EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Schuler site turns 50

In 1973, Siegfried Heilmann and Fritz Haller founded Gemminger Maschinenbau GmbH(GMG), thus laying the foundation for today’s Schuler plant in Gemmingen. Initially, the focus of the business was on the manufacture and sale of special machines, feeding and linking systems, and the automation of machine tools. Today, Gemmingen is the competence centre for press line automation, hydraulic systems and equipment within the Schuler Group, to which the site has belonged since 1989.The factory is home to approximately 330 employees.

For further information www.schulergroup.com

Prototal buys CA Models

Prototal Industries has acquired CA Models, an additive manufacturing specialist based in Stirling. The acquisition adds metal additive manufacturing to the group’s offering and further enhances its capabilities in delivering innovative manufacturing solutions.The acquisition was completed on 1 February and Prototal Industries and CA Models are now working to secure a smooth and effective integration of the new team. Collectively, CA Models and Prototal UK will have an expanded market presence, enabling the group to reach a wider audience and serve customers more effectively and efficiently across the UK.

For further information www.prototalindustries.com

Global innovation hub for the Midlands

Birmingham has become the latest city to join a global network of design and digital consultancies set up to solve real world challenges through effective problemsolving.

Design Factory Birmingham will have its base at Aston University, one of just two hubs in the UK outside of London.The university will be sharing its expertise in artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, data science, and web, app and graphic design to boost the local economy.Currently there are 39 innovation hubs in 25 countries across five continents based in universities and research organisations.

For further information www.bit.ly/3wgzYR

UK plants deliver £49bn productivity boost

The UK manufacturing sector achieved productivity improvements worth £48.5bn in 2023, an 8.6% increase on 2022, according to analysis of ONS data by FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics. Chris Iveson, CEO at FourJaw, says: “Manufacturers have realised that production excellence is the only viable strategy for combatting supply chain uncertainty, high energy costs and skills shortages. UK manufacturers know they’re only earning when their machine spindles are turning, sothey are adopting technology to see what’s happening in their factories and using data to optimise processes and decisionmaking.”

For further information www.fourjaw.com

Apprenticeship in composites launches

The University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre will become the first training provider in South Yorkshire to deliver a new composites apprenticeship in a move to sustain the longevity of the capability within manufacturing.Together with McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, the AMRC Training Centre will deliver a new advanced level composites technician apprenticeship, in addition to the metallic machining apprenticeship the centre is already delivering with McLaren. 

Alongside McLaren, Wirral-based Teledyne CML Composites, which specialises in the manufacture of composites parts and assemblies on some of the world’s most advanced aircraft platforms, is also supporting the new apprenticeship – with the aim that more companies will come on board in the future. 

For further information www.amrctraining.co.uk