MACH Archives - MTA

MACH is the UK’s national event for inspiring, innovating and connecting manufacturing. It is the perfect platform to discover cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and solutions, providing you with an opportunity to experience the latest advancements in the industry. The five-day event will feature the largest display of working machinery in a single venue, allowing you to make informed […]

Have you booked to attend MACH 2024? MACH 2024 will be taking place 15-19 April at the NEC in Birmingham. We hope you will be able to join us at MACH 2024, you can find out all thr information about who is exhibiting, search the floorplan for specific  products and save your favourite content by […]

The AMRC is untangling the digital thread concept at MACH 2024 (April 15-19). This transformative technology connects a product’s full lifecycle, offering a ‘single source of truth’ for seamless information exchange. Visit our stand (6-160) and discover how the foundations of the digital thread can streamline your manufacturing processes, empower you with real-time data insights […]

As a valued member of the MTA we are reaching out to ask if you could support the Education and Development zone by providing apprentices to lead guided tours of the exhibition. The E&D Zone is fantastic opportunity to directly engage with the next generation of engineers.    We will be providing guided tours of the […]

To exhibitors at MACH 2024 we are reaching out to ask if you could support the Education and Development zone by providing apprentices to lead guided tours of the exhibition.  The E&D Zone is fantastic opportunity to directly engage with the next generation of engineers.   We will be providing guided tours of the MACH 2024 […]

As you know the MTA include an Education and Development Zone at the MACH Exhibition. The E&D zone at MACH 2024 will be a unique opportunity for you to engage directly with your future engineers. MACH 2024 will give students the opportunity to tour the exhibition and see first-hand the amazing innovative engineering technology used […]

European Industrial Production, November 2022:  Total industrial production (IP) in the EU was +0.9% higher than in October 2022, with an increase of +1.0% for the subset of the Euro-zone countries.  However, this follows a significant decrease in October which has not been recovered in November.  Compared to November 2021, total IP grew by +2.0% […]

UK Industrial Production, November 2022:  At the end of last week, just after we had to close the Friday Brief, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the penultimate set of data for manufacturing output for 2022 with the figures for November.  The headline figure showed a fall of -0.5% compared to October but we […]

Please be advised that a New Work Item Proposal has been loaded to the BSI Standards Development Portal for comment. Any comments received will be submitted to the national committee AMT/4  “Industrial Data and manufacturing interfaces ” for consideration when deciding the UK response to the associated Standards Development Organisation. Proposal: ISO/NP 23704-4 Reference Model […]

The Engineer, Eureka!, Manufacturing Management, Machinery and New Electronics represent five brands in engineering media and between them, they cover the manufacturing cycle from design to production.What all these brands have in common is a commitment to focusing on, amplifying and celebrating the achievements of engineers of all disciplines and manufacturing of all types. MTA & EIA Members […]

The government has sketched out plans to support firms with their energy costs, after the current scheme runs out at the end of March.  The new Energy Bills Discount Scheme is far less generous than that announced by Liz Truss.  It is capped at £5.5 billion over 12 months rather than the £18 billion cost […]

UK National Accounts, 3rd Quarter 2022:  Just before Christmas, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the national accounts for the 3rd quarter;  as well as a downward revision of growth for the latest period to -0.3% this also included similar revisions to the previous 4 quarters.  As a result, the UK economy is now […]

An update on AMUK has been sent out today with regards to the ongoings of the association. There is lots currently going on and coming up so make sure to check out all the details. REGIONAL MEETINGS First off, we have some regional meetings planned for February this year. These meetings will focus on two […]

Friday 13th January 09:00 – 10:30 You are invited to join MTC Training for our Employer Breakfast Forum. The MTC Employer Forum is a great opportunity to connect with regional manufacturing businesses and get updates from MTC Training regarding our engineering apprenticeships and training. In our next forum, we are keen to speak with you […]

The soaring demand in the Middle East for Manufacturing Technology has been given further impetus by Covid, which has significantly disrupted supply chains. Local government authorities are keenly aware that imports should not be relied upon, and this has increased the already high level of investment in manufacturing, which is creating high value export opportunities […]

European Industrial Production, October 2022:  In contrast to the UK, there was a sharp fall in industrial production (IP) in October, although this was also driven by a fall in energy production thanks, in part, to relatively mild weather.  There was a fall in IP of -1.9% for the EU overall, with the Euro-zone seeing […]

K Industrial Production, October 2022:  The latest manufacturing output data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed growth of +0.7% compared to September.  This was led by pharmaceuticals and transport equipment which was partly off-set by a reduction for basic metals & metal products.  However, month-on-month, there was growth in only 6 of […]

