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MANUFACTURING OUTPUT GROWTH REMAINS ROBUST IN 2018 M
anufacturing order books and export order books remained
well above their long run averages in the three months to February, despite weakening somewhat, according to the latest monthly CBI Industrial Trends Survey. According to the survey of 397
manufacturers, output grew at a healthy pace in the three months to February. Growth was broad-based with output growing in 16 out of 17 sub-sectors with growth predominantly driven by food, drink and tobacco, and motor vehicle and transport equipment sub-sectors.
Respondents anticipate that output growth will slow a little over the next three months, broadly matching the pace seen in September and October last year. Expectations for output price inflation weakened from last month’s 34 year high, but remain above the historical average. Meanwhile, stocks were considered to be above adequate levels, but below the long-run average. Demand in the manufacturing sector should continue to be buoyed by the lower pound and buoyant global economy. But we expect consumer-facing companies and
retailers to continue to struggle while consumer incomes remain under pressure from higher inflation. Anna Leach, CBI head of economic intelligence, said: “This month saw another strong showing from UK manufacturers. Although order books weren’t quite as buoyant as they were last month, demand remains strong and output grew briskly. “With the Brexit negotiations
reaching a critical juncture, many businesses are concerned about future barriers to trade and are looking for clarity over the future relationship with the EU. Remaining
in a comprehensive customs union will help alleviate some of those fears and give firms the confidence to invest and grow.” Tom Crotty, group director of
Ineos and chair of CBI Manufacturing Council, said: “Manufacturers are benefitting from the health of the global market place. But companies still struggle to find the workers they need to grow their business. To ensure there’s a strong pipeline of people with the technical skills needed, we need young people to receive education and careers advice built upon the needs of employers.”
BOSCH REXROTH CROWNS LATEST INNOVATION AWARD WINNER B
In the first major pay bargaining round of this year the average settlement deal in manufacturing was agreed at 2.4 percent in the three months to January, according to the last Pay Bulletin from EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation.
www.eef.org.uk
For the second consecutive year, the global community of SelectScience readers and contributors has voted Thermo Fisher Scientific Reviewers’ Choice Company of the Year.
www.thermofisher.com
Machine vision specialist, Stemmer Imaging, has acquired Data Vision by means of an asset deal effective 31 January 2018.
http://stemmer-imaging.co.uk
WEG is making a significant investment in expanding its European operations and has recently commenced manufacturing at its second factory in Portugal. This new facility will be dedicated to the production of low voltage electric motors.
www.weg.net
M.A.C. Solutions, developer of the ProcessVue suite of alarm management software, and Lieven Dubois, a leading international authority on alarm management, have signed a market development agreement for ProcessVue that covers Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
www.processvue.com
Dundee-based automation company, SP Technology, has recently completed a management buy-out (MBO) by two employees, including the company’s first ever apprentice, Roy Henderson, managing director.
www.sptechnology.co.uk 4 MARCH 2018 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
osch Rexroth has announced Chafer Machinery Group as the
winner of its 2017 Innovation Award. Marked on creativity, practicality and complexity, Ross Pearson of Chafer Machinery impressed judges with his new concept, the Chafer Contour Pro. The Contour Pro innovation will
provide a next level evolution of crop sprayer boom control on its range of self-propelled and trailed crop sprayers. The Contour Pro will allow increased boom control precision, offering agro-chemical efficacy as well as reduced product waste and avoidance of contamination of nearby sites. With the integration of the Rexroth BODAS system, the Contour Pro will be able to safely and accurately harness the full potential of hydraulic control across the crop sprayer boom. This will create a robust control system that is more advanced than anything currently available on the market.
Suitable for large scale farmers and contractors searching for the highest levels in reliability and performance from their agro machinery, and with increased pressures to act more responsible to the natural environment, the need to spray products at the optimum height above target is key. It is currently not possible for an operator to sustainably manually operate the hydraulic controls due to challenging terrain and possible resulting fatigue. The Contour Pro will alleviate stresses on the operator, increase work rates, minimise downtime and optimise application of agro-chemicals and fertilisers. Thanks to Rexroth BODAS the spray jets will be kept at a consistent height above the soil or crop, and the boom will automatically adjust to the terrain conditions. Bosch Rexroth and Chafer
Machinery will now work together to develop the concept into a working prototype.
The judgining panel col combinined ju
expertise in technology, development and commercialisation, fluid power and education. John Savage, director of the National Fluid Power Training Centre, Worksop, one of the judges of the Innovation Award, said: “Having carefully analysed the competition entries, the panel came to a unanimous decision that the most innovative and ambitious project was the Chafer Contour Pro, matching the entry requirements of this award, to drive the level of innovation within mobile applications.”
EMERSON NAMED ‘INDUSTRIAL IOT COMPANY OF THE YEAR’ E
merson, the global automation technology and software company, has been named ‘Industrial IoT
Company of the Year’ by IoT Breakthrough. The award recognises Emerson’s innovation and leadership in driving Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and strategies for customers in manufacturing industries, including oil and gas, food and beverage, chemical, life sciences and others. Today’s industrial business challenges include fast- changing market dynamics, technical complexity and the relentless pressure to do more with less. To help overcome these challenges, Emerson has harnessed the power of IIoT for customers through its Plantweb digital ecosystem to enable broader process automation and deeper data insights that can improve operations. “As technology continues to evolve, customers are
increasingly turning to us for help navigating the Industrial Internet of Things,” said Mike Train, executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions. “Industrial IoT holds a lot of promise for manufacturers, but many
struggle to identify the right strategies for adoption within their operations. Our job is to act as a trusted partner, helping customers develop the right business case, then implement scalable solutions that deliver measurable returns.” The IoT Breakthrough Awards, which received more
than 3,000 nominations in 2017, recognise innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe in a range of IoT categories, including Industrial, Smart City technology, Connected Home and others. Selections are made by a judging panel comprised of IoT professionals and experts with hands-on experience within the Internet of Things market.
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