EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

£38m funding to upgrade UKBIC

The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has secured a further £38m in funding to upgrade the facility’s scale-up capabilities, thus supporting innovation projects for high-tech developers and users of battery technologies. This new funding, announced as part of the Autumn Statement, is principally for UKBIC’s flexible scale-up line, and builds upon the £36m already committed by Faraday Battery Challenge in May. Preparatory work on construction of thefacility is already underway.

The new funding will enhance Coventry-based UKBICs’ offering to customers and enable activities that include: the installation of additional electrode production equipment as part of UKBIC’s new flexible scale-up line; the installation of a flexible 800 sq m clean and dry industrialisation space for new manufacturing process demonstration; and the development of advanced digital manufacturing capability to transform how data is analysed during the upscaling of products and processes at UKBIC.
For further information www.ukbic.co.uk

Construction of EMIoT gets underway

Derby College Group (DCG) reports thatground has been broken for the upcoming East Midlands Institute of Technology (EMIoT) at the Roundhouse Campus, marking a significant milestone in the development of cutting-edge education and training facilities in the region. The facilityis poised to become a beacon of excellence, with collaboration between academia and industry in addressing the growing demand for skilled professionals in technology-related fields.

A partnership between Derby College Group, the University of Derby, Loughborough College and Loughborough University, the EMIoT aims to deliver a world-class, research-orientated, employer-led learning facilities, founded on clean growth and digital delivery. It is working closely with global employers, including Rolls-Royce, Uniper, Toyota, National Grid ESO, Alstom, Fujitsu and Bloc Digital to ensure programmes deliver a workforce with future-ready skills.
For further information www.derby-college.ac.uk

ModuleWorks partners with Mitsubishi Electric

ModuleWorks, a supplier of software components for the digital manufacturing industry, says Mitsubishi Electric has joined its Strategic Partner Programme. The Strategic Partner Programme initiated by ModuleWorks represents a commitment to driving the development of intelligent, integrated manufacturing solutions by fostering collaboration and innovation between ModuleWorks and key technology providers. Mitsubishi Electric, which is the latest addition to the growing network of partners,collaboratedpreviously with ModuleWorks on its shop-floor digitalisation strategy.
For further information www.moduleworks.com

Succession planning proves vital at Alloy Wire

A UK manufacturer of round, flat and profile wire is on course to celebrate a record year, less than 12 months on from a MBO designed to protect the ‘unique values’ of the business.
Alloy Wire International, which began trading in the Black Country more than 77 years ago, has seen sales rocket by £3m since completion of the deal in January, taking turnover to £18m with the prospect of breaking £20m in 2024.Demand from customers in more than 63 countries has been behind the initial boost, but the company is now adamant that its commitment to extending employee ownership will drive ongoing success.
For further informationwww.alloywire.com

SPF project

The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) and ITP Aero have co-developed a project to minimise energy use and material waste, and enhance productivity throughout the lifecycle of the aerospace superplastic forming (SPF) process. The three-year £750,000 project aims to develop a predictive tool that identifies the lowest temperature possible for successful SPF across ITP’s product range.This new tool will be capable of predicting microstructure evolution, damage initiation and alpha-case formation during SPF.
For further information www.bit.ly/44R55PL