UK's aerospace industry sees figures soar in 1Q
The value of UK aircraft deliveries reached a record £6.5 billion in the first quarter of 2017, according to figures from the industry's ADS Group.
In the first three months of 2017 sales were up a full £1 billion from the first quarter of 2016, driven by a 10% rise in deliveries of wide-body aircraft built in the UK.
A total of 242 orders for new aircraft in the quarter – 42% higher than 2016 – kept the backlog of orders at its third highest level on record, with 13,452 aircraft remaining on global order books, potentially worth £220 billion to UK industry.
Airbus profit halved by lingering problems
Aerospace giant Airbus has warned that problems surrounding its troubled A400M military aircraft programme are not over.
The company said there are still issues over "meeting contractual capabilities" securing export orders, cost cutting, and commercial exposure. It added that technical problems with engines for its A320neo aircraft were still to be resolved.
The warnings came as Airbus posted a 52% fall in net profits to €240 million (£203 million) for the first quarter of the year. Total revenues for the three-month period increased 7% to €13 billion.
UK renewables industry experiences huge export boom
UK-based companies working in the wind, wave, and tidal energy sectors are exporting goods and services for the first time on a massive scale worldwide, according to a new report published by RenewableUK.
The report, Export Nation: A Year in UK Wind, Wave, and Tidal Exports, highlighted around 36 UK-based companies that have signed more than 500 contracts last year to work on renewable energy projects across 43 countries in Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Australasia.
The contracts were of different value, ranging from £50,000 up to £30 million each.
GE invests in 3D printing
General Electric has invested more than €100 million (£83.6 million) in its additive manufacturing business in Germany and continues to be on the look out for acquisition opportunities.
The investment will be made at the newly acquired Concept Laser site in Lichtenfels, Bavaria, creating 100 new jobs.
GE already 3D prints several aircraft parts and aims to turn the additive manufacturing business, currently part of GE aviation, into a $1 billion external sales business by 2020.
UK manufacturers report strong 1Q growth
UK manufacturers have reported strong growth in orders both at home and from abroad over the first quarter of 2017, although costs and prices have also continued to rise at an elevated pace, according to latest figures from the CBI.
The survey of 397 manufacturers found that domestic orders had improved at the fastest pace since July 2014 in the three months to April. Meanwhile, export orders recorded the strongest growth in six years, supported by strong rises in competitiveness, particularly in non-EU markets which improved at a record pace.
The weak pound continued to push up costs, with manufacturers reporting the strongest rises in unit costs in six years.
National Instruments partners with Cardiff University
National Instruments, test and measurement equipment supplier, is to open a new Control Systems Engineering Laboratory in partnership with Cardiff University.
The laboratory, which features NI myDAQ, NI myRIO and LabVIEW, aims to better equip undergraduates studying control systems as part of their electrical, electronic, integrated, medical and mechanical engineering degrees.
The facility will open this summer.
UK car manufacturing hits 17-year high
UK car manufacturing reached its highest level in 17 years in March, driven by exports, according to figures released by Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders.
The figures revealed that 170,691 cars were built in the UK in March, up 7%, with overseas buyers ordering more than 76% of output.
Overseas demand increased 8% to 471,695 units, this helped offset a decline at home, with demand down -4% in the quarter.
Arup and RDM become partners on driverless vehicles
RDM Group has teamed up with Arup to pursue a number of transportation and autonomous vehicle projects being discussed in the US.
RDM’s expansion to the Houston market will involve the recruitment of a dedicated programme lead and leasing office space within Arup’s Houston office as a base for developing new relationships. The Arup team will also provide technical expertise on new bids.
RDM Group already has a sales and technical office at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.
BP offloads stake in Chinese firm
BP has agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company (SECCO) to Gaoqiao Petrochemical for $1.68 billion.
Reports claim the move as it seeks to raise up to ¢5.5 billion from disposals this year to help pay for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the US.
The move marks BP’s withdrawal from what was once the biggest part of its petrochemicals business, producing olefins and derivatives, which are used to make plastics.
Oil and Gas UK makes changes
Shell’s new UK and Ireland upstream vice-president has been appointed to the board of industry trade association Oil and Gas UK (OGUK).
Steve Phimister will be taking the place of his Shell predecessor Paul Goodfellow on OGUK’s board of directors with immediate effect.
Bel Valves’ Neil Kirkbride has served his full five-year tenure as a board member and has now stepped down. Kilbride will continue his work with the association through the Efficiency Task Force as the industry lead on the initiative to simplify engineered products.