The role of cables in the manufacturing industry makeover 22nd January 2021

There have been 40,000 new jobs across the manufacturing sector between August and October this year, a rise of 41% from the last business quarter, and Wetherby-based SME, metals4U, has benefited from the booming business, taking on 11 new staff members themselves during the first lockdown period, an additional five during the second lockdown and six more planned for the first quarter of 2021.

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into the manufacturing industry, so does the prominence of cables in workplaces. Cables are an important aspect of both delivering electricity to machinery and transporting digital information between consoles and departments.

It’s entirely natural to want the latest and greatest technology. From consumer smartphones to industrial automation, research and development is constantly pushing technology towards the next big innovation. This need for progress drives the modern world, but it can leave businesses operating legacy technology in its wake. Here, Neil Ballinger, Head of EMEA at EU Automation, discusses the ups and downs of operating legacy technology in the modern manufacturing factory.

Four universities - Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London and University College London - account for a third of all UK spinout companies, according to a report published by the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub and Beauhurst. Pharmaceuticals, research tools and medtech are some of the UK’s largest spinout sectors, and the data also highlights a rapidly developing AI sector.

2020 is a year that most manufacturers would like to see as an outlier; a year the likes of which should not be seen again. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many manufacturers to rapidly adapt and introduce new ways of working, how will these new approaches shape the course of industry in the coming years? Here, George Walker, Managing Director of Novotek UK and Ireland, explains how the manufacturing industry can safeguard themselves from unpredictability in the years ahead.

Engineers are moving towards increasingly sustainable solutions. Government statistics show the contribution of waste by the construction, demolition, and excavation (CD&E) sector, accounts for 62% of the UK’s total waste. Therefore, the need to implement site waste management strategies has never been more important. There are many examples of sustainable engineering being utilised in the past. But recent innovations have highlighted the need to create sustainable spaces.

Subsea engineering is one of the UK’s main global strengths. According to research by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), the nation generates a staggering £8.9bn of the £20bn global subsea engineering spend. There is no doubt then that the UK’s subsea engineers are some of the best and most in-demand workers in the world. They are also becoming some of the rarest.

Acoustic specialist, Mason UK, has secured approval from the Royal Institute of British Architects for its educational seminars. Recognition from RIBA helps further cement the company’s reputation as a provider of quality educational content for architects, acousticians and mechanical engineers.