You are invited to attend a webinar on saving energy and cost in the use of air compressors. The webinar is being held by the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) and the British Turned Parts Manufacturers Association (BTMA), which represents turned parts sub-contractors and had a lively discussion on the cost of energy for compressors […]

European GDP, 3rd Quarter 2022:  In its latest release of GDP data, Eurostat has upgraded its estimate of growth in the 3rd quarter to +0.4% for the EU and +0.3% for the Euro-zone – both were previously estimated to have grown by +0.2% compared to the previous quarter. This also means that the growth rate […]

Standard 1 Please be advised that a New Work Item Proposal has been loaded to the BSI Standards Development Portal for comment. Any comments received will be submitted to the national committee AMT/4  “Industrial Data and manufacturing interfaces” for consideration when deciding the UK response to the associated Standards Development Organisation. Proposal: ISO/NP 16400-5 Automation […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, November 2022:  The latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) show that manufacturing output grew in the three months to “November”, its first increase since the equivalent period to “July”.  However, the less good news is that it is expected to contract over the coming 3 months, although as […]

Emerging technologies – a catalyst for innovation and economic prosperity in challenging times Brussels, 1 December 2022 – During its General Assembly, CECIMO announced a turnover for 2022 of almost €25 billion, which is 10% higher compared to 2021. However, with global economies slowing down, and lower consumer and business confidence, we foresee less optimistic […]

The European Cyber Security for Manufacturing Summit returns to Munich on 7th – 8th March for2 days of discussions on how to build resilience, mitigate risks and strengthen your cyber security strategy to combat new and ongoing threats. The summit is an exclusive platform for 150+ IT and OT security leaders from across Europe’s FMCG, […]

A raft of further easements on CE marking deadlines have been announced by BEIS, along with a review on how costs and burdens on firms can be reduced further. The easements include: CE marking and reversed epsilon marking will continue to be recognised until the end of 2024 for most goods being placed on the […]

USMTO and CTMR, September 2022:  The US Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) programme tracks orders in the US market, based on the reports from participants.  In the first three-quarters of this year, total orders were worth $4.2 billion, +2.7% higher than in the same period in 2021 (January to September). We don’t usually comment on the […]

UK Investment, 3rd Quarter 2022:  Among the package of data published last Friday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) were the figures for investment spending in the 3rd quarter.  At this stage, we only have the high level data, with the breakdown by sector and industry to follow at a later date. Total business […]

This week, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, presented the Government’s Autumn Statement – notably not a budget but designed mainly to instil some stability and confidence in the UK economy following the ill-fated “fiscal event” given by the previous resident of 11 Downing Street back in September. Many news channels will have covered much […]

UK Manufacturing Output , September & 3rd Quarter 2022:  The manufacturing output data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows no change in September (compared to August) but the quarterly figure is -2.3% lower than in the 2nd period of the year.  In this note, we will focus mainly on the quarterly data with […]

The Engineer, Eureka!, Manufacturing Management, Machinery and New Electronics represent five brands in engineering media and between them, they cover the manufacturing cycle from design to production. What all these brands have in common is a commitment to focusing on, amplifying and celebrating the achievements of engineers of all disciplines and manufacturing of all types. And that is […]

European GDP, 3rd Quarter 2022:  The preliminary flash estimate of GDP published by Eurostat showed much slower growth than in the previous two quarters but, slightly surprisingly, it was still positive;  quarter-on-quarter growth in GDP for both the EU and the sub-set of the Euro-zone countries was +0.2%. This means that compared to a year […]

MACH 2024, already expected to be one of the most important exhibitions in the event’s illustrious history, is also set to the most sustainable. With challenges mounting for the UK’s engineering-based manufacturers, MACH 2024 organiser, the Manufacturing Technologies Association is taking a proactive approach to the current situation with a show-ready ethos that promotes the […]

We wanted to send a gentle reminder that the MTA’s Annual Dinner is only 3 months away and places are starting to fill up. Next year’s event will be held in the Ballroom at the Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane, London on Thursday 23rd February 2023. We are looking forward to welcoming guests back to our […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, October 2022:  The results from the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) suggest that orders and output are still falling in the three months to October but that employment is still increasing despite the downturn in business and the fact that concerns over a shortage of skilled labour are at an […]

Despite the doors of MACH 2024 not opening for another eighteen months, the exhibition has already received strong support from MTA members with almost two-thirds of the exhibition space now sold. The two ballots staged by the MTA so far have proved extremely positive, with members queuing up to exhibit at the exhibition. The third […]

