AMRC Cymru and Wrexham Leadership Alliance have forged a new partnership to drive innovation and investment across north Wales, signing a strategic MoU to bolster the region’s manufacturing economy. By combining world-class research and development capabilities with local business leadership, the partnership aims to accelerate innovation and skills development, and secure long-term growth for regional businesses.

Crucially, the collaboration aligns with the ambitions of the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone — a £160mgovernment-backed initiative designed to act as a lightning rod for advanced manufacturing — which is expected to attract a forecast of £1bn of private investment and 6000 new jobs to the region over the next decade. AMRC Cymru, based in Broughton, is part of the University of Sheffield AMRC innovation cluster.

More information www.amrc.co.uk

CNC machine tool supplier Kingsbury, additive manufacturing specialist Additure, and newly independent 3D metal printing brand ATLIX (formerly Trumpf Additive Manufacturing), have entered into a strategic alliance that will position Kingsbury as the exclusive dealer of ATLIX machines and services in the UK, Ireland and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region.

From January 2026, Kingsbury’s additive manufacturing arm, Additure, will take on full responsibility for the sales, installation, service and aftermarket support of ATLIX’s industrial 3D metal printers in the named territories. ATLIX’s new flagship system, the TruPrint 5000, offers large-format, automated metal 3D printing production. Customers can also access bundled offerings, including machine purchase/leasing, and process support and validation.

More information www.kingsburyuk.com

Helix Tool Company, an independent distributor of cutting tools, has opened a new office in Blackburn, marking an expansion into the northwest. The new facility will offer same-day access to tooling brands such as Sandvik Coromant, Iscar, Walter, Tungaloy, OSG, Sumitomo, Dormer Pramet, Vargus and Quickgrind. The Blackburn team will also deliver on-site engineering support, tool-vending solutions and cost-saving assessments, helping customers improve output, tool life and efficiency. Helix says the move underlines its commitment to customers through smarter tooling and better technical support.

More information www.helixtools.co.uk 

Manufacturers are facing an ‘energy apocalypse’ as recent non-commodity changes and a new stealth tax have added millions to crippling bills. That is the stark message from the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM), which is calling on the Government to do something for the many, rather than just a few larger high-intensity energy businesses.

Leaders at SME manufacturers have reached the end of their tether trying to compete globally while facing extortionate prices for gas and electricity exacerbated by the amount of taxes and levies that form parts of the bill. CBM members have already come forward to explain what this means on the shop floor, with many expecting rises of 10-30% in the cost of energy over the next six months. In some cases, this equates to an extra £1m of charges.

More information www.thecbm.co.uk

Global tooling specialist Iscar Tools will give its support to the Education and Development (E&D) Zone at the MACH 2026 exhibition (Birmingham NEC, 202-4 April) by taking on the role of headline sponsor. The move demonstrates the company’s commitment to attracting the next generation of engineers into the advanced manufacturing sector. The E&D Zone is the educational hub at MACH 2026 for students keen to explore what manufacturing can offer them as a future career and help them find their ‘pathway to engineering’. A lynchpin of the E&D Zone is the guided tours of the exhibition by apprentices.

More information www.machexhibition.com