THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Finalists Named for STEM Innovation Competition

Young innovators across the UK have been named finalists of The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition 2026. Selected from hundreds of entries, the young finalists will now go through a final round of judging and receive feedback from industry experts, before the winners are announced at an awards ceremony at The Big Bang Fair in June, the UK’s largest free celebration of STEM for young people aged 10 to 13. Run by EngineeringUK, the UK’s top annual STEM competition encourages young people to think big, challenge facts, ask questions and invent solutions. 

More information www.thebigbang.org.uk

Metal service centre wins big at CBM Awards

Amajor UK-based metal services centres was named as the shining star of the metal industry ‘Oscars’ recently. William King, which specialises in high-tensile steel, aluminium, light gauge processing, electrical steels and niche metal coatings, beat off competition from more than 50 businesses to win the ‘Company of the Year’ at the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) Awards.Held in front of more than 150 people at the ICC in Birmingham, the West Bromwich-based company impressed judges with its commitment to decarbonisation through investment in solar-generated electricity.

More information www.thecbm.co.uk

Trumpf develops new EV welding solution

A new laser welding solution from Trumpf makes the production of power electronics for electric cars more efficient and reliable. The company has developed a highly automated process that enables customers to weld copper electrical conductors directly onto copper busbars. Manufacturers can now replace the screw connections traditionally used with this new technology.

“The key lies in the interplay between laser, sensor technology, AI and data,” says Woo-Sik Chung, responsible for the new laser welding solution at TRUMPF. “Only when all components work in perfect harmony can highly automated and stable processes for series production be realised. The entire process takes well under a second and is therefore designed for high-productivity series production.”

More information www.trumpf.com

Mitutoyo digital micrometer wins iF Design Award

Mitutoyo’s QuantuMike MD-E, a high-speed, high-accuracy digital micrometer, has won an iF Design Award 2026 in the ‘Product Design’ category. The iF Design Awards is a respected international design competition evaluated by an independent panel of experts. Receiving this award highlights Mitutoyo’s ongoing commitment to innovation, design excellence and the continuous development of products that meet evolving customer needs.

With a spindle feed of 2 mm per revolution, Mitutoyo says QuantuMike MD-E is four times faster than conventional micrometers, while accuracy is ±1 μm. According to Mitutoyo, the accolade recognises not only the technological achievements of the QuantuMike MD-E, but also the company’s dedication to advancing precision measurement solutions for modern industry.

More information www.mitutoyo.eu

Electricity bills to be cut for 10,000 manufacturers

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed electricity bill cuts for over 10,000 manufacturers as the next phase of the Government’s plan to boost Britain’s competitiveness takes shape. It is hoped the move will help manufacturers compete, win and create good jobs. Automotive, aerospace, steel plants and metal fabricators are among the sectors where eligible businesses are to benefit from a one-off additional payment in 2027.

The payment will cover the support firms would have received if BICS had been in place from April 2026. Eligibility has also been expanded by 40%, from 7000 to over 10,000 manufacturers. This targets support at energy-intensive firms on the number one issue they face:  high electricity costs. From April 2027, eligible firms will see electricity bills cut by up to 25%.

More information www.gov.uk