The controversial Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (RUEL) is now going through parliament.  It was condemned in the Commons this week by Hilary Benn as giving unprecedented powers to government to sweep away law and he noted that there was little indication from the government as to how much change it intended. Benn […]

USMTO and CTMR, August 2022:  The US Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) programme tracks orders in the US market, based on the reports from participants.  In the first 8 months of 2022, orders were running at +5.3% above the same months (January to August) last year. With IMTS occurring in September, there should be another boost […]

Delegates to the MTA Forecast Seminar this week heard an outline of a challenging year ahead, albeit a view with some mitigating factors in some areas. Global Economic Outlook:  Ben May, Director of Global Macro Research at Oxford Economics considered the question of whether we are on the cusp of a global recession with the […]

CECIMO would like to quickly notify you about an opportunity shared by our member Spanish Association AFM. They are part of the SMART program – an industry-driven EUREKA Cluster initiative in Advanced Manufacturing promoting R&D&I projects. SMART recently launched its 6th Open Call, which encourages companies to come up with some innovative projects (submitting a preliminary outline) for which […]

European Industrial Production, August 2022:  According to Eurostat, total industrial production in the EU was +1.1% higher than in July, with an increase of +1.5% for the Euro-zone.  This was not enough to reverse the falls that were recorded in July and industrial production has been varied since the post-pandemic bounce at the end of […]

UK Manufacturing Output , August 2022:  It is at this time of the year that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) rebases its data and although this year has not seen a change to the period (we are keeping on 2019 as the base year because of the distortions of the Covid pandemic on 2020), […]

The International Expo of Technology and Manufacturing for Latin America 20 – 22 June 2023, Centre Citibanamex, Mexico City, Mexico Exhibitor Profile: Machine Tools/Capital Equipment; Cutting Tools; Workholding and Handling; Machine Components & Accessories; Robotics and Automation; Additive Manufacturing Equipment; CAD/CAM and Manufacturing Software; Inspection and Measurement Equipment; Forming & Fabricating Equipment; Finishing and Coating Equipment. The […]

The government has brought forward the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, which it calls the Brexit Freedoms Bill in more polemical communications.  The intention is that passes into law by Christmas. The Bill will allow for amending, repealing or replacing most of these retained laws through the quick and easy mechanism of statutory […]

The 2022 edition of the MTA Basic Facts, which summarises the data for the manufacturing technology sector in the UK, has just been published. This edition has the figures up to 2021 and focuses on the four elements of the sector for which published data is readily available – machine tools, cutting tools, tool/work-holding equipment […]

Jack Semple, Secretary of the Engineering & Machinery Alliance (EAMA) has sent us this summary of the discussions and presentations at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool this week. His top item is the pledge by Rachel Reeves (Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer) to set up a sovereign wealth fund, and to “use all powers […]

European Commission Economic Sentiment Indicator, September 2022:  The European Commission (EC) draws from a range of surveys to construct confidence indicators for six sectors of the economy and then uses five of these (financial services is not part of the calculation) to make up its Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI). After the more moderate fall in […]

You will, of course, know that the Bank of England raised interest rates at its postponed September meeting on Thursday, taking the Bank Rate to 2.25%, its highest level since 2008.  This had been widely expected and the only surprise was that the rate rise was not higher given that both the Federal Reserve in […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, September 2022:  The CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) results continue to show a small fall in output in the 3 months to September (in practice, given the data collection dates, this is actually June, July and August) at broadly the same pace as in the previous month.  However, for the next three […]

The MTA’s Annual Forecast Seminar will be held on 20th October 2022, at Yamazaki Mazak in Worcester. The event has once again been kindly sponsored by MTA Associate Member, Marsh Commercial. The programme will follow our usual structure of three presentations. Agenda 09:30 – 10:00 Registration 10:00 – 11:00 Global Macro-Economic Outlook – Ben May, […]

Firms on variable/flexible contracts will be contacted by their suppliers and invited to choose whether they wish to move to fixed contracts.  This is stated in further government detail about how its Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) will work over the six months from October 1. Non-domestic energy suppliers will be compensated “for the reduction […]

UK Industrial Production, July 2022:  The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed manufacturing output unchanged from the level in June;  however, we prefer to focus on rolling 3-month periods as this smooths out some of the noise in the data and on this basis, output in the latest 3 months (May, June […]

