Buyers Guide 2023

News Annual Buyers’ Guide 2023 www.pwemag.co.uk Plant & Works Engineering | 0 7 Calls to boost STEM education to close engineering skills and diversity gap Beckhoff UK joins leading association of automation and logistics Katherine Bennett, chief executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, has called for STEM education to be made “more attractive and accessible” to help meet future demand for skills in industry. Speaking at the University of the West of England to accept an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering, Bennett applauded the university’s Digital Engineering Technology and Innovation (DETI) skills development scheme and specialised courses like Robotics. Pointing to the work of the National Composites Centre, an HVM Catapult centre also located in Bristol, Bennett said that helping companies to de-risk manufacturing innovation will require far more skilled engineering graduates to be trained. During her speech, Bennet commented: “Our future depends on the next generation of engineers and scientists, building innovations that can help solve climate change and prevent the next pandemic. “We need the right skills in the right places to deliver these innovations across our country. For this, we need to make our STEM education system more accessible and more attractive, encouraging more students to pick up the baton. And when only 16% of engineering graduates are women, we need to change our message too.” UWE Bristol Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve West added: “We’re delighted to recognise Katherine’s incredible contribution within the aviation and manufacturing industries. Not only is she an exceptional leader and role model, but is also passionate about the communities she serves and the power of education and business working together to transform lives. “At UWE Bristol we are supporting the next generation of engineers to ensure they have the skills they need to thrive as they start their careers. We want to inspire our students and graduates and help them to reach their full potential. Their innovations will build the future.” Automation systems expert Beckhoff UK has joined the UK’s leading authority on logistics automation, The Automation Materials Handling Systems Association (AMHSA), committing to promoting excellence in solutions, aftersales support, reliability and safety. With over 60 members, AMHSA plays a significant role in the drafting of CEN and ISO standards affecting the automated handling sector. Since Beckhoff’s launch in 1980, the development of innovative products and solutions using PC-based control technology has been the foundation of the company’s continued success. Recently, the company announced its new MX-System, a holistic, modular system that supplies electrical power and EtherCAT communication from a slim baseplate to plug-in modules that connect directly to nearby systems at the fraction of the size of a traditional control cabinet. The AMHSA is the premier trade organisation representing the UK’s automation industry. It was founded in 1986, and in 2022 it now counts over 60 members, all of whom are important figures within the UK’s automation sector. Among its many other roles and activities, the AMHSA’s lobbies both the UK government and several other international bodies on a wide variety of issues. Beckhoff’s AMHSA membership means that it can assist in improving business operations and management practices across an industry that has had more innovation in the last five years, than the last 20 years combined. With its innovative new technologies, which will become standard within the industry, Beckhoff’s efforts will help to shape and define the European and national standards and legislation that govern the automated material handling industry. “The aims of the AMHSA are ones that align with the Beckhoff company values”, said Stephen Hayes, managing director of Beckhoff UK. He continued: “We are looking forward to strengthening our working relationships with fellow members and using our expertise in automated systems to promote safe and efficient working across the industry. “With our membership to AMHSA, we can bring to the forefront our innovative new automation and motion solutions and help to spread understanding and best practices throughout the supply chain.”