The Government has launched a £16 million programme to help make the UK’s advanced automotive manufacturing supply chain more competitive.
SMMT Industry Forum – the organisation set up by the UK government, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and vehicle manufacturers to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s automotive supply chain – is to play an important role in the new initiative.
Speakers at this year’s Subcon conference will cover topics ranging from Industry 4.0 and Brexit to electric cars and aeroplanes.
Running from 4 to 6 June at the NEC the free to attend conference includes 34 presentations in two theatres and runs alongside Subcon, the UK’s dedicated subcontract manufacturing event.
Organisations represented among the speakers include Siemens, Rolls-Royce, MakeUK, the MTC and WMG.
The UK subcontract manufacturing market continued to grow in the first quarter of 2019, despite a continued lack of resolution on Brexit. According to the latest Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI) figures, business was up 7% in the first three months of 2019 compared to the final quarter of 2018.
There was an upward trend throughout the quarter, compared to a downward trend that had been evident in the last three months of 2018.
Automechanika Birmingham’s Garage of the Year competition is now open for entries. Sponsored by the Independent Garage Association (IGA) and run in partnership with Garage Wire, the competition is open to garages from across the UK and Ireland.
Entries can be made online https://garagewire.co.uk/garage-of-the-year-2019-entry-form/ but must be submitted before the deadline of 26 April 2019.
Arlington Industries Group has acquired the Wahler Thermostat business from BorgWarner.
The move complements its acquisition of Magal Engineering in 2017. The Wahler acquisition will provide new technology and manufacturing synergies to a wider base of OEM and Tier One customers as well as providing its Arlington Automotive division with an established aftermarket business.