With apologies to readers of a certain generation who will remember a similarly titled BBC Radio broadcast, James Selka and Geoff Noon have been at IMTS in Chicago this week and offer a few thoughts on what has been on show. The event was slightly smaller than in 2018 but still filled about 96% of […]

You are invited to attend a free webinar introducing the Help To Grow – Management course; the webinar is being organised by the Engineering & Machinery Alliance (of which MTA is a member), in partnership with BEIS to introduce the course.  It will take place at 10am on October 3rd. In the webinar, speakers from BEIS […]

The MTA’s Annual Forecast Seminar will be held on 20th October 2022 at Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd in Worcester. The programme will follow our usual structure of three presentations. Agenda 09:30 – 10:00 Registration 10:00 – 11:00 Global Macro-Economic Outlook - Ben May, Director of Global Macroeconomic Research, Oxford Economics 11:00 – 11:20 Refreshment Break 11:20 – 12:10 Forecasts For Key Industries - Jeremy […]

We are pleased to announce that MACH Ballot 1 for companies over 200m² has now taken place. There were 14 new companies have reserved space for the exhibition, and you can see how ballot 1 has effected the layout by visiting the Live Floorplan on the MACH website. Ballot 2 will be held on Thursday 13th October […]

intec, International Trade Fair for Machine Tools, Manufacturing and Automation is a regular event in the European trade fair calendar. Technology leaders, innovation drivers, manufacturers, distribution and service partners as well as service providers and specialists will be presenting innovative and precision technology designed to meet the day-to-day challenges of manufacturing. Please see  Exhibitor Brochure for more […]

With digitalization becoming more prevalent across industries, the machine tool sector is also directly impacted by cybersecurity risks. Equipment, uptime, trade secrets, brand value, intellectual property, and even personal safety must be protected from malicious network intrusions, employee sabotage, or accidental manipulation. Given the relevance of this subject for our sector, we developed a paper […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, August 2022: The latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) show the first reduction in manufacturing output since the survey dated February 2021.  This survey, although dated August, really covers July and the three month period from May to July. The balance for the volume of output over the previous […]

USMTO and CTMR, June 2022:  The US Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) programme tracks orders in the US market, based on the reports from participants.  Although orders in June 2022 were down both the previous month and a year ago, for the 1st half of the year there is an increase of +13.1% compared to the […]

UK Manufacturing Output , June & 2nd Quarter 2022:  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data for June shows a fall of -1.6% compared to May;  this almost reverses the strong growth (+1.7%) we saw in May.  It seems likely that this is at least influenced by the change in the Bank Holiday arrangements for […]

Vehicle Electrification – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vehicle-electrification-tickets-275607598747 Tue, 13 Sep 2022 15:30 Electric vehicles are now a common sight on our roads and increasingly in other forms of transportation as we move towards a future which is less reliant on hydrocarbons. What are the challenges in making this happen and how are they being met? Hear from speakers from NPL […]

International Machine Tool & Manufacturing Technology Exhibition 19 – 25 January 2023 Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru, India The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) are working with the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) to promote British companies at IMTEX 2023, from 19 – 25 January, 2023 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru. The MTA […]

European GDP, 2nd Quarter 2022:  The preliminary flash estimate of GDP published by Eurostat showed an acceleration in growth in the Euro-zone which saw GDP +0.7% higher than in the 1st quarter, which in turn had seen growth of +0.5%.  The latest quarter-on-quarter GDP growth rate for the EU as a whole was +0.6%, the […]

We have recently sent out the MACH 2024 Ballot pack with all the information you will need in order to complete an application for a stand in the balloted area of the show. If your pack hasn’t arrived yet, don’t worry! You can access the key documents and complete the application form online via the Ballot […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, July 2022:  The trends identified in the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) show an easing of manufacturing demand with output and orders slowing to post-lockdown lows;  however, both measures are still above their long-run average, so it is not all gloom.  Employment in the sector continued to rise although labour […]

Department for International Trade (DIT) is hosting a virtual engineering and manufacturing mission to India in September 2022. This will be our second virtual mission to India, building on the successful engagement last year. We invite innovative UK companies in diverse manufacturing technologies to join our mission and use this excellent opportunity to promote and […]

Flash Manufacturing PMI, July 2022:  The initial estimate for the UK manufacturing sector shows the overall Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) still in expansion territory at 52.2, although this is the lowest reading for 25 months (June 2020).  However, the output element has slipped just below the crucial 50 level (at 49.7) and orders fell at […]

