Drives and Controls UK News

Drives and Controls UK News http://drives.co.uk/ukfeed.asp The Latest Drives & Controls UK news <![CDATA[EEF lifts forecasts as manufacturing thrives ... or does it?]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2328 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2328

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, has raised its growth forecasts for the UK manufacturing sector for 2008, following a survey which shows that Britain’s manufacturers are continuing to defy the pervading economic gloom. According to the study, conducted by EEF with Grant Thornton, manufacturers achieved their tenth consecutive quarter of healthy growth in the second quarter of 2008.

]]> <![CDATA[New president will spearhead IMechE`s skills campaign ]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2313 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2313

Professor William Banks has been appointed the 123rd president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), succeeding outgoing president, John Baxter. Banks will step down as Professor of Advanced Materials in Strathclyde University’s Mechanical Engineering Department later this year.

]]> <![CDATA[Academy aims to halt the decline in engineering students ]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2310 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2310

An initiative to encourage more students to choose engineering-related degrees has been launched with the aim of reversing the decline which saw the number of electrical engineering students drop by 45% between 2001 and 2006. The E3 Academy also hopes to reduce the number of engineering graduates who go on to pursue other careers.

]]> <![CDATA[UK manufacturers `need to move to high-value products`]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2312 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2312

UK manufacturers must respond to the challenges from global competition by moving towards high-value products, processes and services. This was the message from the Technology Strategy Board as it launched its three-year strategic plan to develop the UK’s manufacturing industry.

]]> <![CDATA[Visitor numbers soar by 40% at the Drives Show]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2289 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2289

The cluster of engineering exhibitions led by the Drives & Controls Show attracted more than 10,000 visitors to the Birmingham NEC in April – an increase of more than 40% on the previous event in 2006.

]]> <![CDATA[Actuator start-up is on a roll]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2311 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2311

Making its public debut at the recent Drives & Controls Show was a new company, Olsen Engineering UK, set up by a former Control Techniques export manager, Piers Olsen. He is focusing on developing the UK market for roller screw actuators with a range of products from the US manufacturer, Exlar.

]]> <![CDATA[Eriks sells Rencol to Saint-Gobain for £12.5m]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2288 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2288

Eriks – the new name for Wyko – has sold its Rencol Tolerance Rings subsidiary to the materials giant, Saint-Gobain, for £12.5m. The deal includes Rencol’s Bristol headquarters, as well as its technical centre in Japan and its 51% controlling stake in Singapore-based Rencol MMI Technology.

]]> <![CDATA[May News in Brief]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2323 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2323

º The German nanopositioning specialist Physik Instrumente (PI) has set up a UK sales and support office in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. The staff, who have all transferred from the former PI group at Lambda Photometrics, have moe than 25 years` experience in micropositioning and nanpositioning between them. PI, which produces precision motion control equipment, including electromagnetic and piezoelectric drives, micropositioning stages, controllers and software, has eight subsidiaries around the world and a total staff of 500.

]]> <![CDATA[Politicians should `stop talking manufacturing down`]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2286 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2286

Alan Duncan, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, has called for politicians to change their approach to engineering-based manufacturing. "They should stop talking it down," he said during a visit to the MACH manufacturing technologies show. "This industry is a great British success story which underpins the economy.

]]> <![CDATA[FKI recommends £478m takeover offer]]> http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2287 http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=2287

The Loughborough-based engineering group FKI is recommending a takeover bid from the turn-around specialist Melrose that values the group at £478m. The deal comes less than a year after FKI is reported to have rejected an offer from the private equity firm, the Backstone Group, which would have valued FKI at a £764m.

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