineering prowess, and develop valuable workplace skills such as timekeeping and teamwork. It is open to teams of two young people, who must be within a year of completing a relevant Level 3 Apprenticeship and/or hold qualifications in an engineering-based subject (to a minimum Level 3 or equivalent).

Apply at www.bit.ly/484XXBj

Kellenberger separates from Hardinge

Kellenberger AG, with headquarters in Goldach, Switzerland, has separated from the
Hardinge Group and will operate as Kellenberger Switzerland AG in the future. In addition to
Swiss brands Kellenberger, Voumard, Hauser and Tschudin, which cover internal, external
and jig grinding, the Usach brand will also be integrated. The portfolio of the Kellenberger
Switzerland AG will also include the hard turning and grinding machines of the Super-
Precision brand. All brands will take advantage of the worldwide Kellenberger sales and
service network.
More information www.kellenberger.com

Citizen Machinery Names Open House Dates

On 8-9 April 2025, Citizen Machinery UK will hold an open house at its Bushey, Hertfordshire
headquarters, showroom and solutions centre. The occasion will mark the UK launch of a
new range of sliding-head lathes, the third generation of the Cincom L20, a best-selling
model with platen-type tooling and front and rear tool posts. Citizen’s Cincom L20 is
available in five variants, including a top model with or without B-axis automatic tool
change, both of which support simultaneous five-axis control for complex machining cycles.
Citizen says the turning centre’s specification has been considerably uprated.
More information www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Green Light For Large Machining Plant

Sheffield Forgemasters has been granted planning permission to build a landmark 30,000 m²
machining facility on brownfield land in the City’s Meadowhall district. Located on a 16-acre
plot at Weedon Street, the company says the new facility will form one of the world’s most
advanced large machining facilities to support UK defence manufacturing programmes.
With work to prepare the site already underway, the building will cover a space equal to 12
Olympic-sized swimming pools and contain large WaldrichSiegen five-axis vertical turning
lathes installed and maintained by McDowell Machine Tools. Plans for the facility detail a
main building with a 272.5 x 110 m footprint, standing 32 m tall, located close to the River
Don and designed to complement the historic look of the company’s existing buildings.
More information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

20-year collaboration

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aero Engines, a group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,and Rolls-Royce, held a ceremony in Komaki Cityrecently to mark the 20thanniversary of their partnership. The two companies began their collaboration with the Trent 1000 engine program that powers the Boeing 787 fleet, since expanding it to encompass engine programs that power four aircraft types: the Trent XWB-84 program for the Airbus A350-900 fleet; the Trent XWB-97 program for the Airbus A350-1000 fleet; and the Trent 7000 program for the Airbus A330neo fleet.

More information www.rolls-royce.com