THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Kennametal Named NASCAR Official Tooling Supplier 

Kennametal is now the Official Tooling Supplier of NASCAR. Dave Bersaglini, Kennametal vice president and president of metal cutting, unveiled the designation at the company’s ‘Next Level Shop’ exhibit on the first day of the IMTS exhibition in Chicago earlier this month. The designation builds on years of collaboration between Kennametal and NASCAR,  

including on-site testing, application support and tooling solutions. 

“Every thousandth of an inch matters in NASCAR, and that’s exactly the kind of precision 

Kennametal brings to its customers,” said Bersaglini. “We’re proud to work alongside  

NASCAR’s engineering and manufacturing teams to meet the sport’s unique machining  

demands and deliver the speed, precision and reliability required to keep this sport  

performing at the highest level.” 

More information www.kennametal.com 

London’s Largest Factory Since World War II Opens

Isembard is opening its new global headquarters and factory in Southwark, London, the largest factory to open in the capital since World War II. The announcement comes as the company expects to raise significant additional funding to support its ambitious expansion plans on a global scale, having grown revenue by 10 times year-over-year in the past 12 months. Isembard expects headcount at Southwark to grow to 200 by the end of 2027. 

The Southwark site spans 160,000 sq ft and will serve as Isembard’s global head office alongside a working CNC machining facility, producing components for aerospace, defence and robotics customers, including Anduril, Babcock and Tekever. Located just a few minutes from Westminster and the city. The factory houses an array of three- and five-axis milling machines, turn-mills, and wire EDM machines, alongside a climate-controlled metrology lab.  

More information www.isembard.com 

BLM Group Opens New UK Headquarters in Towcester

BLM Group is strengthening UK presence with the opening of new headquarters in Towcester, Northamptonshire. The new facility includes a dedicated showroom designed to give visitors a comprehensive overview of the company’s portfolio: from laser tube systems and tube bending machines to laser solutions for sheet metal processing. The new HQ also house dedicated training facilities. To celebrate the move, BLM Group UK will host a special event at the facility on 6 to 8 October. Customers, partners and industry professionals will have the opportunity to explore the premises and discover the group’s technologies. 

More information www.blmgroup.com/ukopenhouse 

Shaping The Future of Smart Manufacturing

Stäubli Robotics is inviting engineers to its first North East Europe Robotics & Automation Summit. This industry event dedicated to innovation, automation and digitalisation will bring together professionals and decision-makers from industry, engineering, research and automation. On  19-20 November, the Stäubli Welcome Center in Bayreuth, Germany will become a central hub for innovation and knowledge transfer.  

Attendees can look forward to a diverse programme featuring expert presentations, work sessions, panel discussions and live demonstrations with practical application examples. 

Participants will gain valuable insights into modern automation solutions and innovative manufacturing technologies that help companies sustainably increase productivity, flexibility and competitiveness.  

More information www.tinyurl.com/2r8x97ve 

Global Search for Hidden Manufacturing Talent

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence and Oracle Red Bull Sim Racing have opened the 2026 ‘Future Skills Challenge’, a global online competition that asks gamers and sim racers to test the data-led instincts that advanced manufacturing now runs on. Competitors must race against the clock through 10 questions that test their speed, analysis, strategy and problem-solving under pressure. No engineering qualifications or experience is required. 

Prizes for the winning contestants include a Fanatec sim rig, a trip to the Red Bull Technology Campus and a tour of the Oracle Red Bull Racing factory, as well as a range of merchandise and prizes. Entries are  open worldwide until 21 October 2026. The competition will culminate in The Future Skills Forum at MK-7, an invitation-only summit at the Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, UK, on 17 November 2026.  

More information www.tinyurl.com/342cpmhk