EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

5G Trial

A collaborative project at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s (NMIS) Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) in Irvine has shown how private 5G mobile networks could support demand for secure, high-capacity connectivity in manufacturing. The project simulated a manufacturing use case and trialled network performance in a factory-like setting. The system was tested under progressively increasing loads, reaching an average data throughput of more than 97 Mbps, with peaks above 100 Mbps. The results suggest the system could support hundreds of simulated industrial environments simultaneously.

More information www.nmis.scot

£30m Push Into Aerospace, Defence And Anergy

Securing more than £30m of new orders in defence, energy and aerospace is helping one of Bridgnorth’s largest employers bounce back from a tough trading period. Grainger & Worrall is utilising is technical expertise and production capability in complex aluminium sand casting to win work with customers manufacturing light aircraft engines, specialist vehicle transmissions and datacentre applications.

The senior management team is looking to capitalise on this recent upturn by signing off a £1m investment programme and completing a recruitment drive for 30 new employees across its manufacturing, maintenance and quality departments. Grainger & Worrall has been delivering full-process precision casting solutions for more than 70 years. Employing over 450 people, the company serves global clients across five continents.

More information www.gwcast.com

MTT Becomes Latest Renishaw Channel Partner

Renishaw has appointed Machine Tool Technologies (MTT) as an official Channel Partner. The move marks an important milestone in a relationship that spans more than 25 years, built on a shared commitment to precision, technical excellence and customer support for CNC machine tools. In fact, the appointment sees MTT become a Platinum Partner, providing access to the portfolio of Renishaw encoder products.

MTT has built extensive capability across Renishaw’s machine tool metrology portfolio, including laser calibration systems and machine tool products, consistently delivering high standards of service and application support. As a Channel Partner, MTT will play a key role in supporting customers with Renishaw’s FORTiS enclosed linear encoder. Renishaw says the FORTiS enclosed encoder meets the demands of modern, high‑performance machine tools.

More information www.renishaw.com

Auto parts supplier opens Pune manufacturing plant

Feintool has officially inaugurated its first production facility in India, located in the industrial hub of Pune. Production is now being ramped up to fulfil initial customer orders, with a focus on fine-blanked automotive components. At the opening ceremony, CEO Lars Reich underlined the strategic relevance of the new site: “Feintool is proud to meet its customers’ demand for local production. We’re in the right place at the right time to benefit sustainably from the momentum in the Indian automotive industry and capitalise on further opportunities in the country’s growing industrial markets.”

More information www.feintool.com

Entries Now Open For Automate UK Awards 2026

Entries are now being accepted for the Automate UK Awards, the annual recognition event celebrating excellence in automation, robotics and industrial vision. The organisation also announced that comedian Frank Skinner and soul singer Heather Small will perform at the presentation. The deadline for entry submissions is 17:00 on 7 August. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on the second evening of the UK’s biggest processing and packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision exhibition, PPMA, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 22-24 September.

More information www.tinyurl.com/3sxy3b9h