Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband, visited Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE) in Cambridge earlier this month to see the company’s Ebflow electron beam welding technology, which has the potential to transform manufacturing timelines and costs for the UK’s next-generation nuclear power infrastructure. The visit came ahead of the Government announcing its £14.2bn investment in the planned Sizewell C nuclear power station in neighbouring Suffolk.

More information www.ebflow.com

Linear motion component manufacturer HepcoMotion is expanding with the addition of three new sites, increasing its capacity to meet global demand. Located near the company’s headquarters at Tiverton Business Park in Devon, two of the facilities (set to be operational by year-end) will increase the company’s footprint by 25-30%. The third – currently in the planning phase – will provide further capacity to support future growth. Says managing director Peter Fanshawe: “We’re investing in infrastructure that supports innovation and positions us to meet the evolving needs of customers worldwide. ”

More information www.hepcomotion.com

Castrol has introduced ‘Castrol Intelligent Lubrication Solutions’ to help industrial customers prevent costly downtime, optimise lubricant consumption and extend asset life through predictive maintenance intelligence. The initial focus area is providing predictive analysis by leveraging sensor-based technology and IoT platforms for neat oil applications. These capabilities have delivered compelling results in steel and automotive manufacturing, with the company’s innovation roadmap including expanded offerings for metalworking fluids and additional predictive analytics capabilities. 

More information www.bit.ly/3Gaf4sW

CPI has opened its Advanced Materials Battery Industrialisation Centre (AMBIC) at NETPark in County Durham, a facility designed to accelerate the development and scale-up of new battery materials. Established through a £12m investment from UK Research and Innovation’s Faraday Battery Challenge, funded by Innovate UK, AMBIC is a joint initiative between CPI and WMG at the University of Warwick. CPI chief technologist Dr Keri Goodwin, says: “Whether you’re developing lithium-ion, solid-state or emerging chemistries, our facility gives you the tools and expertise to scale faster - from powder to prototype.”

More information www.uk-cpi.com