Lotus Cars says that its steel fabrication (at Vulcan Road, Norwich) and lightweight structures (located in Worcester) businesses will be brought together into one new, larger facility at Hurricane Way in Norwich with the creation of up to 125 new jobs.

The 12,300 sq m Hurricane Way factory will be converted to a new sub-assembly facility to manufacture aluminium extruded and bonded aluminium chassis for the Evora, Exige and Elise Lotus sports cars. This facility will also house the steel welding and fabrication of sub-frames, suspension components and other key parts for Lotus cars.
For further information www.lotuscars.com

The Engineering Technology Group (ETG) has taken advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown to reflect, review and restructure its business model, making it more efficient, streamlined and resilient – a move that the company says will enhance service levels for new and existing customers.

In the past 12 months, the business has acquired HK Technologies and launched an entirely new brand of machine tools, both of which have attributed to the restructure. The process will be complete by the end of 2020 and will see recently acquired HK Technologies fully absorbed into ETG.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Close Brothers Asset Finance has appointed Andrew Bowyer to lead the vendor development programme for the Finance for Industry team. Bowyer has been tasked with actively targeting key equipment suppliers to be their finance partner of choice.

He has 20 years’ experience in asset finance, with the last six spent at a major French funder where he successfully grew both broker and vendor business in the industrial, commercial vehicles and construction sectors. Bowyer’s new title is national development manager.
For further information www.closeassetfinance.co.uk

With over 20 years’ experience in the machine-tool sector, Brian Edmondson has assumed the role of Mazak area sales manager for the Midlands, having previously been the company’s area sales manager for the northwest.

Edmundson brings with him a wealth of technical expertise and hands-on engineering knowledge to now support customers in the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. He will be responsible for serving the needs of Mazak customers operating across a variety of market sectors, ranging from general subcontracting through to automotive, aerospace and medical.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

SME manufacturers across England have been given a £6.5m funding boost to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and address key barriers to growth.

The Manufacturing Growth Programme, which is funded by ERDF and delivered by Oxford Innovation Services, has been extended until December 2022, and will give a further 2800 companies access to industry experts and grants to tackle immediate business issues and support improvement plans.
This additional backing will safeguard/create 3500 new jobs and takes the total package of support the initiative can deliver to £18.3m across 17 regions, with businesses in Sheffield able to apply for the first time. Firms are given access to a dedicated local manufacturing growth manager, who will use GROWTHmapper – an in-depth business diagnostic tool – to develop an individual action plan and support business projects that range from environmental improvements, leadership, management and marketing, to skills, quality and supply-chain development.
For further information www.manufacturinggrowthprogramme.co.uk