UK NEWS

Erodex invests £400,000 in latest automation

Erodex Group, a UK designer and manufacturer of graphite electrodes, tooling and fixtures is celebrating 50 years in business by investing £400,000 in automation at the company’s state-of-the-art graphite machining facility in the West Midlands.

This year marks 50 years in business for family-owned Erodex, which is looking to the future with the purchase of an automated pallet loading system to work in co-ordination with existing high-speed machining centres.As a result of the investment, the company expects to maximise efficiencies and output within the high-volume area of the business, creating capacity without the need to layer-in additional shift patterns.In addition, the alignment of existing machining capacity with automation provides Erodex with a portfolio that it has previously been unable to offer, thus creating new business opportunities.

The company’s facility in Wednesbury enables Erodex to machine its wide variety of graphite grades into highly complex components for a range of industries. It has also been a key driver in the significant growth witnessed by the Erodex Group in recent years, following a £1.75m investment in new machinery in 2021.

Steve Rolinson, director at Erodex Group, says: “Since the mid-1980s the Erodex Group has enabled customers to benefit from the capabilities of our ISO9001-accredited graphite machining facility, which is widely regarded as the best graphite machining facility in Europe.Continued planned investment as part of our continuous improvement programme – including that in automation – means we are well placed to capitalise on market opportunities moving forward. It also reinforces our position as UK leaders in the design and manufacture of graphite electrodes, tooling and fixtures for the aerospace and IGT sectors.”
For further information www.erodex.com

Log CPD points at Advanced Engineering

For the first time, attendees at Advanced Engineering 2023 will receive accreditation from The CPD Group, one of the fastest growing continuous professional development (CPD) accreditation services worldwide. Advanced Engineering is taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, on 1-2 November and will host over 150 industry-leading speakers across its forums, all of which are accessible with a visitor pass.

There are five forums at Advanced Engineering offering hours of content, all of which count towards attendees’ CPD. The main stage is a one-stop-shop for information on the latest industry developments, government policy and inspiring keynotes.Other forums include those for composites, aerospace and automotive. To obtain the certification, Advanced Engineering attendees simply need to scan the QR code at the exit of every forum, provide their name and email address and they will receive their certificate by email.
For further information www.advancedengineeringuk.com.

Interest in engineering apprentices booming

In-Comm Training announced a 35% increase in the number of engineering apprentice starts this September. In-Comm recruited 199 individuals across its Aldridge and Telford technical academies, with learners studying subjects that include machining, robotics, welding, electrical, mechatronics and toolmaking. Companies such as Ansaldo Nuclear, Altrad Babcock, HS Marston Aerospace, Magna Cosma Castings, Makita, RBSL and Veolia, are taking the long-term approach to beating the labour and skills shortage by opting to grow their own.In-Comm Training also inducted 25 learners on to its Level 4 HNC programme.
For further information www.in-comm.co.uk

Report calls out ‘cocktail’ of supply chain issues

A complex ‘cocktail’ of supply chain pressures, availability of raw materials and recruitment issues is holding back UK industry says a new report.Crowe’s Summer Manufacturing Outlook, conducted in partnership with the Confederation of British Metalforming, revealed a mixed picture of optimism and the potential for reshoring, countered by long-running supply and labour issues. Some 88% of respondents admitted suffering from the price and availability of raw materials, while over 75% had experienced supply chain issues caused by the war in Ukraine, high inflation and ongoing issues with Brexit.
For further information www.bit.ly/48IzDpR

Manufacturing energy toolkit

The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is helping SMEs slash energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions with its new Manufacturing Energy Toolkit.A pilot by the innovation centre at WMG industrial (part of the HVM Catapult) resulted in SMEs saving on average 21% of their energy costs, achieving as much as 90% energy savings on a single machine. The toolkit is a guided assessment or road-mapping process undertaken by HVM Catapult experts. The aim is to build a full understanding of an SME’s energy usage and energy sources in production, as well as potential efficiency-boosting solutions.
For further information www.bit.ly/48FMWHG