Bindatex, a provider of specialist process and cutting services, has secured an Innovate UK grant of almost £100,000 from the Sustainable Innovation Fund. The purpose of the grant is to support a critical six-month R&D project that will further develop and upscale its 1 mm wide slitting capability for next-generation composite parts manufacturing technology. Innovate UK funding will support the research, testing and development of bespoke technology to enable Bindatex to produce 1 mm wide thermoplastic UD slit tape in volumes that meet the future growth demands of lightweight aircraft and other key applications.

For further information
https://bindatex.com/

GF Machining Solutions has supplied Hersham-based Fimark Ltd, a laser engraving, cutting, marking and texturing subcontract specialist, with a new laser texturing machine. The machine – an AgieCharmilles Laser P 400U – arrived in July 2020 and is the second five-axis laser texturing machine from GFMS that Fimark has acquired in the past five years: the first being a Laser 1000 5AX machine installed in April 2015. Fimark’s new Laser P 400U can accommodate parts up to 600 x 400 x 250 mm. The dual laser head can incorporate both an ytterbium pulsed fibre laser and an ultra-short femtosecond pulsed laser.

For further information
www.gfms.com/uk

Ricardo has signed an agreement to partner with Amey Consulting, an infrastructure, data and analytics provider, which will bring new digital and data products and services to global vehicle manufacturers. The pair plan to combine engineering domain expertise with digital analytics and data science to support clean, efficient and integrated propulsion and energy solutions for global transport OEMs. Ultimately, the aim is to add genuine value to customer products and leverage the tangible benefits of digitalisation.

For further information www.ricardo.com

Zoro, a UK supplier of fasteners, tools and equipment to businesses within the engineering sector, is celebrating its third year of continuous growth, a period during which the company’s team has doubled in size and the product portfolio has expanded significantly. Since January 2020 alone, the company has launched over 97,000 new products. Plans are now in place to increase staff by another quarter within the coming year. Zoro supplies PPE and equipment to more than 126,000 companies in the engineering, automotive, aerospace, rail, marine and construction markets across the UK.

For further information www.zoro.co.uk

Boiler manufacturer Baxi Heating is promising to revolutionise the way homes and buildings are heated. Karen Boswell OBE, the newly appointed managing director of Baxi Heating, says: “Future generations will judge us by our actions. Our pledge is to be carbon neutral in all our operations by 2030, and to lead the phase-out of carbon intensive heating by ensuring every product we make from 2025 will work with low-carbon energy fuels, either directly, such as hydrogen boilers, heat pumps, smart electric water heating and heat networks, or hydrogen-ready boilers than can be converted after installation.”

For further information
www.baxiheating.co.uk