Supply chain boost lands aerospace contracts for Produmax
Posted by davidb on 16 May 2013
Filed under: Engineering, Leeds Manufacturing News, Manufacturing
16 May 2013
Precision engineering specialist Produmax has seen turnover grow to a record £4.75 million, after a 12-month period in which it has secured major new aerospace and defence contracts. A supplier to the aerospace, medical, military and telecoms industries, the company has invested £1 million in new technologies to win the contracts, one of which
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Craftsman Tools celebrates 60th anniversary by investing in future of engineering
Posted by davidb on 30 Apr 2013
Filed under: Apprenticeships, Engineering, Leeds Manufacturing News
30 April 2013
Otley-based Craftsman Tools, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has opened a dedicated apprentice training area as part of its commitment to continued growth and to bringing new blood into engineering, The family-led firm, which specialises in toolholding, workholding and sub-contract machining, now has a workforce of 63, including four full-time apprentices, and
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Matthew wins through to become Siemens apprentice
Posted by davidb on 20 Apr 2013
Filed under: Apprenticeships, Engineering
20 April 2013
Apprentice Matthew Jackson had to overcome fierce competition to win his place as the newest recruit to join Siemens Mechanical Drives at the company’s Stourton-based operation in Leeds. He is one of 160 apprentices that Siemens has recruited UK-wide in the last six months but 18 year-old Matthew found himself up against 180 applicants for
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Ace wins major contract for Thames Gateway
Posted by davidb on 19 Mar 2013
Filed under: Engineering
19 March 2013
Ace Engineers, based in Morley, has won a major contract to supply a 255 metre covered walkway for the London Gateway project, the UK’s most significant port development for 20 years. Providing deep water access for some of the world’s biggest container ships, the London Gateway is being built by DP World, one of the
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Engineering graduates get hands on experience in Leeds
Posted by davidb on 14 Feb 2013
Filed under: Engineering
14 February 2013
Siemens Mechanical Drives in Leeds is benefiting from the fresh ideas of young graduate engineers, who will play a major role in the way future engineering and manufacturing is carried out in the UK. Engineering graduates studying with the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) at Cambridge University recently spent a fortnight at the Leeds factory of
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Craftsman invests £300,000 in pursuit of £6M sales
Posted by davidb on 16 May 2012
Filed under: Engineering, news
16 May 2012
Precision engineering company Craftsman Tools has invested £300,000 in extending its Otley manufacturing base and storage facilities in pursuit of a £6M annual turnover target. Craftsman grew 2011 sales by 39% to £4.8M and is on course for similar growth in the current year, with around 40% of sales going abroad. The investment has so
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3D laser speeds Formula1
Posted by 4dmin on 30 Mar 2012
Filed under: Engineering, news
30 March 2012
Leeds-based academic and entrepreneur Andrew Marsden is finding new applications for an innovative modeling process, known as ‘additive manufacturing’, offering low volume component manufacture for the motorsports, aircraft and other specialised industries. His Keyworth Rapid Manufacturing, launched 18 months ago, uses a process known as ‘Selective Laser Sintering’ to fabricate three-dimensional objects. This takes complex
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Siemens’ flagship Leeds facility gears up for growth
Posted by 4dmin on 10 Dec 2011
Filed under: Engineering, news
10 December 2011
A new mechanical drives ‘centre of excellence’, opened by Siemens in Leeds earlier this year and involving a £1.2 million relocation, is now fully operational and poised for further growth.
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Manufacturers expecting output growth despite volatility in financial markets
Posted by davidb on 28 Sep 2011
Filed under: Brewing, Engineering, Manufacturing, UK manufcturing
28 September 2011
UK manufacturers predict that production will continue to grow over the next three months despite order book levels slackening during September, according to the latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey from the CBI. Of 470 manufacturers surveyed, 22% described total orders as above normal, and 31% said they were below. The CBI says the resulting balance
Power generation industry making major investments
Posted by davidb on 01 Jun 2011
Filed under: Engineering, Leeds, Manufacturing
1 June 2011
Chinese manufacturer Power Link Machine Co has unveiled its new European HQ in Yorkshire, creating at least 15 new jobs. The fast growing international company is aiming for its UK operation, based at Sherburn Enterprise Park near Leeds, to grow to a turnover of £10m within two years. From its Yorkshire base Power Link is
Please sir, the weather shrank my economy!
