UK NEWS

3D printing for Xmas

Renishaw empowered students in Bristol to experience 3D printing first hand with a Christmas-themed initiative. Continuing its commitment to STEM education, Renishaw has partnered with the SS Great Britain Trust’s Future Brunels Programme. As part of the collaboration, Renishaw is sponsoring the Christmas tree in Brunel Square, next to Brunel’s famous SS Great Britain steamship, where students have designed and 3D-printed unique baubles to adorn the tree. The festive project aimed to motivate students to explore careers in engineering and science, encouraging them to become the next generation of innovators.

More information www.renishaw.com

Anopol buys Poligrat

Anopol, a UK specialist in electropolishing and chemical surface treatment processes, has acquired Poligrat UK. For over 60 years, Poligrat has specialised in the development, production and application of processes for metal surface finishing from its plant in Aldershot. Anopol operates from ISO9001 and ISO14001 accredited facilities in Birmingham and Hampshire. Specialties include electropolishing, pickling, passivation and further surface treatment processes of stainless steels and other metals. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

More information www.anopol.com

BAE cuts first steel for HMS Sheffield

The first steel has been cut for the UK’s newest warship, HMS Sheffield, at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow. 27-year-old apprentice fabricator burner, Michael Miller, carried out the ceremonial act. It marked the official start of construction on the fifth of eight ‘city class’ vessels and is a significant milestone for the programme and British shipbuilding as a whole.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, attended the ceremony alongside a range of senior dignitaries from the UK Government, armed forces and industrial partners. All eight Type 26 frigates will be built on the Clyde, with the work sustaining nearly 2000 jobs in Scotland and 4000 jobs across the wider UK maritime supply chain for decades to come.

More information www.baesystems.com

40 years of workplace safety innovation

Halifax-based A-SAFE, a specialist in workplace efficiency and safety solutions, is celebrating four decades at the forefront of industrial safety and efficiency. The company’s journey epitomises a great British manufacturing success story, from its roots as a visionary family business to its evolution into a global operation. Under the leadership of brothers James and Luke Smith, A-SAFE has expanded from a team of 20 to a global workforce of 750, with a presence in over 65 countries. The company’s commitment to innovation continues with its latest Industry 4.0 advancements.

More information www.asafe.com

London press launch for MACH 2026

Located next to Somerset House on the banks of the River Thames, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) provided the backdrop for the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) to launch MACH 2026. The next edition of the UK’s largest exhibition for machine tools and manufacturing technologies will take place on 20-24 April 2026 at the Birmingham NEC, where 30,000+ attendees are expected.

More than 65% of the show’s floorplan is already taken, 16 months ahead of the event. The key theme for the 2026 edition will be unprecedented support from key industry associations such as Make UK, the MMMA, GTMA, BTMA, PTMA, Automate UK, Composites UK, BPF, BFPA, HVMC, and the Catapult Centres. Among key speakers at the press launch was Professor Rab Scott (pictured) of the IET’s Digital Futures Policy Centre.

More information www.machexhibition.com