PE Roundup 24 May: Is falling manufacturing employment a benefit?

He commented: “This could be a real positive and a reflection of improved productivity which would be particularly welcome given our historically low benchmark on the global map.” The quarter also reveals a 9% YoY earnings boost, suggesting manufacturers were catching up with other sectors and retaining their existing, skilled workforce to consolidate productivity gains. But there remained a question, he added, when sector growth occurred, whether manufacturers were equipped to respond to growing demand without the additional quarter of a million workers in the sector in 2019.

Global Research Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) conference at the Coventry Building Society Arena, organised by Innovate UK KTN and hosted by the UK Circular Plastics Network has awarded its GRIPS Most Innovative Award to Roll Materials for its biodegradable alternative to plastic films used at farms to ultimately remove microplastics from arable land. Finalists included: Gummipod chewing gum packaging with a built-in bin to combat littering; Packamama  wine bottle made of recycled plastic, reducing carbon footprint; Top Up Truck mobile shop encouraging refillable household items; and Suscons secure, long-lasting refugee shelter, eliminating plastic waste by boasting a shelf life 15 - 30 times longer than tents. The conference was opened by David Shukman, former BBC Science Editor.

Yorkshire Water is investing £180 million in reducing discharges from storm overflows in the next two years. The money will target 190 overflows that discharge most often or for the longest time, to reduce impact on water quality in the region’s rivers. The spend, partly funded by shareholders, is in addition to the £147m provided as part of the utility’s current five-year business plan and the work being planned between 2025 and 2030, is Yorkshire Water’s largest environmental investment since privatisation. 

IKM Testing UK has secured a second contract with Malaysia-based Bumi Armada to deliver a drone-based methane emissions survey on its Kraken Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the North Sea. Last November IKM completed an aerial survey of baseline methane emissions from the Kraken ship. The second drone survey is due to commence in Q3. Results will be used towards reduction of emissions.

NiTech Solutions’ CatContiCryst project has won funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s Faraday Battery to develop new technology for manufacturers of Li-ion batteries. CEO Dr Will Davies said the company, which works with partners Sheffield University and the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) looked forward “to working with our project partners before working with industry to deploy the technology at industrial scale”. 

Andrew Hockey will join the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) on 1 June as its new chief executive officer. Former director of operations, Andy Brown, who has been interim CEO since Chris Claydon’s departure earlier this year, retains accounting officer responsibilities until 5 July when Hockey officially takes over. The new CEO has worked with Petrofina, ENI, Triton, Monument and Lasmo.

Announcement of the long-awaited National Semiconductor strategy presents a long-term plan to play to the UK’s strengths in research, IP, and compound semiconductors, said Fhaheen Khan, senior economist at Make UK, adding: “Though the UK is slightly late to the party amongst western titans, namely the US and the EU, the strategy can at least give confidence that the UK will remain a key player within the semiconductor supply-chain. However, the funding available pales in comparison to the US CHIPS and Science Act which intends to invest around £225 billion over the next decade.” While unable to compete with that scale, the UK could collaborate to ensure the right policy levers are utilised to support key sectors, ensuring no further disruptions to supply, added Khan.

Turnbull & Scott have won the Scottish Engineering 2023 Sustainable Development Award. Managing director Peter Murphy said of the award win: “We are delighted to be receiving this award in 2023, the year we celebrate our 90^th birthday.” 

Former members of Peterhead, Scotland’s Score Group, flow control experts Conrad Ritchie, Robert Murdoch, and Ankush Khosla have founded EXS Group Inc. to provide valve solutions to, initially for the North American.  Established in the USA and Canada, the firm will employ more than 50 people in the first 12 months. 

The CHEMUK 2023 show staged recently at Birmingham NEC, reported a 41% YoY increase in attendance, with nearly 4,000 visitors over two days and attracting 5,569, including exhibitor staff. This year’s show featured an additional Laboratory segment for the first time, in addition to Process & Plant Engineering and Chemical Industries Supply Chain zones.

Wood is working with gas distribution company SGN on hydrogen transmission infrastructure in Scotland and southern England that supports the UK’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050. It will deliver three pre-FEED studies to determine the route and design of new dedicated hydrogen pipelines and associated transmission infrastructure. It repurposes natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen producers and energy users seeking to lower carbon emissions. The H2 Caledonia project combines two pre-FEED projects in Scotland’s Central Belt and Fife’s East Coast.