Posted by davidb on 27 Jan 2011
Filed under: Automotive, Engineering, Manufacturing, UK economy
27 January 2011
Adverse weather conditions had a major impact on the UK economy in the last quarter, according to media pundits and economists. Why has snow hit the economy so badly this winter and how come manufacturing bucked the trend?
Manufacturing: the unsung hero of the UK economy
Posted by davidb on 06 Dec 2010
Filed under: Engineering, Leeds, Leeds Manufacturing News, Manufacturing
6 December 2010
The CBI is calling for the Government to target 5% annual growth in the manufacturing sector as part of wide ranging proposals to secure the future of the sector set out in a new report published today. British manufacturing continues to report strong trading conditions with indicators for output remaining at record levels for the
Manufacturers warned not to miss green opportunity
Posted by davidb on 05 Nov 2010
Filed under: Engineering, Manufacturing, Textiles
5 November 2010
Coronation Street’s Kevin Webster may be Britain’s most famous ‘engineer’ but while manufacturing in the UK continues to fly under the radar in terms of public perception it continues to make a massive contribution to the economy. The sector employs 2.5 million people in the UK and in June 2010 generated £22 billion in exports.
Reasons to be cheerful
Posted by Duncan Greenwood on 06 Sep 2010
Filed under: Engineering, Manufacturing
6 September 2010
A new report from the Engineering Employers Federation claims manufacturing firms are enjoying buoyant trading conditions amid rising demand from overseas customers. The EEF forecasts manufacturing growth of 3.7% this year and 3.2% in 2011, driven by the strength of overseas markets.
Carbon and People Key to Future of Manufacturing
Posted by Guest Blogger on 20 May 2010
Filed under: Automotive, Engineering, Manufacturing
20 May 2010
Two words – ‘carbon’ and ‘people’ sum up the biggest challenges facing manufacturing, according to CEO and chaiman of GSM Group Barry Dodd. Speaking this week at a manufacturing lunch organised by Leeds Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by law firm Irwin Mitchell, he argued that rising fuel costs in energy and logistics combined with
Harvard goes Continental
Posted by Duncan Greenwood on 19 Apr 2010
Filed under: Electronics, Engineering
19 April 2010
Innovative Leeds-based lighting specialist Harvard Engineering has launched a new facility in St Georges-les-Baillargeaux, France to spearhead the company’s growth across Europe. Harvard has identified a rapidly developing LED market across the Continent, where it plans to distribute its CooLED and LeafNut products and the company’s business development director Peter McDonnell, will be responsible for
Now For the Real Oscars
Posted by Duncan Greenwood on 11 Mar 2010
Filed under: Engineering
11 March 2010
Following the froth and gush of the Oscars, Leeds manufacturing companies continue to distinguish themselves with more meaningful awards. Harvard Engineering pulled off a hat-trick in the Yorkshire Forward Innovator/10 Awards, including the Sustainable Innovation prize for its ground-breaking LeafNut system for street lights. And ATB Morley has reached the finals in the Best Exporter
Leeds Chamber members survey shows strong growth
Posted by davidb on 25 Jan 2010
Filed under: Automotive, Engineering, Manufacturing
25 January 2010
Results of the latest survey of members of Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber shows a stong growth in export sales and orders amongst manufacturers and an increase in the number of businesses recruiting. Key findings show: Manufacturers reported 33% growth in export sales and 11% growth in export orders, the largest reported improvements in
Strong Nerves Pay Off
Posted by Duncan Greenwood on 11 Jan 2010
Filed under: Brewing, Engineering
11 January 2010
Strong nerves are needed when the tough get going, but if the nerves hold, the pay-off can be well worth the effort. New Year proof of the effectiveness of this approach comes from brewing equipment manufacturer Microdat, a company that has continued to invest and develop new products through the recession. The firm’s current order
Corrocoat Approvals Hat-Trick
Posted by Duncan Greenwood on 10 Dec 2009
Filed under: Engineering
10 December 2009
Congratulations to Leeds-based Corrocoat on receiving two key industry product approvals and being well on the way to a third from organisations including The Ministry of Defence, Network Rail and The National Grid. A range of Corrocoat products have been approved by the MOD and listed in Warpaint, a publication that offers advice and guidance
The Future of UK Manufacturing
Posted by davidb on 25 Nov 2009
Filed under: Automotive, Chemicals, Electronics, Engineering, Manufacturing
25 November 2009
Just finished working through a report from PWC on The Future of UK Manufacturing. Hard going but some really interesting analysis and observations in there. As the report’s sub-heading puts it, reports of the death of manufacturing in the UK are greatly exaggerated but the sector faces major challenges if it is to retain critical