UK NEWS

ETG expands with new product manager

With The Engineering Technology Group (ETG) becoming the exclusive UK and Ireland distribution partner for fibre laser cutting machine specialist DNE Global, the company has employed Shane Langston as product manager to drive this new division into the marketplace. Langston is an engineer with over 20 years of experience in the sheet metal sector, at companies including Amada and LVD.

ETG group managing director Martin Doyle says: “Shane’s background gives him the perfect blend of technical knowledge from his years of service support experience. He has built upon this with an extremely successful career in sales, marketing and leadership – all in the sheet metal sector. Both Shane and the ETG team are excited to embark upon this new venture.”
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Biomass proves inspired decision at XYZ

To help save energy, as well as the environmental and financial impact of disposing of over 100 tons of wood (pallets) every year, XYZ Machine Tools installed a Froling TX200 250 kW woodchip biomass boiler with Untha wood-chipper at its Tiverton site. Feeding a silo that can contain 10 days of wood chippings, the £180,000 investment is resulting in annual savings of around £100,000 as a result of eliminating costs for transport, landfill, and the gas bill, as well as a rebate for the energy saved.

These savings were at a time prior to the current spike in energy costs, so savings generated now may well be £25,000 per year greater. The rebate is due to the system at XYZ Machine Tools qualifying for the Government’s Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme (now closed to new applicants). The RHI provided businesses with a cash incentive for every kWh of heat generated, which requires monitoring along with the volume of wood used. Companies that qualified for the scheme receive a quarterly index linked rebate over a 20-year period.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Games visitors see high-tech manufacturing

Visitors to the recent 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham had the chance to see the latest in high-tech manufacturing thanks to an augmented reality (AR) scheme created by the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the University of Birmingham. Games visitors could access the technology via a QR code that took them into an AR world demonstrating how it is possible to develop factories and industrial spaces digitally before spending a penny on manufacturing equipment. Using a PTC software program called Vuforia, users could experience a 21st century manufacturing environment in a virtual world.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Smarter digital manufacturing guide available

Digital transformation specialist LMAC Consulting has partnered with EAMA (Engineering & Machinery Alliance) to create a free-to-download Industry 4.0 guide. The guide summarises the different pillars of Industry 4.0, the impact they have on costs and KPIs, as well as giving practical examples. EAMA secretary Jack Semple says: “This insightful guide is fit-for-purpose and offers long-overdue help and advice after the delays caused by Brexit and Covid-19. It’s both a training and education solution that gives quick productivity improvement wins, but also the longer term framework for sustainable change.
Download the guide at www.bit.ly/3d9ECaS

New sales manager at Leadwell agent

With effect from the start of August 2022, Graham Cherry is the UK sales manager of WH-Lead, the sole sales and service agent in the British and Irish markets for the Taiwanese-built Leadwell range of vertical machining centres and CNC lathes. An established figure in the machine tool industry, Cherry has spent recent decades progressing through numerous well-known machine tool subsidiaries and agencies, always in sales and marketing roles. He also has experience of the carbide cutting tool industry.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to bring my long experience of CNC technology, particularly five-axis prismatic machining, to promoting and selling the Leadwell brand,” says Cherry. “Everything is in place to allow that to happen, including six new machines in stock in Towcester, with more on the way, alongside good applications engineering support and excellent service.”
For further information www.wh-lead.co.uk