Friday Brief Intro 24/03/2023

Good morning and welcome to this week’s Friday Brief! The weather seems to be finally brightening up a bit for the weekend so make sure to get out and get some fresh Spring air!

First up this week we would like to direct you to the first edition of the MTC’s Membership Roundup. The Newsletter will share key updates and innovative activities within the MTC. Go to their story below to view the full newsletter.

Continuing on with news from the MTC, they are hosting a free two-day conference – Robotics and Automation – A New Perspective 2023 on May 10 and 11 which will explore the future of automation in UK industry and demonstrate the opportunities available to UK industry. Delegates from a wide range of industries from construction to agriculture and food production will get the chance to share insights into the transformational benefits of cutting edge robotic technologies and learn how automation can improve productivity and drive global competitiveness for UK businesses. To find out about the topics that will be covered and what the MTC is offering, please read more in the story below.

Hybrid manufacturing encompasses aspects of AM as well as traditional methods, increasing the scope for what can be done in modern manufacturing companies. This event, run by MTA Associate Member NPL, will bring you some of the latest developments and research into this field of manufacturing to keep you up to date with how this field is progressing. Take a look at the story below to join via online or if possible, turn up in person.

Next up we have a webinar by BESA for your diaries that has come to us from SHEP UK. This webinar is designed to provide attendees with information relating to the implications of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. Drug and alcohol dependency in the workplace can manifest itself in different ways and is a sensitive area. The misuse of drugs or alcohol can damage people’s health and well-being, and have far-reaching effects on their personal and working lives. The story below shows what the webinar will cover.

The UK Materials Handling Association have issued a safety alert regarding problems with starting LPG forklifts due to deposits in the vaporiser and fuel handling systems of LPG powered forklifts. Take a look at the story by SHEP below to view the full safety alert.

Jack Semple from EAMA has sent us a story on what has been going on in the UK Government this week. Prime Minister has passed the first and biggest Commons test for his Windsor Framework (WF), aimed at resolving the dispute with the EU. A vote of the so-called Stormont Brake was carried by 515 votes to 29 but exposed deep divisions within the Conservative party, with 22 voting against and 48 abstaining or absenting themselves. Three former leaders – Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and Sir Iain Duncan Smith were among those voting against. To read more of Jack Semples article, please go to his story.

Jack Semple, Secretary of EAMA (of which MTA is a member) has also penned a note on the rise in inflation that was announced this week and also covers the reaction to the recent budget – the first part gives some context to the MPC’s decision to increase UK interest rates which we cover in the economic news article.

We report on a couple of important items in this week’s Economic News article. Members will, of course, have heard the announcement of another increase in UK interest rates which followed on from the increases announced in the US and the Euro-zone over the past week. An important part of the background for the MPC is the reports from the Bank’s Agents based on their meetings with businesses spread across the whole of the UK and we take a look at what they had to say in our article this week.

The other important piece of data was the latest results from the CBI’s Industrial Trends Survey. This highlighted a further fall in manufacturing output with order books further below normal than in the previous survey; despite this, output is expected to rise in the coming three months, although these results don’t appear to be compatible with each other and may be a triumph of confidence over reality – only time will tell – and we discuss this in our note on the survey results.

That concludes the Friday Brief for this week! We hope you all have lovely weekend and look forward to ‘seeing’ you again next Friday!

MMN event 4th April

Additive manufacturing (AM) is now part of our everyday lives with many technologies available covering a very wide range of applications. Hybrid manufacturing encompasses aspects of AM as well as traditional methods, increasing the scope for what can be done in modern manufacturing companies. This event, run by MTA Associate Member NPL, will bring you […]

Managing Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace

Wednesday 29th March 2023 12.00pm ending at 1.00pm GoToWebinar – Hosted by BESA www.shepuk.co.uk This webinar is designed to provide attendees with information relating to the implications of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. Drug and alcohol dependency in the workplace can manifest itself in different ways and is a sensitive area. The misuse of drugs […]

AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS BRINGS HUGE BUSINESS BENEFITS SAY MTC EXPERTS

MTC to showcase automation and robotics capabilities The adoption of robotics and automation in UK manufacturing result in higher productivity, efficiency and quality as well as more sustainable operations, according to experts at the Manufacturing Technology Centre. The MTC is hosting a free two-day conference – Robotics and Automation – A New Perspective 2023 on May 10 […]

Membership Roundup from The MTC

As Tier 3 members of the Manufacturing Technology Centre, MTA have access to the first edition of Membership Roundup. It has a great selection of interesting and informative content which offers an insight into MTC as an organisation. We are delighted that we are able to pass this on to our membership here at MTA […]

ECONOMIC NEWS

CBI Industrial Trends Survey, March 2023: The CBI released the results of their latest Industrial Trends Survey earlier in the week and it made rather gloomy reading. Manufacturing output fell in the three months to March* although at a slower pace than in the previous survey. Output fell in 9 of the 17 sub-sectors with […]

OBR inflation prediction wrong a week later

The predictions of the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) have been undermined by an upturn in inflation in February, just a week after the OBR published a graph predicting a steady fall throughout the year. Inflation peaked at 11.1% last October and will fall to 2.9% by end-2023, the OBR said. Rising costs in services […]

Windsor Framework Moves Forward

Prime Minister has passed the first and biggest Commons test for his Windsor Framework (WF), aimed at resolving the dispute with the EU. A vote of the so-called Stormont Brake was carried by 515 votes to 29 but exposed deep divisions within the Conservative party, with 22 voting against and 48 abstaining or absenting themselves. […]

Safety alert from UKMHA about LPG powered forklifts

The UK Materials Handling Association have issued a safety alert regarding problems with starting LPG forklifts due to deposits in the vaporiser and fuel handling systems of LPG powered forklifts. The issue is a developing one, but there is guidance not to repeatedly try to start recalcitrant LPG lift trucks, but to make them safe […]

Friday Brief