The MTA’s Annual Forecast Seminar will be held on 20th October 2022 at Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd in Worcester. The programme will follow our usual structure of three presentations. Agenda 09:30 – 10:00 Registration 10:00 – 11:00 Global Macro-Economic Outlook – Ben May, Director of Global Macroeconomic Research, Oxford Economics 11:00 – 11:20 Refreshment Break 11:20 – 12:10 Forecasts For Key Industries – Jeremy […]

UK Manufacturing Output , May 2022:  The latest headline data for manufacturing output from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows month-on month growth of +1.4% with 12 of the 13 sub-sectors having output higher than in April.  This was led by growth in other manufacturing & repair and pharmaceuticals and the exception was in […]

Government needs to be more effective in addressing workplace skills failings in England, says a new report from the National Audit Office. The NAO says that government has an enduring role in supporting workforce skills development, as the market does not supply all the skills the country needs to provide goods and services and to […]

Our colleagues at CECIMO (the European group for associations representing machine tool manufacturers) have prepared an update on the trade policy of the European Union, its impact on the machine tool industry and CECIMO’s position on those issues. The document attached below gives an overview of 4 topics: EU International Procurement Instrument EU Carbon Border […]

Cleaning Components in Metal Workshops is Creating an Inhalation Hazard Research commissioned by the HSE has looked at the risk of creating fine aerosols when using compressed air to clean metal components.  It identifies alternative methods which are safer. https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr1171.htm Quadriga Open Courses Quadriga are offering the following training courses on a per-place basis: IOSH […]

Purchasing Managers’ Index for Manufacturing – update of June results:  We did not have the full range of data available for last week’s Friday Brief so, to round up the June Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data, the Global Manufacturing PMI for June, compiled by J P Morgan using the data from S&P Global, fell to […]

Jack Semple, Secretary of EAMA (of which MTA is a member) has compiled a review of the political events of a week in which the UK has seen political turmoil, and uncertainty over government policies and personalities.  These notes look at some the of key events and personalities from the perspective of the machinery and […]

Last week, MTA hosted the CECIMO General Assembly;  delegates from the machine tool industry across Europe took part in a range of policy discussions and together with eminent speakers from the political and business arena, European Machine Tool producers debated key sectoral issues such as digital transformation, supply chain disruptions, standardisation issues, and sustainability. The […]

European Industrial Production, April 2022:  Data from Eurostat showed that total industrial production in the EU increased by +0.3% compared to March, with growth of +0.4% for the Euro-zone.  This small improvement followed a sharp fall for both areas in March.  Looking back 12 months, this means that industrial production in the EU is -0.5% […]

UK Manufacturing Output, April 2022:  Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that total manufacturing output fell by -1.0% in April although thanks to base effects, output in the latest 3 months (February, March and April 2022) was only -0.2% lower than in the previous 3 months (November and December 2021 and January […]

We would like to update you on some news regarding our Forecast Seminar coming up in October. A location has been confirmed, the event will be held at Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd in Worcester. The programme will follow our usual structure of three presentations. Agenda 09:30 – 10:00 Registration 10:00 – 11:00 Global Macro-Economic Outlook – Ben May, […]

Like all metalworking fluids, Bioconcept Fluids will need regular maintenance to ensure optimum conditions in order to be effective in use and avoid any harmful effects for operators. Although these types of fluids will not require regular dip slide testing or the addition of biocides, they will still require monitoring to ensure optimum conditions including […]

Standard 1 Please be advised that a New Work Item Proposal has been loaded to the BSI Standards Development Portal for comment. We hope this will assist in increasing awareness of the Standards Development Portfolio. Any comments received will be submitted to AMT/004 Industrial data and manufacturing interfaces, for consideration when deciding the UK response […]

CECIMO would like to inform you about the three funding opportunities, which are approaching the deadline at the end of this month and one funding opportunity with the deadline at the end of July. Below you can find the funding calls in the areas of Digital Technologies, Robotics, Additive Manufacturing etc., applied to the machine tool/manufacturing sector with […]

The outcome was positive for the 2022 edition of LAMIERA, the international trade show of sheet metal forming machines tools and related technologies, which took place at fieramilano Rho from 18 to 21 May. Promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots and automation systems manufacturers’ association, and organised by CEU-CENTRO ESPOSIZIONI UCIMU, LAMIERA […]

European Additive Manufacturing Survey, Spring 2022:  CECIMO has published the results of the Spring survey of the European market for Additive Manufacturing (AM).  This bi-annual survey covers machinery, products, materials and services in the AM sector and the UK element was carried out by MTA/AM-UK. The latest results pointed to strong growth expectations for both […]

