Editor’s Pick

Britten-Norman re-shoring aircraft production

UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman is planning to increase production rates and repatriate aircraft production to its historic home in Bembridge, Isle of Wight. The move is a major change for the British SME, which has been manufacturing its aircraft in Eastern Europe since the late 1960s.Britten-Norman will invest in new jigs and tooling to create two additional production lines, andintroduce new sustainable energy initiatives.

In the coming months, the company will embark on a recruitment campaign, further boosting job creation in the UK’s Solent Local Enterprise Partnership area. The focus will include aircraft fitters and technicians, production engineering and supply chain roles. In addition, the expansion will create new traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities on the Isle of Wight and in south Hampshire.
For further information www.britten-norman.com

Appointment supports growth at GM Group

As the GM Group prepares for the official opening of its new facility in Oldham, the company has laid a further marker of its ambitious growth intentions with the appointment of a new regional sales manager. Joining the GM Group to drive sales of the Victor CNC range of machine tools, Mathew Bates is now regional sales manager for the northwest of England and Wales. Bates is a seasoned engineer with more than 30 years of industry experience.

GM Group director Nicola Howard says: “The Victor brand of machine tools is renowned for its build quality, performance, longevity and a diversity that caters for all applications, industry sectors and machine shops. We’re confident that Mathew will apply his industry expertise and build upon our already impressive market penetration in the area.”
For further information www.gm-cnc.com

MGP funding comes to a close

One of the UK’s most successful industrial business support programmes comes to an end this month after helping the manufacturing sector to create or safeguard 12,435 jobs since 2016.The Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), designed and delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice, will see funding from the European Regional Development Fund end and is now urging the Government and local authorities to ensure the quick placement of tailored advice for manufacturing SMEs.

MGP’s final report revealed that over 95% of companies surveyed expected their business to grow in the next five years after receiving support from the programme, with 63% identifying the development of new products as a key area. In addition, 63% said they had already seen an increase in turnover, while 52% cited improved productivity as the main outcome of support received.
For further information www.oxfordinnovationadvice.co.uk

Inspiring the next industrial era

Manufacturing World Japan, an international manufacturing event set to take place on 21-23 June, is launching its exhibitor directory and conference programme. The exhibitor directory is a thorough listing of manufacturers showing products, equipment and ground-breaking technologies. Visitors can browse a wide variety of exhibitors, form useful connections and learn about fresh business opportunities.

Complementing the exhibitor directory, the conference programme features a line-up of 30 speakers, including industry experts and thought leaders. There will be 21 sessions, including a keynote speech and 20 special lectures. Teiji Hirata, corporate vice president, vehicle production and development, Nissan Motor Co, will lead this year’s keynote speech by shedding light on Nissan’s cutting-edge manufacturing practices and its vision for next-generation vehicle production.
For further information www.bit.ly/3IKDyad

Discover the complete manufacturing ecosystem

Subcon returns to the Birmingham NEC next week (7-8 June), bringing together the full manufacturing ecosystem for the UK’s longest-established subcontract manufacturing supply chain show. Over 200 UK and international suppliers will be present at the 46th edition of the exhibition, covering assembly work, CNC machining, metal fabrication, electronics, component parts and more. The exhibition organiser anticipates more than 4000 visitors, all of whom will benefit from free access.

Alongside the exhibition, two conference theatres will provide topical content on the challenges, pain points and opportunities for the manufacturing industry, including supply chain optimisation, AI and automation, agility and resilience, additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, sustainability, and digitalisation. These free conference sessions will showcase over 50 industry leaders revealing stories behind some of the UK’s most interesting engineering and manufacturing projects.
For further information www.subconshow.co.uk