Ovarro has appointed Barbara Hathaway as its new technology leader specialising in leakage solutions. She joined the technology company 27 years ago, originally as a software engineer for Primayer which was acquired by Ovarro in 2019, becoming Ovarro vice president of engineering in 2020.

Digging projects installing new telecoms, gas, and water networks represented the second highest threat to the UK’s high-pressure oil, gas, and chemical pipelines in 2022, according to Linewatch.

The data in the pipeline safety and awareness group’s Infringement Report revealed 316 incidents of workers digging too close to high-pressure pipes without permission, with 14 percent derived from utilities excavation. Only fencing activities ranked higher, at 25 percent. Linewatch manager Murray Peat stated: “The need for nationwide 5G service, widespread EV charging, and better broadband, is driving a surge in digging activity across the UK. This is great news for the UK economy, but with any rise in digging activity comes the potential for more pipeline infringements.”

Aberdeenshire pipeline technology specialist STATS Group (STATS) has triumphed in the Scottish Engineering Awards. The Aberdeenshire company, which celebrated 25 years in business in February, won the Manufacturing Excellence Award 2023. STATS employs more than 340 staff in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australasia, posting 2021 revenues of nearly £50 million, of which 87% was attributed to international exports. It recently signed an exclusive supply agreement for its products and services with Malaysia’s oil and gas operations and maintenance services firm E&P O&M Services Sdn Bhd (EPOMS). 

PET Baltija, one of the largest PolyEthylene Terephthalate recyclers in Northern Europe and part of the Baltic states’ largest waste management and recycling group Eco Baltia, has invested more than €10 million as part of the development of a new PET recycling plant in Olaine, Latvia. Total investment joint project is being delivered by Eco Baltia, which is backed by the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund in collaboration industrial park developer PICHE, exceeds €35 million. The plant indoor area, including production facilities, office space and shared facilities, will reach a total of 30,000 square metres with an outdoor area of 40,000 square metres. There will be a phased relocation there of PET Baltija’s existing Jelgava, Latvia. 

Maddie Dinwoodie will join EngineeringUK as Director of Engagement Programmes in the summer. Maddie joins the organisation from UK Youth, where she is currently Chief Programme Officer. 

The first-ever recipients of the Made Smarter Awards for excellence in manufacturing in the North West of England, have been revealed. The awards mark the fourth anniversary of the pioneering Made Smarter adoption programme, the government-funded and industry-led initiative helping SME manufacturers digitalise, decarbonise and drive growth. 

Businesses representing a range of sectors have been recognised over three levels of certification - bronze, silver and gold. The 19 gold award winners are:

• Storth, an agricultural machine manufacturer, based in Holme, 
• Logs Direct, kiln-dried wood manufacturers based in Lancaster.
• Playdale Playgrounds, a playground equipment manufacturer based in Ulverston
• Brainboxes, an electronics manufacturer based in Liverpool, 
• Mackinnon and Saunders, a puppet-maker based in Altrincham
• The Bury Black Pudding Company, a food manufacturer based in in Bury
• Beverston Engineering, a precision component manufacturer, based in Knowsley
• Crystal Doors, a manufacturer of bespoke vinyl wrapped furniture, based in Rochdale
• MSM aerospace fabricators, manufacturers of aircraft components, based in Middleton
• R.A.F Engineering, an engineering and fabrication business, based in Workington, 
• The Cumbria Clock Company, a clock repair and restoration specialist based in Penrith
• Firstplay Dietary Foods, a specialist food manufacture, based in Stockport
• CNC Robotics, a robotics integrator based in Liverpool
• Derek Rose, lifestyle textile manufacturer based in Congleton
• Visual Architects, a manufacturer of creative interiors, based in Tameside
• Atec Engineering Solutions, manufacturer of electronic and electro-mechanical equipment, based in Salford
• BEP Surface Technologies, manufacturers of chill rolls, based in Radcliffe
• IOT Horizon, a manufacturer of Internet of Things solutions, based in Warrington
• Arden Dies, a die and tooling manufacturer based in Stockport.

Pic: L-R, from top: CHEMUK, STATS Group, NiTech, Turnbull & Scott, EXS Group, IKM Testing