Editor’s Pick

Industry awaits SteelFab 2018

SteelFab 2018 gets underway next week (15-18 January) at the Expo Centre in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. As the region’s most prominent business event specialising in steel fabrication, SteelFab 2018 will boast a large number of steel industry professionals and decision-makers among its exhibitors and visitors, as well as an interesting seminar programme.

The 14th edition of the show will present modern technologies in steel forming, metal-cutting, finishing, milling and heavy machinery, as well as other related engineering applications. SteelFab attracts worldwide attendance and participation both from national companies and hundreds of foreign firms and leading international brands in the field. XYZ Machine Tools and Chester Machine Tools will be among the 54 UK exhibitors at this year’s event. Around 8000 visitors attended the 2017 show from 83 different countries.
For further information www.steelfabme.com

IKCO begins Haima S5 mass production

The production line of the new Haima S5 has been officially inaugurated at Iran Khodro’s Khorasan (IKKCO) site during a ceremony attended by top managers from both IKCO and Haima. The move is in line with the company’s five-year strategy to introduce and produce a new vehicle every year. Recent launches include the 2.0-litre Haima S7, the Haima S7 with a 1.8-litre turbo engine, the new Suzuki Grand Vitara, and now the Haima S5.

The Haima S5 is the fruit of close co-operation between Haima and Italy’s LDA Design, and is an SUV said to offer high acceleration, a robust engine and good performance. Other companies like Bosch and Punch Industry are also involved. The IKKCO site in northeast Iran is dedicated to the production of SUVs.
For further information www.ikco.ir

Qatar agrees contract for Typhoon

BAE Systems and the Government of the State of Qatar have entered into a contract, valued at approximately £5bn, for the supply of Typhoon aircraft to the Qatar Emiri Air Force along with a bespoke support and training package. The contract is subject to financing conditions and receipt by the company of the first payment, both of which are expected to be fulfilled no later than mid-2018.

The contract provides for 24 Typhoon aircraft with delivery expected to commence in late 2022. BAE Systems is the prime contractor for both the provision of the aircraft and the agreed arrangements for the in-service support and initial training. Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems chief executive, says: “We are delighted to begin a new chapter in the development of a long-term relationship with the State of Qatar and the Qatar Armed Forces, and we look forward to working alongside our customer as they continue to develop their military capability.”
For further information www.baesystems.com

Paving the way for used CMM market

Independent measurement solutions provider Status Metrology and metrology specialist Hexagon are celebrating a 20-year partnership that the pair say helped pave the way for a second-user CMM market in the UK. Nottingham-based Status spotted a gap in the market in the late 1990s and pitched the idea of becoming a supplier of retrofit legacy CMMs alongside its established service and calibration operation.

“We spoke to all the manufacturers but it was only with Brown & Sharpe, which was later acquired by Hexagon, that we found synergy,” explains Tony Tillett, Status Metrology’s managing director. “They shared our vision that there were opportunities for upgrading machines.” As well as supplying second-user bridge, side-arm and gantry CMMs, Status also offers a selection of new machines, sensors and Hexagon’s PC-DMIS inspection software.
For further information www.status-cmm.co.uk www.hexagonmi.com

XYZ awarded safety accreditation

XYZ Machine Tools has been awarded accreditation from third-party accreditation scheme Alcumus SafeContractor for its excellence in health and safety in the workplace, an award which is used and recognised by SMEs and FTSE 100 companies across UK. In gaining the award, XYZ Machine Tools had to prove that it met Alcumus SafeContractor’s rigorous standards in health and safety management.

Gemma Archibald, director of Alcumus SafeContractor, says: “More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that XYZ Machine Tools has done. SafeContractor plays a vital role in helping clients to meet their compliance needs, while working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com