Hexagon has revealed plans to invest approximately €90m in a new 52,000 m2 production facility in Hongdao, China. The new site will primarily produce metrology systems for the MI (Manufacturing Intelligence) division. There will also be office and meeting space, recreational areas for employees and a Hexagon solution centre. Construction is slated to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2020.
“The factories of the future must be flexible, modular working environments with data-driven ecosystems that embed agility and quality into every phase of the production process,” says Hexagon president and CEO Ola Rollén. “Our new facility not only will deliver high-class products and services for our customers in China and the surrounding region, but pioneer new technologies to support smart manufacturing.”
For further information www.hexagonmi.com

The capacity utilisation rate (CUR) of Turkish manufacturing rose further to 79% in June, the highest figure recorded since August 2008’s 81.9%, the central bank reports. Furthermore, Turkey’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose from 51.7 in April to 53.5 in May, the highest level recorded since December 2013, while calendar adjusted industrial production growth hit a 20-month high in April and exports surged 16% year-on-year in May. Production from the industrial sector was up 5.3% year-on-year in Q1, with manufacturing output recording a climb of 5.1%.
For further information www.tcmb.gov.tr

ZonesCorp says that it has signed four deals with companies to build facilities in Al Ain Industrial City (AAIC). The new projects represent a combined investment of approximately AED51m and cover a total area of nearly 60,000 sq m. After finalising deals with ZonesCorp at the end of 2016 and in Q1 2017, construction of the new facilities is underway and due to be completed towards the end of this year.
Strategically located midway between the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, AAIC has excellent transport and communication links, and is well located to serve GCC markets. Spread over an area of 9 sq km, AAIC has been developed and is operated under the same technical and environmental standards as the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD).
For further information www.zonescorp.com

As of 1 October, the Siemens Mechanical Drives unit (MD) will be operating in the market as Flender GmbH, a Siemens Company. Branches will also take on the new name worldwide. Earlier this year, Siemens had announced that it would be running the unit as a stand-alone company under the Siemens umbrella, to expand its leeway for action and provide a sharper, business-specific focus. The new set-up is to be completed globally by mid-2018. Says Stefan Tenbrock, CEO of Siemens Mechanical Drives. “It’s an important step in our transformation into a stand-alone firm under Siemens AG, acting as a market leader for our customers worldwide and thinking like a mid-sized company.”
For further information www.siemens.com

Immensa Technology Labs, a UAE-based additive manufacturing (AM) company, has launched the country’s first 3D printing facility, the company said in a statement. In line with the ‘Dubai 3D Printing Strategy’, Immensa’s new facility houses over eight 3D printing systems and offers over 30 materials for production. The site is equipped to build and manufacture production parts and one-off prototypes for customers across a range of industries.
Fahmi Al Shawwa, CEO of Immensa Technology Labs, says: “There are ample opportunities for organisations in the UAE to adopt AM to enhance their efficiencies and competitiveness, and we are focused on providing world-class and viable 3D printing solutions. Our team is passionate about 3D printing, design and manufacturing, and we cover the entire process to help our clients every step of the way.”
For further information www.immensalabs.com