UK NEWS

West Midlands ‘Leader of the Year’ Named

One of the 3D printing world’s rising stars has claimed two major business awards in
recognition of the way he has grown his company against international rivals. RYSE 3D’s
founder Mitchell Barnes was a double winner at Business Desk’s recent West Midlands
Leadership Awards, beating off competition from some of the region’s brightest stars to win
Company Leader of the Year (up to 50 employees) and overall Leader of the Year.
The 28-year-old impressed judges with his eye for innovation and passion for disrupting the
3D printing world, proving this rapidly emerging discipline can be used to manufacture
production parts in low-to-medium volumes. Barnes was also praised for his innovative
leadership style.
More information www.ryse3d.co.uk

Renishaw Renews Greenpower Partnership

Metrology and additive manufacturing specialist Renishaw has renewed its partnership with
the Greenpower Education Trust, a UK-based charity that ignites enthusiasm for STEM
subjects by engaging students in the design, build and racing of electric cars. This continued
collaboration reinforces Renishaw’s dedication to promoting practical learning experiences
and encouraging diversity in engineering through hands-on projects.
As part of the new three-year agreement, Renishaw is once again sponsoring the Castle
Combe heat of the Formula 24 and F24+ challenges, which will take place on 1 June at Castle
Combe Circuit in Chippenham. These challenges allow teams to construct and race either a
Greenpower kit car or a custom-built vehicle adhering to Greenpower’s safety regulations.
More information www.renishaw.com

Expansion at Lawton Tubes

Lawton Tubes, a manufacturer and supplier of copper tubing products, is investing £20m into a new facility just a few metres from its current headquarters in Coventry. Within three years, the expansion will see the creation of a 11,148m², two-storey facility that will house Lawton’s manufacturing, storage and office operations. The vision is to transform the entire two-hectare site into a state-of-the-art distribution centre and new head office. The project will be a significant step forward for the family-run business, which has an annual turnover of £230m and a team of 140 staff across four sites in Coventry, Redditch and Poole.

More information www.lawtontubes.co.uk

Metrology on wheels

Bowers Group is introducing its new mobile metrology showroom, delivering precision measurement demonstrations to businesses across the UKand the Republic of Ireland. Designed to provide an on-site, direct experience, the new facility gives customers the opportunity to explore industry-leading precision measurement solutions within their own working environment.The mobile metrology showroom is part of Bowers Group’s drive to providing accessible, practical, expert-led demonstrations, ensuring customers are able to see in-person how the latest innovations can enhance their inspection processes.

To arrange a visit rclark@bowersgroup.co.uk

RARUK Automation enters partnerships

RARUK Automation, known for supplying the Universal Robots range of collaborative robots (cobots) and other automation solutions in the UK, is entering new partnerships with SICK and Inbolt. The collaborations will allow RARUK Automation to unlock new cobot applications for UK manufacturing businesses.

For instance, the End-of-Arm-Safeguard (EOAS) from SICK creates a protective field around the cobot’s end effector, preventing it from coming into contact with human workers operating in the same area. Meanwhile, Inbolt’s GuideNOW is an AI-based 3D vision system that enables real-time cobot guidance.

More information www.rarukautomation.com