EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Award presentation marks record year

New micro-precision tooling capability has put a Birmingham manufacturing specialist on
course for its best performance in 164 years. Brandauer, which exports 75% of the
components and tools it makes to 26 different countries, made the announcement during
the recent presentation of its King’s Award for Innovation by Derrick Anderson CBE, the Lord
Lieutenant for the West Midlands. This year has been a whirlwind period for Brandauer,
with more than £4m invested in high-speed Bruderer UK and Yamada presses, a 1-µm
capable wire EDM, a laser micro-cutter, and a rapid prototyping area.
More information www.brandauer.co.uk

Atlas Copco buys PPS

Atlas Copco UK Holdings Ltd has acquired 100% ownership of Pennine Pneumatic Services Limited (PPS). PPS has been an Atlas Copco premier distributor for many years and will continue to offer the same products and services, alongside an extended product offering as part of Atlas Copco Compressors UK’s business operations. It will continue to operate as a stand-alone company within Atlas Copco Compressors UK, under the Pennine Pneumatic Services brand name, for the foreseeable future. PPS has five branches across the north of England and over 90 team members.

More information www.pps-ltd.co.uk

£220m BAE investment

BAE Systems will invest £220m to upgrade its facilities in Rochester, Kent. The site will undergo significant renovation to create a new state-of-the-art factory of more than 32,000 m². BAE Systems’ 1600-strong workforce in Rochester specialises in advanced aerospace technologies such as head-up displays and helmet-mounted displays for civil and military aircraft worldwide. The new facility will combine manufacturing, engineering and office space. BAE Systems expects the increased capacity provided by a more efficient and sustainable facility will see the creation of 300 jobs over the next five years.

More information www.baesystems.com

New collaboration will advance AM

ArcelorMittal, a global specialist in sustainable steel solutions, and HP, a printing company with expertise in additive manufacturing, are entering a strategic collaboration to advance the field of steel additive manufacturing. ArcelorMittal acknowledges HP’s technical expertise by selecting its Metal Jet S100 technology to develop the additive manufacturing of steel components. HP credits ArcelorMittal with promising results using its steel powders, demonstrating robustness for binder jetting technology. The collaboration will focus on the lowering cost per part and extending the available material options.

More information https://corporate.arcelormittal.com/

CPI-backed investment fund launches

Innovative UK-based SMEs will now have a new source of support through the launch of EverQuest Capital Partners, an investment firm committed to driving transformative change in industries such as automotive and renewable energy. In partnership with CPI, the fund provides not only financial backing but also access to state-of-the-art technical expertise and world-class facilities. With decades of experience in high-value markets, CPI says it offers SMEs a unique advantage. By providing access to cutting-edge infrastructure and support, CPI helps businesses accelerate their innovations to market. 

More information www.uk-cpi.com