EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Stuart Lawson Rejoins Ward CNC

Stuart Lawson has rejoined CNC machine tool supplier TW Ward CNC Machinery Ltd (Ward
CNC) in the position of sales manager. As well as overseeing new CNC machine tool sales,
Stuart will form a key part of the company’s senior management team. Ward CNC is the
exclusive UK distributor for machine tool brands such as Hyundai-Wia, Hartford, Soraluce,
Takisawa, Hankook and Gurutzpe.
Managing director Simon Whitworth says: “We’re pleased to have Stuart back on board at
Ward CNC. He possesses a wealth of experience in the machine tool industry, both from his
previous time with us, in addition to extensive industry knowledge. He’ll make a significant
contribution to our ongoing success.”
More information www.wardcnc.com

NMITE names new chair

Herefordshire’s pioneering new university project, the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has appointed Dr Jesse Norman as its new non-executive chair, succeeding Terence Jagger. Norman, who is also the Member of Parliament for Hereford and South Herefordshire, has enjoyed close association with the project since before its foundation. He says: “NMITE is already showing that it can educate students at different life stages in hands-on engineering and technology to Bachelors and Masters level faster and more cost-effectively than any other university in the UK.”More information www.nmite.ac.uk

Promotion at Lantek UK

Lantek UK, a software specialist for the sheet metal industry, has named Adam Ball as its new commercial director. Ball takes over from his long-standing predecessor Rob Powell, who has over 40 years of industry experience (24 at Lantek). Powell will continue as director of OEM partnerships in the UK for Q1 2025. With over 20 years of experience in sheet metal machinery gained in service, applications and sales roles, Ball will look to build on Lantek UK’s installed base of around 1500 software systems. The company’s Expert software covers laser, punching, waterjet, oxy cutting, plasma, tube cutting and combination machines.

More information www.lantek.com

Antifriction acquires Scots Bearings

Antifriction Components – a UK distributor of bearings and power transmission products – has acquired independent Scottish distributor, Scots Bearings Ltd, in a seven-figure deal. The combined business will be the largest specialist distributor of critical moving parts in Scotland, with seven sites across the country. Scots Bearings’ founder David Jackson will continue in his role as managing director. Founded in 1986, Scots Bearings employs 60 staff at its headquarters in Aberdeen and other sites in Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Irvine.

Antifriction Components, based in Bristol, now has 19 sites across the UK.

More information www.antifriction.co.uk

64% fail metalworking fluid checks

A freedom of information request submitted by TotalEnergies Marketing UK Ltd to the UK Government’s independent workplace safety regulator has revealed widespread non-compliance relating to the use of metalworking fluids. A total of 285 unannounced inspections were carried out by the HSE on manufacturing businesses that use metalworking fluids or coolants in their machining processes, over a period of eight months. The inspections identified significant safety breaches relating to these fluids at 181 sites between September 2023 and April 2024, equivalent to around 64% of all inspections.More information www.bit.ly/4fKcpC6