Jack Semple, Secretary of EAMA (of which MTA is a member) reports that the Scottish government has launched a four-year, £25 million innovation fund to speed up the adoption or development of low carbon products, services, technologies or processes in manufacturing. The Low Carbon Manufacturing Challenge Fund is administered by Scottish Enterprise and will give […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, May 2022: The latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) show an improvement in both output and orders growth in May – note that the data collection ran from 26th April to 12th May so this really refers to April (or the month before the date of the survey […]

As a manufacturer of precision turned and milled components, Neida runs a successful apprenticeship scheme from manufacturing locations in Stoke-on-Trent and the Isle-of-Wight and believes that the key to closing the ever-increasing Skills Gap is getting the next generation interested in engineering. “After achieving 12 GCSE grades A-C, I preferred a practical approach to education; […]

UK Productivity, 1st Quarter 2022:  With data on wages and hours worked as part of the labour market release, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its flash estimates of productivity for the start of 2022.  The headlines show that on the preferred measure – output per hour worked – productivity fell compared to the […]

MACH 2022, the largest display of new machinery and manufacturing technologies under one roof in the UK for four years, lived up to its billing as a major catalyst for investment with scores of exhibitors reporting strong sales and positive interest in their products during the five-day event at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. And in […]

The 20th anniversary edition of Switzerland’s most important trade fair, to be held from 14 to 17 June at Palexpo-Geneva, will see an increase in participation compared to September 2021. This year’s event will be dedicated to innovation, employment, business and youth. EPHJ will indeed reveal the results of the follow-up to the survey carried […]

Foreign secretary Liz Truss has made a statement in the Commons, stating the government’s intention to introduce a bill to allow changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Truss said a settlement negotiated with the EU is preferred, but went on:  “The challenge is that this solution requires a change in the Protocol itself, as its […]

The business department, BEIS, has launched a new set of webinars on UKCA and UKNI conformity assessment marking and the phasing out of CE. The webinars cover: Economic operators and routes for conformity assessment Understanding marking and labelling Placing goods on the market in Great Britain Placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland Understanding […]

TJM Capital, a private equity investment firm focusing on lower and middle-market growth businesses has purchased the Machine Tool Solutions Division of the UK’s 600 Group. This acquisition includes Colchester Machine Tool Solutions, with offices in the UK, Germany, and Australia, and Clausing Industrial, Inc., headquartered in Michigan. “The Machine Tool Solutions Division is a […]

Please be advised that a New Work Item Proposal has been loaded to the BSI Standards Development Portal for comment. We hope this will assist in increasing awareness of the Standards Development Portfolio. Any comments received will be submitted to AMT/008 Additive manufacturing, for consideration when deciding the UK response to ISO. Proposal: ISO/TC 261 […]

Please be advised that a New Work Item Proposal has been loaded to the BSI Standards Development Portal for comment. We hope this will assist in increasing awareness of the Standards Development Portfolio. Any comments received will be submitted to AMT/008 Additive manufacturing, for consideration when deciding the UK response to the associated Standards Development […]

We are very excited to announce two new MTA members who have recently joined! Ayming are Europe’s leading specialist Research and Development tax consultancy with over 30 years of experience. With 1300 employees operating in 14 countries across Europe and the US, they have diverse expertise spanning various industries. By providing strategic advisory services on innovation funding and HR […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, April 2022:  The results from the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) concluded that there has been a slowing in the rate of growth of output over the past 3 months but it remains above the long-run average level.  Output grew in 12 of the 17 industries in the ITS with […]

This week we have three standards under review Proposal: ISO/TC 299 N 518, ISO/NP 22166-203 Robotics — Modularity for service robots — Part 203: Information Model for Hardware Please visit: http://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/9022-07016 Comment period end date: 27/05/2022 Scope This document complies with the ISO 22166-1 and CD 22166-200 family standards providing requirements and guidelines on modularity for […]

European Industrial Production, February 2022:  Figures released by Eurostat this week showed total industrial production in the Euro-zone was +0.7% higher than in January while the EU as a whole showed a rise of +0.6%.  This means that growth over the past 12 months (since February 2021) was +2.0% in the Euro-zone and +3.0% for […]

UK Manufacturing Output , February 2022:  The latest headline data for manufacturing output from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a fall of -0.4% compared to January, driven mainly by a reduction of -9.4% in the automotive industry and -5.0% in the output of chemicals.  Manufacturing output in February was 99.3% of its pre-pandemic level […]

