EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Barrow funding

A major investment in Barrow-in-Furness can only be good news for supply chain companies and the wider economy. That is the view of award-winning engineering business Forth, which has one of its three Cumbrian bases in the town. The Government’s announcement of a £20m investment in the Barrow Transformation Fund is expected to create more than 8000 career opportunities at BAE Systems, its supply chain and the region’s economy. Forth believes the fund will help it attract engineering talent to the area as well as creating significant opportunities to support new defence projects at BAE Systems.

For further information www.forth.uk.com

Bridging the commercial ‘valley of death’

Manufacturing, business and academia have come together to bridge the UK’s £bn+ commercial ‘valley of death’. PP Plus, which is led by PP Control & Automation, is delivering access to expertise that will help companies develop and scale green technologies. More than 20 organisations are involved, including Brandauer, the Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion Systems, Cleveland Scott York, Product Approvals, Protolabs, Silverstone Technology Cluster and WMG. Together, they can take innovators from development and prototyping to protecting their IP, contract manufacturing and driving sales through PR.For further information www.pp-plus.org

T.50 supercar production moves location

Premium British vehicle manufacturer Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) is moving its T.50 supercar production to the company’s newly-built £50m headquarters at Highams Park, Surrey. Previously produced at Dunsfold Park, the decision will see T.50 manufacturing benefit from a wealth of efficiencies, enabling the business to streamline carbon-fibre monocoque production for T.33 prototypes and future models at Dunsfold Park. Next, the production team will transfer to building the T.33 coupe, before that supercar’s open-top sibling – the T.33 Spider – enters the Highams Park vehicle production centre.

For further information www.gordonmurrayautomotive.com.

Materialise and Renishaw in partnership

Renishaw and Materialise, a global specialist in 3D printing software and services, are entering into a partnership that will increase efficiency and productivity for manufacturers using Renishaw’s additive manufacturing (AM) systems. Through the partnership, Renishaw system users will benefit from Materialise’s next-generation build processor software tailored to the RenAM 500 series of metal AM systems.

Customers will also have access to Magics, Materialise’s data and build preparation software. This will enable users of Renishaw’s AM systems to build a seamless workflow (from design to 3D printed part), control and customise their 3D printing process, reduce production time, and increase the efficiency of their AM operations.

For further information www.renishaw.com

MSC engineers support Warwick Moto

MSC Industrial Supply Co UK (MSC) is a 2024 engineering partner for Warwick Moto, a student-led electric racing bike team at the University of Warwick. Founded in 2019, Warwick Moto sees a team of students from the School of Engineering collaborate with industry partners to design and build an electric superbike capable of competing at the highest level.

The new bike, which is being fully built by the students in a single academic year, is due for its unveiling in July 2024 ahead of planned races in the Netherlands and the UK. Engineers from MSC are providing first-hand tooling and engineering support to the team, with a particular focus on the casing for the bike’s battery.

For further information www.mscdirect.co.uk