“He had been eight years upon a project for extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers, which were to be put into vials hermetically sealed, and let out to warm the air in raw, inclement summers.”  ~ Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift

Welcome to this week's Friday Brief

If only we could manufacture the sunshine we want when we want it. But where the imagination travels, science and engineering follow too.

But to predict where we are going we need to plot our progress, which is why we are urging you all to fill in the MTA’s current Business Survey. The June survey which is running at the moment is one of the extended quarterly surveys and we need to collect as many replies as possible, so if you have not already filled it in you can follow this link to the survey  http://www.mta.org.uk/mta-business-survey-june-2012

We would also welcome your involvement in CECIMO’s broad-based online survey about market opportunities in industrial services in the machine tool industry with a focus on sustainability. We also want to hear your thoughts on the introduction of the HSE Fee for Intervention programme.

Collaboration of all kinds breeds success and innovation and that’s why we are also delighted to be able to tell members about the capability and market presentations being run by the UKTI at next week’s Farnborough Airshow and euspen's 3rd topical meeting on Structured and Freeform Surfaces.

With all this rain and gloom on the horizon, let’s hope it clears in time for the MTA golf day in September which promises to be a wonderful day out for MTA members and their guests. There are still places available and if you want to attend read on for how to register.

Finally we end this briefing with the June report from China and this week’s economic overview from MTA Statistician, Geoff Noon.

Have a great weekend.