UK NEWS

Walter GB expands team

Unprecedented business growth at Walter GB has led the cutting tool manufacturer to restructure its external teams to support a surge in post-pandemic sales. The restructure at the Bromsgrove company has seen three new field sales engineers employed to strengthen the existing sales structure and deliver enhanced customer service and support as the company continues its growth trajectory. The three new recruits, John Rutherford, Ian Hill and John Hawkins, will serve to drive more sales and further enhance customer support initiatives.
For further information www.walter-tools.com

Major turbine order placed

Red Rock Power has placed a 67 MW order with Vestas for its Benbrack wind farm, following an initial exclusivity agreement last month. The order includes the supply, installation and commissioning of 13 V136-4.5 MW turbines and two V117-4.2 MW turbines in 4.3 MW operating mode. Deliveries and installation of the turbines will begin in early 2024, with commissioning complete that summer. Red Rock’s onshore Benbrack wind farm, located in Dumfries and Galloway, has consent for up to 18 turbines and a total generation capacity of 72 MW, allowing for the potential to increase the number of turbines.
For further information redrockpower.co.uk

ATS joins Composites UK

Advanced Tooling Systems UK Ltd (ATS), a UK-based engineering service provider to the automotive, aerospace, moulding and tooling industries, has joined industry association Composites UK. With over 350 members, Composites UK acts to encourage continuous growth and development of the industry, promoting the best practice use of composites materials. The ability of ATS to manufacture in-house in the UK and provide sample composite over-mould tooling using very specialised materials, such as heavily glass-fibre loaded PEEK and PPS, have been instrumental in its continuing success and growth.
For further information www.atsuk.com

UK closer to net-zero steel

More sustainable, low-carbon steel and electric vehicle batteries are the target of a new two-year technology development programme between WMG at the University of Warwick and Tata Steel. The partners will come together to focus on developing environmentally friendly steel grades, coatings, films and battery structures, enabling the growth of steel application across key industrial sectors. The initial research activity will focus on five core themes: product metallurgy; surface state optimisation; non-metallic coatings; future material applications; and material forming/joining and associated characterisation.
For further information www.tatasteeleurope.com

£80m hydrogen gigafactory set for UK

Johnson Matthey (JM) is building a £80m gigafactory at its existing site in Royston, UK, to scale up the manufacture of hydrogen fuel cell components. Earlier this year, JM announced a refreshed strategy, with an ambition to be the “market leader in performance components for fuel cells and electrolysers”, targeting more than £200m sales in hydrogen technologies by end of 2025. The gigafactory will initially be capable of manufacturing 3 GW of PEM fuel cell components annually for hydrogen vehicles, with support from the UK Government through the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF).
For further information www.matthey.com