EEF LAUNCHES FREE LEAN BENCHMARKING TOOL FOR MANUFACTURERS


Last year may have been about being ‘beach body ready’ but for manufacturers this year is all about being lean. EEF has launched a free lean benchmarking tool that manufacturers can use to see how their business measures up. The move is part of its drive to boost the sector’s productivity and efficiency and to get firms fighting fit for 4IR (the 4th industrial revolution). The tool is free, simple to use and


runs through a series of in-depth questions that will help companies to


identify and prioritise future business improvements. It allows firms to explore lean manufacturing practices at their own pace, brushing up on their existing efforts or seeing for themselves how this world-class technique, already used extensively by industry heavyweights, could help transform their business. The comprehensive self-


assessment tool helps employers to measure current business performance, benchmark against other sectors and industries, apply


metrics to measure the success of lean activities and embed an effective improvement strategy that works. To encourage more manufacturers to undertake this valuable exercise EEF’s lean experts will be on hand at the Cranfield National Manufacturing Debate on 25 May to talk people through the test and help them to complete it. “This free benchmarking tool is a


great opportunity for companies to find out more about game-changing lean techniques but in a way that is


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One of a handful of UK manufacturing companies still producing hydraulic safety blocks in the UK has just completed a significant order for a major Singapore company; its first major foray into South East Asia and already working on another. MGR Fluid Power has successfully delivered a unit of 14 safety blocks to Bloomfosse for hydraulic actuators used in the marine and offshore energy sector.


MANUFACTURER KEEPS UK HYDRAULICS INDUSTRY ALIVE Key to winning the deal was the


fact that MGR is positioned to fulfil orders straight from stock, resulting in considerably shorter lead times for buyers. The customer was so satisfied it quickly placed an order for a further shipment. The deal is particularly significant


for the UK manufacturing industry as it demonstrates that the country is continuing to compete on a global stage when it comes to hydraulic component manufacturing. Just 20 years ago there was a


plethora of hydraulic component manufacturers in the UK but many have since been purchased by larger, overseas hydraulics companies and production offshored. MGR Fluid Power is one UK manufacturing business bucking the trend, having recently moved to a larger premises


I


nnovative products, smarter ways of working, advanced solutions - lots of these in this month’s issue along with maintenance reminders that ensure the health & safety of employees in factory and production environments. A negative report on market


activity on this page cheek by jowl with positive news of UK engineering companies competing on a global stage. And we take a peek into the factory of the future from the perspective of metrology and smart automation while the EEF offers businesses help with benchmarking performance.


Susan Deane Editor


4 MAY 2016 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT


in the Midlands, increasing its production premises by 500 sq ft. “As a user and integrator of


components we often find that we have to purchase products that are manufactured and stocked outside of the UK, predominantly in Italy and Germany,” says managing director Mike Retford. “Next day delivery is not always available or can be prohibitively expensive”. In order to successfully close the


deal MGR Fluid Power worked closely with Torishima Singapore, its group partner in the region which helped to facilitate the contract as well as quality testing and certifying the safety blocks. The two businesses are working together to raise the profile of MGR’s UK manufactured products on a global scale. www.mgrfluidpower.co.uk


DEVELOPING FACTORIES OF THE FUTURE


Professor Xiangqian (Jane) Jiang FREng has been appointed as the Royal Academy Engineering/ Renishaw Chair in Precision Metrology. Over the next five years Professor Jiang’s research at the University of Huddersfield will support the future of manufacturing by developing precise measurement tools for use in increasingly smart automated factory environments. The Chair is jointly sponsored by


the Royal Academy of Engineering and Renishaw, a highly successful UK engineering company that has carried out world-leading research in precision engineering. Professor Jiang will undertake


research inspired by the real demands and uses of the


manufacturing industry with a particular focus on metrology. As manufacturing makes a shift toward intelligent, digital systems, new technology is required to ensure that factory systems remain reliable during the design, production and verification of high value products. However, current measurement


systems lag behind the pace of development of computer technology which is being used to create increasingly smart, connected production lines – ‘Industry 4.0’. Professor Jiang’s research will bring together modern mathematics and optics to create sensor hardware and bespoke software with a new approach both to hierarchical design and metrology.


very relevant to their own business,” says consultancy director Martin Strutt. “Lean transforms businesses through a process of continuous improvement. It is already playing a critical role in boosting efficiency and sustainable growth in our sector and this will only increase as companies gear up for 4IR. “It is important that we help and


encourage UK manufacturers to explore these techniques so they can stay ahead of the curve.” www.eef.org.uk


MARKET NEWS


Activity in the UK manufacturing industry contracted in April for the first time since 2013 amid concerns about the global economy and EU Referendum, according to a survey. The Markit/CIPS survey of


purchasing managers fell to 49.2 in April 2016, down from 50.7 in March. A reading of 50.0 separates expansion from contraction. The report warned about an


“atmosphere of deep unease” among the factory supply chain which saw new orders slump for the fourth month in a row and job losses mount.


"A sense of apprehension across


the sector is being caused by enduring volatility in the oil and gas industry, falling retailer confidence and the uncertainty created by the EU Referendum,” says David Noble, group chief executive officer at CIPS. "In a month that saw the


collapse of BHS, the troubles in the high street are being felt just as keenly in Britain's factories. Manufacturers are compensating for stalling new order growth by depleting their stocks and dramatically cutting the amount of raw materials they buy from suppliers. Manufacturing jobs are under pressure with the sharpest overall decline in employment since February 2013. The sector is nervously waiting to see whether this is a temporary blip or the start of a more pervasive slow down." Rob Dobson, senior economist at


survey compiler Markit added: "On this evidence manufacturing production is now falling at a quarterly pace of around 1% and will likely act as a drag on the economy again during the second quarter and putting greater pressure on the service sector to sustain GDP growth."


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