PE Roundup 1 July – Steel warning, sustainable progress, young winners, new contracts, appointments

The body cautions that steel currently imported into the EU could be diverted to the UK market when the EU’s CBAM is in place. This would represent 2.5 times the country’s entire consumption levels consumes, devastating the domestic industry said Stace.  

The UK’s largest supplier of hydrogen BOC UK & Ireland has been named the preferred supplier of hydrogen to six selected projects involved in Phase 2 of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Industrial Fuel Switching (IFS) Competition to help industry switch from high carbon fuels. The projects are funded through the UK Government’s £55 million Industrial Fuel Switching Competition, part of the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

The Chemical Business Association’s (CBA) latest trends survey up-date shows a more negative outlook compared to its previous survey. Just over half of respondents said that order books had remained the same, while nearly 30% reported a drop. Sales volumes had decreased since the previous March survey carried out in March, with a third expecting future margins to decrease. However, nearly half of respondents reported higher employment levels.

CBA chief executive Tim Doggett said: “Our survey in March indicated that the business outlook was improving, despite macro-economic factors such as the Ukraine war. However, the economic climate is now a top concern for businesses and our members seem to be feeling increasingly uncertain.”

Fresh prepared food producer Bakkavor says it reduced carbon emissions by nearly 19% in 2022, food waste by 15.8 and redistributed 360,000 surplus meals to charities. In addition the firm says it reduced plastic use by 12% and now ensures 100% of packaging used is recyclable or reusable.

Former secondary school dropout Dr Junade Ali has become the youngest ever Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) at the age of 27. The average age of a newly-elected IET Fellow is above 45, in order to secure Fellowship. Ali’s work has included developing cybersecurity techniques adopted in products built by Apple and Google, developing software to help de-escalate cyberwarfare situations researching ways to combat burnout amongst software engineers. After leaving school Ali studied a Master's at 17, graduating with a distinction winning his university’s “Best Overall Masters” award. “I am truly honoured and humbled to receive this distinction. I never thought I would be able to reach the high bar of Fellowship, let alone be the IET’s youngest Fellow,” he stated.

Renewable chemistry technologies provider Avantium has been awarded Critical Guidance Recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). The APR Critical Guidance Protocol recognised Avantium's use of PEF in a multilayer PET bottle. 

Ovarro has opened a mainland European leakage service centre at its manufacturing facility in Steenwijk, Netherlands. Steenwijk is its second European repair centre, alongside Denmead, UK. 

Broanmain Plastics MD Jo Davis, has been elected as new Chair of the British Plastics Federation (BPF) Education & Skills Committee and will host her first roundtable committee discussion in September 2023. The UK plastics industry’s turnover is an annual £23.5 billion and it employs 170,000 professionals.

ITI Group has been selected to provide a critical monitoring system at Hinkley Point C to enable the start of site installation and commissioning works. Bryn Thomas, Sales Director for ITI said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for ITI Group to demonstrate our immense expertise in this field and to deliver a robust technical solution for what is one of the most critical enabling systems on the Hinkley Point C site. We are extremely pleased to have been selected for this project and are looking forward to working in close collaboration with the project team.” Electricity generated by Hinkley Point’s two EPR reactors will offset 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, providing low-carbon electricity for around 6 million homes.

Colchester schoolgirl Ranita Ariyibi has won the Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition’s UK Young Engineer of the Year 2023 for her invention of a device that enables hearing and Deaf people to communicate more easily. The 15-year old student from Colchester County High School for Girls’ InterSign invention acts as electronic interpreter between British Sign Language (BSL) and English. She used open-source software and a range of different approaches to create InterSign and 3D printed an early prototype. Dr Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of Engineering UK, which runs the event, said: “We’re delighted to see so many girls have entered the competition this year – demonstrating that engineering really is accessible and interesting to everyone. Ranita undoubtedly has a very bright future ahead of her and we hope her achievements will inspire more young people, and especially girls, to develop a passion for engineering and technology.”

The World Benchmarking Alliance’s (WBA) second Oil and Gas Benchmark cites a dangerous lack of progress towards global climate goals from the sector. It stated there was little advance and some decline in  progress on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Overall scores across the Benchmark have fallen, on average, by 0.2points in the past two years. WBA’s Oil and Gas Benchmark, developed with CDP using the ACT methodology, assesses and ranks the world’s top oil and gas companies on their low-carbon transition and social impact. The organisation said research shows that while the oil and gas sector had the resources and tools available to decarbonise, it is failing to do so.

Jungheinrich scored a double win in the IFOY – International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year – awards. Its automated PowerCube compact container warehouse won in the Intralogistics Robots category and its addedVIEW fork camera won 'Special of the Year'.

Aluminium and steel demand will continue to reduce this year says industry expert Paul McFadyen of metals4U. While the cost of construction materials rose 4.7% in April, steel alone fell by 31%in the half year to January, he said. Aluminium pricing has fallen more than 10% since January.

The UK Warehousing Association has appointed Delamode International Logistics’ Mike Thomas as the new Chair of its Management Board with Gary Whittle, of Meachers Global has been named Vice Chair. UKWA represents around 1,000 companies, operating between them more than 100 million sq ft across the UK.

IP/Legal software provider Terrifio says its survey found 32% of 350 web pages examined were susceptible to non-compliance under 35 USC 287(a), the US law governing virtual patent marking. It cited a lack of clear relationship between patents and the associated patented articles. Jim Gastle, co-founder of Terrifio Markr said: "The startling statistics we reveal here from our study indicates a significant gap in VPM compliance. Companies without a proper VPM program may be unnecessarily limiting their potential damages and settlement leverage.”

Engineering and maintenance specialists Sparrows Group has been awarded a three-and-a-half-year contract with INEOS FPS to provide crane and lifting equipment operations, maintenance, engineering, and inspection services on the company’s Unity platform. The firm, which has worked with INEOS since 2017, will be responsible for re-certification, repair, and overhaul of lifting equipment, as well as offering ad hoc support.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has attended the opening of the National Manufacturing Institute flagship facility within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland in Renfrewshire. The project aims to provide a stimulus for the country’s economy, skills development, and prosperous, sustainable communities. Scottish manufacturing employs over 179,000 people and produces more than 50% of the country’s international exports and 47% of business expenditure on R&D. 

Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK Group has commissioned KPMG to review its governance structures to reinforce anti-corruption systems, and ensure funds and equipment donated to restore energy infrastructure are tracked and traced in line with global best-practice. DTEK has received US$11 million in donor aid and equipment from foreign energy companies and been promised a further $45.7 million via Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy, Energy Community Secretariat and USAID to repair power plants and grid infrastructure.

THREE60 Energy gained a multi-million euro well decommissioning contract to plug and abandon multiple offshore wells in Europe. It will permanently decommission 13 injection, production and observation wells, with new jobs for the company in the UK and Europe.