THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

CPI-backed investment fund launches

Innovative UK-based SMEs will now have a new source of support through the launch of EverQuest Capital Partners, an investment firm committed to driving transformative change in industries such as automotive and renewable energy. In partnership with CPI, the fund provides not only financial backing but also access to state-of-the-art technical expertise and world-class facilities. With decades of experience in high-value markets, CPI says it offers SMEs a unique advantage. By providing access to cutting-edge infrastructure and support, CPI helps businesses accelerate their innovations to market. 

More information www.uk-cpi.com  

Automotive firm set for growth

An automotive prototyping firm based in Coventry is gearing up for accelerated growth after landing a five-figure grant for new equipment to meet rising demand. Futura Design received a £25,000 grant from the Business Growth West Midlands team at Coventry City Council, with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The £22m turnover company manufactures prototype models predominantly for the automotive industry, and the money will fund nearly half the cost of a new paint booth to help with the finishing of high-end prototypes. It means the firm can now meet rising demand for its paint development and finishing services from major names such as JLR, Bentley and Aston Martin.

More information www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk

New £5.5m manufacturing centre

A new £5.5m manufacturing centre in the Glasgow region aims to support the UK’s transition to net zero while driving substantial economic impact. By promoting circular economy practices to reduce waste and emissions, the centre could help reshore supply chains and unlock new opportunities for manufacturers.

The ReMake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) will be located within the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and the University of Strathclyde, in partnership with the University of Exeter and the University of Sheffield. The centre is funded through UKRI’s ‘Accelerating the Green Economy’ programme and will focus on ‘high-integrity’ sectors such as aerospace, marine, wind, nuclear, industrial and power generation.

More information www.bit.ly/40GwwNN

Young engineers march at Lord Mayor’s Show

Apprentices from the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre were among the thousands marching through the streets of London on 9 November for the Lord Mayor’s Show. They not only represented Sheffield’s manufacturing legacy, but also took the opportunity to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire.

More than 30 apprentices and staff members from the AMRC Training Centre joined the three-mile long procession to mark the 400th anniversary of the Cutlers’ Hall as ‘the voice of manufacturing in Sheffield and South Yorkshire’. To date, the AMRC Training Centre has nurtured more than 2000 apprentices for a wide range of businesses.More information www.amrctraining.co.uk

Ifm and Schuler agree digital co-operation

To monitor and improve quality in press shops through digitalisation, Ifm and Schuler Group have struck a co-operation agreement. The aim is to offer customers more transparency and increase efficiency in sheet metal forming.

Sheet metal forming presses are among the most important machines in all industries in which the processing of sheet metal takes place. The Schuler Group has 180 years of experience in forming technology and is the world’s market leader. Using digital solutions such as Track & Trace, Visual Die Protection or DigiSim, the company offers numerous tools that support digitalisation in press shops. Ifm SmartStamp expands this offering with a software tool that detects tilting, eccentricity and the resulting tilting moment on forming presses within milliseconds.

“If the ram tilts too far, the press guides are subject to excessive strain and will incur damage in the long term,” explains Christoph Schneider, vice president of product management applications at Ifm.

The tool protects the press from excessive wear and damage and helps to improve availability. SmartStamp is integrated into the Moneo IIoT platform, and now also into the Metris platform from Andritz, Schuler’s parent company.

“Thanks to combination with the data from our cloud-based digital solutions, customers benefit from interoperability and, consequently, even higher transparency in the press shop,” emphasises Rohitashwa Pant, chief digital officer of the Schuler Group.

The co-operation agreement provides for collaboration in sales. It is immaterial which system customers use when they start to digitalise. They can expand their digitalisation solution with the other system at any time.

More information www.schulergroup.com