EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

JLR invests £500m

JLR is investing £500m investment to transform its historic Halewood facility and support
the parallel production of electric vehicles (EVs) alongside existing combustion and hybrid
models. Originally built in 1963 to produce the Ford Anglia, Halewood is being transformed
for the electric era. The historic plant has been fitted with technology that includes new EV

build lines, 750 autonomous robots, ADAS calibration rigs, laser alignment technology for
perfect part fitment and the latest cloud-based digital plant management systems to create
the ‘factory of the future’.
More information www.jaguarlandrover.com

Award for industry-academia research

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Boeing
have won the 2024 Bhattacharyya Award, an honour backed by the UK Government that
celebrates the most impactful collaborations between academia and industry. More than 23
years after their initial partnership, the AMRC and Boeing have trained over 2000
apprentices, created 2500 jobs and delivered £350m of inward investment. In 2018, the
AMRC site in Rotherham also welcomed Boeing as a neighbour – the aerospace giant’s first
European manufacturing facility.
More information www.amrc.co.uk

NMIS names new CTO

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) has named Coreen McCubbin as its chief technology officer (CTO). McCubbinhas previously held senior leadership roles at Spirit AeroSystems and BAE systems, and was most recently consulting globally at Leading Edge Strategy Consulting. She holds a degree in engineering and has a proven track record in UK manufacturing, project management and translating industry needs into impactful R&D projects. Known for her strategic mindset and communication skills, McCubbinis passionate about transforming manufacturing and fostering sustainable innovation.

More information www.nmis.scot

X-Pro joins Mapal Group

The Mapal Group has acquired X-Pro Srl, an Italian specialist in fixture design and manufacture. Mapal has been working successfully with X-Pro in the Italian market for several years. Claudio Gabos, chief sales officer at Mapal Group, says: “We are convinced that the acquisition of X-Pro will enable us to tap additional market potential – even in these challenging times – and generate momentum for further development.”X-Pro was founded in 2001 in Bologna and employs around 35 people. Stefano Vitali will continue in his role as managing director and remain in charge of the company.

More information www.mapal.com

Unipart Manufacturing joins £11m project

Unipart Manufacturing is set to play a key role in Project PULSE (Power electronics Upscale for Localisation and Sustainable Electrification), an £11m initiative funded by the UK Government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The project, led by Protean Electric, brings together five industrial partners and two universities – Coventry University and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) – to industrialise the assembly and manufacture of inverters and converters in the UK.As a key partner, Unipart will establish a flexible power electronics manufacturing capability at its manufacturing site in Coventry.  More information www.unipartmanufacturing.co.uk