A family-owned West Midlands automotive manufacturer is transforming unused parts into sculptures, thanks to a six-figure funding package from Lloyds Bank. Birchills Automotive has been trading in Walsall for 130 years, manufacturing exhaust systems for the car and motorcycle industry. To further its commitment to a more sustainable industry, the business has launched a project called Birchills Sculptures & Metal Restorations.

By repurposing unused metal from its manufacturing process, the firm makes and sells handcrafted designs using recycled 304 aircraft-grade stainless steel that otherwise would have gone to waste. From garden products such as planters, pots and furniture, to bespoke sculptures and decorative items for the home, all items are weather-proof and created by the business’ in-house custom design team.Lloyds Bank is supporting Birchills Sculptures & Metal Restorations with an overdraft and credit card package that will allow it to exhibit overseas.
For further information www.lloydsbank.com/business

Work-holding specialist Brown & Holmes has joined the Nuclear AMRC to collaborate on technology development and expand its presence in the nuclear sector.Brown & Holmes was founded in 1939, and today provides advanced work-holding solutions, prototyping and precision machining to customers in sectors such as aerospace, automotive and power generation. The company operates two sites in Tamworth, and is developing a new dedicated facility for clean assembly in Derby.Brown & Holmes previously worked with the Nuclear AMRC through the Fit For Nuclear (F4N) supplier development programme.
For further information www.namrc.co.uk

The Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS) at Coventry University has won more than £4m of new hydrogen testing contracts.Simon Shepherd, director of C-ALPS, says: “The latest contracts take the total value of joint projects active and completed at C-ALPS to more than £20m. This, along with the level of interest we are seeing from collaborators, is a sure sign that we’ve created the environment and expertise required to support UK companies in meeting future propulsion technology demands.”
For further information www.coventry.ac.uk/c-alps

Babcock International has signed a framework agreement with Additure to enhance the digital manufacturing capability within its Land business.With a focus on increasing customers’ platform availability, this collaboration will develop new digital solutions, such as additive manufacturing, to better manage complex, critical, low-volume parts. The new approach will also utilise effective and sustainable technological methods, while moving production closer to the point of need.Part of Kingsbury Machine Tools, Additure is the Additive Manufacturing division created last year to support customer R&D and low-volume production with additive technologies.
For further information www.additure.co.uk