EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Strong sales at injection moulding machine specialist

Despite a difficult trading environment, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Group, a specialist in all-electric injection moulding solutions, generated a sales turnover of €762m last year, aided by “substantial growth” in countries such as theCzech Republic, Hungary and Italy. This figure was only 6% lower than the historic accomplishments reported in 2021, when the group achieved its highest turnover to-date. CEO Gerd Liebig cites the dramatic impact of material availability and costs as the rationale for the sideways development, reporting that this inevitably had a negative effect on the company’s overall sales and profitability.
For further information www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu

Business behind Covid memorial invests in youngsters

An engineering business behind a striking Covid-19 memorial is investing in young people as it looks to build a bright future.R.A.F Engineering, like many businesses, put its expansion plans on ice to ensure it could deal with the economic impact of Brexit, Covid-19, war in Ukraine and increased energy bills.Now, the Workington-based companyis setting its sights on the growth and diversification that itpreviously planned.

Rafal Gibki and Aneta Gibka took over the company, formerly Hudson Swan, five years ago, with ambitious plans to develop the business.They are already ahead of schedule on their revised plans after reaching a £1m turnover target in February 2023.“We’ve also continued to recruit young people and apprentices from Lakes College and trained them up ourselves,” says Gibka. “Rafal has a lot of engineering experience so young people and apprentices who come here are gaining expertise and knowledge that is standing them, and the business, in good stead.”
For further information www.rafengineering.co.uk

GrindingHub launchesdigital platform

Trade fair organizer VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), in co-operation with the IndustryArena business network, is now offers the grinding technology industry a top-tier platform under the 360°SPECIAL brand, even in the years when no trade fair is held. On 23 May 2023, companies will have the opportunity to pitch their new products and technologies to an international online audience and make contact with potential customers. The event will be presided over by an expert moderator and include scientific presentations on current topics.
For further information www.grindinghub-digital.de

Andy Haldane joins AMRC

Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane will chair the industrial board at University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) for the next three years. He brings a wealth of experience that will help shape and set the strategy for the AMRC and its 120 industrial members on where to put its horsepower and innovation to help grow the UK manufacturing sector. Haldane says that taking the post was a “coming together of topics” that have been at the centre of his career. He currently holds the post of chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

£450,000 investment

Hull-based Paragon Toolmaking has further invested in new machinery with a £450,000 spend set to accelerate production and increase automation when manufacturing precision tools. The investment includes a new CNC machine with a 3 x 2 m bed to cope with large die sets and plates, and work at twice the speed of previous machinery. Further investments include a new automated 700 x 1000mm surface grinder that will also help increase production speeds, freeing up operatives to work on other projects.Thesemachines follow the purchase of a new CMM last year.
For further information www.paragontoolmaking.com