CH2M and Atkins tight-lipped over merger rumours
US engineering group CH2M approached WS Atkins over a $4 billion merger, according to media reports. Neither company has commented on the speculation.
Moorside power plant in doubt
The unions are calling on the government to step in and guarantee the funding for the nuclear power station in Moorside, Cumbria, following Toshiba’s announcement that it is reviewing its investment in the nuclear sector outside of Japan.
Last month Toshiba announced its US subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric, may have overpaid - by several billion dollars - for another nuclear construction and services business. Toshiba is reviewing its involvement in all other overseas projects as a way of dealing with this situation.
Walport to head government research body
Professor Sir Mark Walport has been appointed as chief executive designate of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
UKRI will, subject to legislation currently in Parliament, incorporate the seven research councils including Innovate UK.
Walport was appointed government chief scientific adviser and head of the Government Office for Science in April 2013. He is co-chair of the prime minister’s Council for Science and Technology.
Ocado tests robotic food picker
Online grocery retailer Ocado is testing a robotic grocery picking solutions for it’s highly-automated warehouses.
The solution is being developed in partnership with academic institutions in Germany, Italy and Austria.
The retailer says the arm is capable of safely grasping a wide variety of products.
European smart grid project launched
A €23 million smart grid project involving 20 industrial partners has launched in France.
The Interflex project, being coordinated by RWTH Aachen University in Germany, is focused on energy storage, electric vehicles, demand response, islanding and grid automation.
Utilities, manufacturers and research centres are involved in the project, which seeks to apply smart grid technologies at an industrial scale to achieve a high penetration of renewables.
Amec Foster Wheeler wins boiler contract
Amec Foster Wheeler has been awarded a contract to supply of an auxiliary boiler for Yuhuang Chemical at its methanol facility currently under construction in Louisiana.
Amec Foster Wheeler will design and supply a shop-assembled auxiliary boiler that will provide the equivalent of approximately 60MW of high pressure steam.
In addition to the natural gas fired auxiliary boiler, the contract includes the fan, ductwork, combustion system, heat recovery and selective catalytic reduction equipment to meet emissions requirements.
Tata Steel punished for pollution
Tata Steel UK has agreed to make a donation of £73,000 to an environmental group after pollution was detected near its Scunthorpe plant.
Tata Steel paid the money to the Humber Nature Partnership, an organisation that delivers projects resulting in environmental, economic and community benefits.
On the 22 May 2015 Environment Agency officers found a heavy red coloured lubricating oil on Seraphim lagoon, the Bottesford Beck and in wetland channels of Ashby Ville Local Nature Reserve. An investigation said it appears that the oil overflowed from an industrial bulk container as oil was being drained from a lubricating tank on the site.
Shell to sell package of UK North Sea assets
Shell has agreed to sell a package of UK North Sea assets to Chrysaor for a total of up to $3.8 billion.
The package of assets consists of Shell’s interests in Buzzard, Beryl, Bressay, Elgin-Franklin, J-Block, the Greater Armada cluster, Everest, Lomond and Erskine, plus a 10% stake in Schiehallion.
GM and Honda collaborate on fuel cell
Honda and General Motors are to build a joint hydrogen fuel cell system manufacturing plant in Michigan, in the US, which will deliver working fuel cell-cars in 2020.
The new factory will be established in the perimeter of GM's existing battery manufacturing facility at Brownsville, with both Honda and GM contributing $85 million into the joint venture. It will result in the creation of 100 new jobs.
Ocean Kinetics to expand
Shetland engineering company Ocean Kinetics is planning an £1.1 million expansion project to boost its offering for industries such as renewables.
The company, which provides engineering, fabrication and manufacturing services, will create more than 20 jobs.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise is contributing £420,000 towards the expansion plan.