Our Spring Economic update presentation this year will take place on Wednesday 11th May and will be held at the offices of Forrest Brown (an MTA Associate member) in Bristol. As has been our recent practise, this will focus mainly on the UK economy and market although, of course, we can’t ignore the rest of […]

The optimism appears to be growing in the manufacturing and engineering sectors and this was certainly holding strong on the final day of MACH last week, as bumper levels of business transactions were reported during the show. It was a long wait, but MACH 2022 has been a roaring success for all involved, exceeding expectations […]

UK National Accounts (GDP and Investment), 4th Quarter 2021:  With the publication of the quarterly National Accounts by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the estimate for economic growth in the UK economy has been revised up to +1.3% compared to the previous quarter.  This uprating is largely due to a range of revisions across […]

CELIMO – the group of European associations representing importers and distributors of manufacturing technology – has released its State of Trade report along with a commentary;  this is summarised here but the full version is in the document attached below. There was a strong pace of GDP growth in most countries in 2021 although this […]

Jack Semple, Secretary of EAMA (the Engineering and Machinery Alliance, of which MTA is a member) has prepared a summary of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and you can download this below. He takes a look at the context of the statement – very much not a “Budget” as the Chancellor is very keen to get […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, March 2022:  Before we look at the latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) it is worth noting that although it is labelled as “March”, the data collection period ran from 24th February to 14th March.  This means that although it is one of the first surveys to have […]

Bank of England’s Agents’ Summary of Business Conditions – Q1-2022:  In conjunction with the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPS) this week, at which they voted 8-1 to increase the Bank Rate to 0.75%, the Bank of England has published the latest summary of business conditions collected by their Agents around the country.  This […]

New sanctions on Russia and Belarus New UK sanctions, announced today (Tuesday), will deny Russia and Belarus access to Most Favoured Nation tariffs for hundreds of their exports and ban UK exports of high-end luxury goods to both countries. The full press release can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-new-economic-sanctions-against-russia. Among these sanctions is an increase in tariffs […]

Coronavirus Coronavirus restrictions are expected to be largely withdrawn across all countries of the UK by the end of March, although it’s possible that self-isolation requirements and free testing will remain for a little longer in some countries. Quadriga issued an update to clients on the latest changes and their implications.  If readers do not […]

UK Manufacturing Output , January 2022:  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the latest output data this morning and the headline shows an increase of +0.8% in total manufacturing output compared to December 2021.  However, this still leaves output of the sector -1.6% lower than its pre-pandemic level (February 2020).  The monthly data can […]

UK Trade, 4th Quarter 2021:  The year-end figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that total goods exports were +16.5% higher than in the 3rd quarter of the year while imports grew by +2.7%.  However, there was a significant change in the level of trade in non-monetary gold which distorts the picture;  excluding […]

The MTA are delighted to welcome Kevan Holloway to the MTA team who takes up the role of Client Engagement Manager. Kevan is an experienced Mechanical Engineer with extensive manufacturing and machining understanding, in particular within the Aerospace and Defence sectors. He attended University in Sheffield and Loughborough and a member of The Institution of […]

European Industrial Production, December 2021:  Data published by Eurostat shows that seasonally adjusted total industrial production in the Euro-zone was +1.2% higher than in November, with the EU as a whole seeing growth of +0.7%.  For 2021, the annual average saw growth of +7.8% in the Euro-zone and +8.2% for the EU. Industrial production is dominated […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, February 2022:  The latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) shows that while manufacturing activity improved in February (data collection from 26th January to 14th February), so did price pressures.  Total order books eased slightly from the level of the previous three months but remain at an historically high […]

An unprovoked and bloody invasion by Russia on Ukraine is underway by land, by sea and by air. In response, the Prime Minister yesterday announced the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions we have ever introduced and that Russia has ever faced. We are imposing these sanctions in close coordination with our US […]

The Engineering Supply Chain Show (ESC) is dedicated to buyers looking to source precision sub-contracting products and services from UK-based suppliers, helping to reduce goods miles, as part of the UK’s commitment to greener manufacturing. ESC will run alongside MACH which is the UK’s national event to showcase engineering and manufacturing, traditionally attracting 25,000 visitors. […]

A brief update on recent developments, with commentary.  As always, it does not aim to be comprehensive, rather to highlight important points. On manufacturing and advanced engineering, I suspect the government is facing growing frustration from outside and internal tensions: In The Times yesterday (February 17th), Dr Clive Hickman, in effect calls for a national […]

