Logistics Link Live 2012

Logistics managers in the Midlands and Gloucestershire have a local opportunity to attend a national exhibition and conference at Logistics Link Live at the NEC on 13^th and 14^th June 2012. The Logistics Managers conference program offers a full timetable of speakers including topics such as “multi channel e-commerce fulfillment solutions’ and ‘Supply chain 2020’. In addition a series of technology supplier seminars offers presentations from companies such as Inotec Barcode Security and Cirrus. With the space available at the NEC, there are also live demonstration zones including warehouse equipment and packaging. To make the day even more productive, your badge allows you entry to the Subcon Show – the U.K. Contract Manufacturing and Technology show - also taking place at the NEC. Here technologies on display include machining, electronics and plastic mouldings. For full details and how to register as a delegate visit the exhibition website at http://live.logisticslink.co.uk/en/Default.aspx

U.K. Oil industry looking for engineers

Experienced engineer looking for a change? The oil and gas industry are on the hunt for skilled engineers, even offering ‘transformation training programmes’ to transfer skills ready for work in this challenging and well-paid sector. The Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO) recently published its Labour Market Intelligence survey indicating that a large proportion of operators found it difficult to recruit skilled engineers. Managing director of OPITO, Larraine Boorman, comments in The Engineer magazine that, “as an industry we need to make sure the potential talent sees us as an attractive career option.’ Part of that attraction could well be the average salary which is more than double that of the national average - £55,850 compared to £26,244. The industry has also been boosted by initiatives in this year’s budget, including the opening of new fields west of Shetland. For more on a potentially profitable career move, read the article at http://www.theengineer.co.uk/skills-and-careers/in-depth/career-platform-opportunities-in-the-uk-oil-and-gas-sector/1012588.article#ixzz1vUxUlDRi

Latest Queen’s Awards in Manufacturing

Gloucestershire firm, Renishaw, were one of the winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise announced recently. Their award in the Innovation category was for its high accuracy analogue scanning probe system for use in automotive and power train applications. The awards are awarded by region in three categories – innovation, international trade and sustainable development. An article on ‘The Manufacturer’ website looks at other winners including JCB winning an award in the International Trade category and Racal Acoustics for the development of the Raptor – a military communications headset. One of the smaller and newer companies receiving an award was ‘Tangle Teezer’ – a product turned down by the investors on the Dragon’s Den television programme. Its inventor, Shaun Pulfrey, then remortgaged his flat to fund the business and has now distributed 2 million hairbrushes worldwide. For more of the 209 winners, from a range of British manufacturing companies and sectors, read the whole article at http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/uk-manufacturers-among-queens-awards-winners-for-2012/

BAE test pilotless planes

The defence and aircraft industries have taken another step towards unmanned flights with BAE Systems carrying out a new series of test flights over the Irish Sea. As part of a consortium that includes other major U.K. engineering companies such as Cobham, Qinetiq and Rolls-Royce, project Astraea is using a Jetstream propeller plane. Although some technicians are on board, the plane will fly autonomously at key points during the flight. The article on the Guardian website, explains the difference between this unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and ‘drones’ used in Afghanistan. ‘Drones…are flown remotely by pilots on the ground. Instead the prototypes will follow a set of programmed instructions…they could fly difficult missions autonomously for days at a time.’ These steps towards unmanned flights pose both technical and legal questions, particularly when used in a military context. Read the debate in the article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/07/pilotless-planes-test-flights-astraea

British company to build European Space Agency satellite

Fifty years to the day since Britain launched its first satellite, Ariel-1, British company, Astrium UK in Stevenage, have signed a deal to build the European Space Agency’s latest satellite. The Solar Orbiter (SolO) will be designed to ‘travel closer to the Sun than any other satellite to date’ according to an article on the BBC’s science website. The mission is designed to find out how the Sun affects the environment and the atmosphere, particularly solar winds and ‘space weather’ according to solar physicists working on the project. The deal is worth ₤245M and will also involve groups from the UK Space Agency and NASA. Head of science at Astrium UK, Dr Ralph Cordey, explains some of the challenges facing the science and engineering teams in an accompanying video. For full details of Britain’s latest space science initiative read the article here   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17743190