Friday Brief (02/02/2024) W5

Good morning and welcome to this week’s Friday Brief. Who else is hoping Spring is just around the corner?

We would like to kick things off today with a story from M3 Media Group. As part of M3 Media Group’s Thought Leadership Programme, they are hosting their Manufacturing Connections discussion event.

Manufacturing Connections Groups are intended to provide a valuable channel for manufacturers to connect and engage in a ‘trusted environment.’ The event kicks off at 8:30am and will run until 10:00am on Tuesday 6th of February. Go to the story below to register and find out more.

We two interesting stories from BSI this week. Firstly, they are hosting a new webinar on exploring the Standards Challenge Fund, discovering benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to learn how to take part. The fund supports innovation in three key areas: digital, net zero, and healthy living and ageing. Secondly, BSI have updated two standards in the BS EN 10088 series that ensures the consistency and quality of stainless-steel products in Europe. Learn more about the standards in the story below.

Innovate UK are hosting a briefing webinar for the industrial energy transformation fund (IETF) competition. Manufacturing, recycling and other companies can compete for grant funding towards engineering studies and energy efficiency projects. Check out everything you need to in the story.

Companies can now use an online service from the government to find out what grants might be available to them. If you are interested, please follow the link in the story and find out more.

To all the exhibitors at MACH 2024. We are reaching out to ask if you could support the Education and Development zone at this year’s MACH Exhibition. We will be providing guided tours of the MACH 2024 exhibition for all our school groups and your APPRENTICES could be at the forefront of the E&D zone engaging with their groups. The E&D Zone is fantastic opportunity to directly engage with the next generation of engineers. If you would like your apprentices to support the E&D Zone, please confirm the number of apprentices available and what days they can support.

Save money and avoid expensive fines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with a FREE guide from our Associate Member Citation experts. They’ve pulled together the key areas that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are focusing on in 2024 as part of their new strategy, which focuses on reducing work-related ill health. Download below.

Croner have released a new article titled “Implementing Industry 4.0: HR Challenges and Opportunities in Manufacturing.” This article provides an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution. Click through to the article down below.

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. The typical cost of a coach is in the region of £500. The MTA would like to invite exhibitors at MACH 2024 to help us to ensure that all schools in the UK have the same opportunity to attend by donating to help us to support those schools who need help. Read more about it in the story.

The government has warned of a “major incident” impacting declarations submitted on the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) and the Goods Vehicle Movement System (GVMS), leading to disruption for roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) freight entering Britain. You can review the full article in the story.

The latest data from the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) generally showed a modest improvement compared to the December reading but despite this, the majority countries/regions that we monitor are still in negative territory. The UK fitted this model, as did most of Europe, although Asia and the Americas were rather more positive. Please take a look at the article for more details.

We have split the economic news into separate articles for the UK and Europe. The UK section is headlined by the MPC announcement to hold the Bank Rate at 5¼% on 6-3 vote – two MPC members voted for an increase while the other dissenting voice was for a reduction. This article also reports the UK production figures for the automotive industry which reflect an increase during 2023, although the levels for both cars and engines remain below their pre-pandemic peaks

Our European article covers the European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Index and includes the latest capacity utilisation data and we also have the first flash estimate of European GDP for Q4-23 and, of course, the year as a whole.

Finally, the January edition of the MTA Business Survey is underway and you can access the questionnaire at www.mta.org.uk/mta-business-survey-jan24 and we hope that all members can spare a couple of minutes to participate – we would love to hear from you.

That concludes the first Friday Brief of the month! We hope you all have wonderful weekends!

ECONOMIC NEWS – EUROPE

European Commission Economic Sentiment Indicator and Capacity Utilisation, January 2024: The European Commission (EC) draws from a range of surveys to construct confidence indicators for five sectors of the economy and uses this to calculate its Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI). The other point to note is that although labelled as “January 2024” or “Q1-2024”, the […]

ECONOMIC NEWS – UK

UK Interest Rate Increase and Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Report: At its meeting this week, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 6-3 to maintain the Bank Rate at 5.25%. Of the dissenters, two members voted for an increase of 25 basis points (i.e. to 5.5%) and one […]

PURCHASING MANAGERS INDEX FOR MANUFACTURING

The Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for manufacturing produced by J P Morgan using the data from S&P Global improved to a neutral reading of exactly 50.0 – this is the first time it has not been below this level since August 2022. This was a combination of output volumes increasing for the first time […]

MAJOR PROBLEM AFFECTING CDS AND GVMS DECLARATIONS LEADING TO DISRUPTIONS FOR ROLL ON ROLL OFF FREIGHT

MACH 2024 – Apprentice Support

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 […]

Do you want to inspire the next generation?

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 […]

Industry Content – Implementing Industry 4.0: HR Challenges and Opportunities in Manufacturing

HSE Enforcement checklist – how your members can protect their businesses

Do you know what you need to check in case an inspector comes knocking on your door? Save money and avoid expensive fines from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with this FREE guide from our Associate Member Citation experts. They’ve pulled together the key areas that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are focusing […]

COMPLIMENTARY VISITOR TICKETS TO HANNOVER MESSE – 22 – 26 APRIL 2024

MTA Cluster members are invited to visit the Hannover Messe exhibition, the world’s leading industrial technology show. This annual event attracts more than 200,000 visitors and showcases the following areas in industrial automation and technology: Automation, Motion & Drives – includes automation, power transmission and control, fluid power. Digital Ecosystems – the platform for all the software […]

Gov.uk Grant Finder

Companies can now use an online service from the government to find out what grants might be available to them. It has a search and filter function and explains how to apply for a grant. At the bottom of the page you can subscribe to get updates when new grants are added: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/ We welcome comments […]

Innovate UK – Energy grants competition

Briefing webinar for the industrial energy transformation fund (IETF) competition is being held on Tuesday 6th February. Manufacturing, recycling and other companies can compete for grant funding towards engineering studies and energy efficiency projects, in a new competition round from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Firms in England Wales and […]

BSI News

Standards Challenge Fund webinar Join BSI to explore the Standards Challenge Fund, discover benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and learn how to take part. The fund supports innovation in three key areas: digital, net zero, and healthy living and ageing. The Standards Challenge Fund, a collaborative initiative with Innovate UK, invites SMEs to […]

Manufacturing Connections Event – 6th February 2024

As part of M3 Media Group’s Thought Leadership Programme, they are hosting their Manufacturing Connections discussion event. Manufacturing Connections Groups are intended to provide a valuable channel for manufacturers to connect and engage in a ‘trusted environment.’ They will host many of these events over the course of a year, each attended by approximately 10 […]

Friday Brief