UK NEWS

50 Jobs Forecast

Manufacturers across the southeast are set to create 50 new jobs after investing more than £0.5m in AI, robotics and digital technologies. Some 17 projects have been supported by £245,000 of grants from the Government-backed Made Smarter South East programme, unlocking £563,000 of private sector investment in technologies. Projects include AI-powered automation, robotics, automated testing, advanced digital inspection, integrated ERP and CRM systems, digital scanning and 3D printing technologies, helping manufacturers improve productivity, reduce manual work and strengthen quality.

More information www.madesmarter.uk

£5000 AWI Grant For Black Country Air Cadets

A group of Black Country air cadets are flying high after receiving a generous donation from a local manufacturer. 2488 (Kingswinford) Squadron Air Training Corps will use a £5000 grant from Alloy Wire International’s ‘Wired for Good’ campaign to purchase flight simulators and essential equipment to help young people take part in activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It will help up to 60 cadets, aged between 12 and 20 years old, gain valuable ‘flight time’ in their bid to gain their blue wings, while also supporting the squadron’s desire to grow to 100 cadets.More information www.alloywire.com

AMRC Sets Out Policy Roadmap

The University of Sheffield AMRC launched a new policy paper at last month’s Farnborough International Airshow, calling for a national five-year mission to secure the future of the UK’s £14.3bn aerospace sector and its 100,000 highly skilled jobs. With global demand soaring toward an estimated 65,000 new aircraft by 2050, UK suppliers must rapidly adopt advanced manufacturing technologies by 2030 to win major contracts as aviation primes prepare to select industrial partners for next-generation fleets.

The policy paper outlines three essential steps to secure UK aerospace leadership, focusing on long-term Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) funding, targeted incentives to scale new manufacturing capabilities for supply chain and national skills frameworks tailored for high-rate production.

More information www.amrc.co.uk

Jon Crossland Named MD At Bowers Group

Bowers Group has appointed Jon Crossland as its new managing director, effective July 2026. He joins with an outstanding track record of international leadership across engineering, manufacturing, operations and supply chain management, bringing decades of experience leading global businesses and delivering sustainable growth.

“Bowers Group has an exceptional heritage, a highly respected portfolio of precision metrology brands and a talented team with a strong reputation for quality and innovation,” he says. “I look forward to working with colleagues, customers and partners around the world to build on these foundations, accelerate growth and continue delivering world-class solutions that help manufacturers achieve the highest standards of precision.”

More information www.bowersgroup.co.uk

NCC Helps Turn Innovation Into Industrial Reality

Vertical Aerospace completed the UK’s first public demonstration flight of a full-scale wing tilt-rotor eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft at last month’s Farnborough International Airshow, marking a major milestone for UK aerospace and advanced air mobility. The eVTOL took flight using propulsion blades designed in conjunction with the NCC (National Composites Centre), which also helped Vertical Aerospace identify UK manufacturing partners capable of producing components at rate. Today, around 60% of Vertical’s procurement spend is in the UK, with around 30% invested in the southwest.More information www.nccuk.com