A programme of high-profile speakers from across the manufacturing technologies spectrum has been announced for MACH 2022. The speakers have been selected to offer valuable insight into latest developments across this important sector and to provide intuitive market intelligence to the thousands of people expected to visit the UK’s national manufacturing show. Aside from being […]

European Commission’s Economic Forecasts, Winter 2022:  The European Commission (EC) has published its latest quarterly forecast with GDP expected to grow by +4.0% for both the EU and the euro-zone in 2022, followed by +2.8% for the EU and +2.7% for the Euro-zone in 2023. The latest outlook reflects a number of challenges facing the […]

UK Manufacturing Output , December 2021:  Data released this morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that manufacturing output increased by +0.2% in December, but we will focus on the quarterly trends in this note.  This shows no change compared to the 3rd quarter although the level was +0.7% higher than in the […]

Finding the best solution to new tooling requirements can be a daunting challenge, as can diagnosing current tooling problems. The advantage of the MACH exhibition has always been that a complete range of solutions is available to view all under one roof. But this year, exhibition organiser, the MTA has gone a stage further and […]

Today (Tuesday 8th February), the Minister for Skills, Alex Burghart MP announced the launch of a new partnership between industry and Government to grow the number of high-quality apprenticeships in the manufacturing sector. The Minister said: “The group has my full support in its vital agenda to grow the number of high-quality apprenticeships, the opportunities […]

UK Interest Rate Increase and Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Report:  The headline here is the decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to increase interest rates by 25 points to 0.5%.  This had been predicted and even the news that this was a close decision with a 5-4 vote was not […]

The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA)  is pleased to launch the 2022 edition of the Technology Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge. The TDI Challenge is the MTA’s flagship school’s competition, providing students with an opportunity to directly engage with our industry. To find out more about the competition please look at the following video https://vimeo.com/671990196/42c39a7853 and the flyer below, or […]

The government has asked that we highlight the new, temporary, self-certification period for sickness, increased from seven to 28 days.  Employers cannot ask employees for proof of sickness until they have been off for 28 days or more, effective from December 10th 2021.  The 28-day rule expires on January 26th 2022, when the period reverts […]

Following on from our online session on marketing your presence at MACH 2022 (which can be viewed Here if you missed it) we are holding our next session focusing on operations at 11.00am on Tuesday 11th January. This hour-long seminar will focus on the following topics: Operations: Official Contractors ‘who’s who’ Key Deadlines Access Schedule Floorplans & Technical Information Sponsorship […]

A reminder that the customs codes for most metal forming machines changed on 1st January.  There is also now a specific set of headings for additive manufacturing machinery rather than having to find somewhere general to report these machines. Every 5 years, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) updates the global system of customs codes for […]

UK National Accounts, 3rd Quarter 2021:  Just before Christmas, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the national accounts for the 3rd quarter of 2020.  At the whole economy level, the main interest in this is the revisions to the GDP data back to the start of 2020 which has meant an upward adjustment to […]

We are aware of a number of emails being sent to our members and exhibitors purporting to have MACH and/or MTA lists for sale. They have started using the MACH logo and emails are written as if they are from the MTA. Please be aware we do not share data with anyone and these companies […]

Qimtek Contract Manufacturing Index – 2021 Overview:  Qimtek is an independent network for the UK engineering and manufacturing industry that connects active buyers and suppliers.  By monitoring the purchasing budget of companies who are looking to outsource manufacturing, they can track activity in the sector. From this they calculate the Contract Manufacturing index (CMI) which […]

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, January 2022:  The latest results from the CBI Industrial Trends Survey (ITS) show that demand conditions are supporting a good level of activity in the sector but there is concern over labour shortages and cost/price pressures.  It is worth noting that although dated “January”, data collection took place from 20th December […]

UK Manufacturing Output , November 2021:  Data released this morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that manufacturing output increased by +1.0% compared to October.  However, taking the rolling 3-month trend, output in the latest period (September, October and November 2021) was -0.1% lower than the previous 3 months (June, July and August 2021) […]

European Industrial Production, November 2021:  The data for Europe published by Eurostat covers industrial production;  most of this is manufacturing output but it also includes the extraction industries (mining & quarrying) and utilities (supply of electricity, gas & water).  The headline figures show an increase of +2.3% for the Euro-zone compared to October 2021, although […]

Metalloobrabotka takes place from 23 – 17 May 2022 in Moscow and is the largest exhibition in Eastern Europe for the global machine tool and metal working industries. It ranks in the world’s top ten leading machine tool trade shows and has been bringing together leading manufacturers, suppliers and dealers from around the world since […]