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The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has appointed Derek Leith, Regional Director for Northern Europe at Ingersoll Rand as its new Vice President.

Working alongside the BCAS president, Wendy Hayward and BCAS board members, Derek will continue with the progression already made by the Society to recruit new talent into the compressed air industry; a challenge felt keenly across the sector with many engineers reaching the end of the careers.

He is also keen for the Society to continue adapting to the changing pace of industry, supporting members as they navigate complex legislative and environmental demands to deliver the best outcomes for customers.

Derek brings a wealth of experience in the compressed air industry to the role, including almost a decade in distribution in Singapore and Malaysia prior to his current role handling direct sales teams for Ingersoll Rand in the Nordics, Benelux, UK and Ireland.

Commenting on his new role, Derek said:

“The compressed air sector is full talented engineers, but as we hear all too often, many of these engineers are reaching the end of their careers, meaning we face a skills gap. As the sole trade body representing compressor manufacturers, distributors and end-users, it is incumbent on us to encourage the next generation of young technicians into our industry, by demonstrating the opportunities available for skills’ development, ongoing training and progression.

“Prioritising future engineering talent is good for everyone. For our members, it ensures a steady pipeline of skilled technicians, and for end-users, it provides the assurance of ongoing and quality technical support. To help address this, we are in the process of setting up a young person’s committee, where we’ll be looking for fresh ideas that we can take to our member network.”

Continues…

BCAS has been promoting a culture of continuous professional development across its member network. With AI technologies bringing a new dimension to system control and traditional service regimes being enhanced with predictive maintenance, engineers must update their skills regularly to use new software and methodologies effectively. Changing industry standards mean that continuous leaning is essential to maintain compliance and competence.

BCAS has continued to adapt its training offer to ensure that courses not only remain technically relevant in a changing industrial workplace but provide meaningful support for engineers keen to improve their skills and competence.

Derek continues:

“With my experience in compressed air distribution, I know how important it is for our members, especially some of our smaller distributors to have the support, knowledge and backing of their trade association and to feel part of a wider collective with a shared goal. During my vice presidency, I will be encouraging further engagement from our members to ensure that the Society delivers the resources and the support needed for continued growth.”

Ashley Quarterman, Executive Director at BCAS concludes:

“We are delighted to welcome Derek to the role. With his extensive compressor distribution and sales experience, he will be a great asset to the BCAS board. We look forward to working together as we continue to build a robust and agile Society, fit for future industry demands.”

The classic, linear 1D barcode is about to retire. 2D barcodes, like DataMatrix and QR, are becoming the new standard. These next generation codes have the capacity to provide globally unique identification for any part and can optimally support digital twins and Internet of Things applications.

But how to make sure your part, product, parcel or location code is unique and easy to share? Enter the GS1 standard.

Physical to digital

GS1 identification keys enable the creation of globally unique identifiers, governed by strict management rules, to avoid that two physical entities would share the same digital identity.

A complete GS1 code will include a company prefix, an item or reference number and a mathematically derived digit that validates the code’s integrity. These can be joined by application identifiers, batch numbers, location references and an indicator or extension indicator, depending on the type of code.

Printing GS1 codes

GS1 codes can be serialised and printed as 2D datamatrix codes, QR-codes and others that can hold vastly more data than the traditional 1D barcode. To reliably print these codes in an easy-to-scan resolution, professional label printers from Brady are a great solution.

300 dpi printers can already print 2D codes, 600 dpi printers can print them reliably in smaller sizes, important when item surface and packaging area come at a premium.

DPP compliance

Looking to comply with the European Union’s Digital Product Passport regulations? Get expert information on identification solutions that enable compliance - without slowing down production.

Discover more >>

BRADY Corporation

www.brady.co.uk

To support a customer with a tricky application for a biogas/AD end-user, Landia has supplied new long-coupled pumps that have been developed from its existing range of close-coupled MPTK-I Chopper Pumps.

For the food-waste-to-renewable energy company, whose engineering needs are served by HAYLEY DEXIS, there was a specific need to use long-coupled pumps, as the company’s Sales Engineer, Rob Bentley, explains:

“In simple terms,” he said, “it’s all about keeping the wet-wet and the dry-dry. We worked closely alongside Landia to put together a tailored solution to suit the best interests of our customer.”

Founder members of ADBA (Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association), Landia continues to supply its small-footprint, close-coupled pumps, plus its acclaimed GasMix digester mixing system worldwide to the AD/Biogas industry, from food and farm waste sites, plus an increasing number of municipal sludge installations.

Speaking for Landia, Howard Burton, Technical Sales Engineer, said: “We pride ourselves on our near 100 years of primarily designing and building long-lasting close-coupled pumps, but on this occasion, when HAYLEY DEXIS identified Landia’s long-coupled design as the best possible solution for their customer, we were keen to collaborate.

“This latest project with HAYLEY DEXIS follows numerous successful AD/Biogas and food industry installations that we have worked on together, including several retrofits.”

Brightly Software, a Siemens company, will demonstrate how food and beverage manufacturers can improve uptime, compliance, traceability and reliability at Food & Beverage Engineering Live 2026, taking place at the Derby Arena on 16^th June 2026.

The food and beverage sector faces unique pressures – from razor-thin margins and stringent compliance and hygiene requirements to rising energy costs. Exhibiting at tabletop G3, Brightly Software will showcase live demonstrations of how Asset Essentials can help manufacturers to improve maintenance planning, automate work orders and gain clearer asset visibility across maintenance and operations.

The demonstrations will also show how Asset Essentials supports hygiene compliance, simplifies audit preparation for inspections and safety checks, and helps teams monitor energy usage so they can identify and optimise energy-hungry assets.

Combining CMMS and EAM functionality with integration to Siemens PLCs and WinCC SCADA systems, Asset Essentials gives maintenance teams a more connected view of asset performance and day-to-day operations.

As part of the event programme, Tom Reames, Account Director, Brightly Software, will also participate in the panel discussion: “Unlocking Productivity: Bridging the Gap Between Line Availability and Operator Engagement.” The session will take place from 10:10am to 10:30am and will explore how manufacturers can improve operational productivity through better connectivity between people, processes and production systems.

Reames comments: “Food and beverage manufacturers need practical ways to strengthen resilience on the production floor while meeting growing compliance demands. Asset Essentials helps maintenance, engineering, and operations teams replace manual processes with connected, digital workflows that support better traceability, stronger asset visibility and more informed maintenance decisions. Whether you are looking to optimise your spares inventory, need robust configurable workflows, TPM capability, task and solution libraries, traceability, or an asset register that supports audit readiness, Brightly Software brings stability and scalability to everyday operations. We look forward to welcoming visitors and sharing insights.”

Visitors attending Food & Beverage Engineering Live are encouraged to visit Brightly Software at tabletop G3 to speak directly with the team.

For more information about Asset Essentials, visit: https://www.brightlysoftware.com/en-gb/products/asset-essentials

Construction workers fitting pipes or plasterboard at heights up to 5.00 metres will now benefit from a new accessory launched by JLG Power Towers, for its leading models of low-level access equipment.
“Efficiency is critical in construction fit-out operations, and people working at height will often struggle with lifting larger, bulky items such as sheets of plasterboard or pipes, even when using an electric access platform,” explains, Andrew Menham, Senior Business Development Manager – Europe JLG Power Towers. “That’s why we have designed a board and pipe carrying accessory, to help make those tasks simpler and support workers to adhere to safety best practices.”
The new board and pipe carrier can be fitted to the Power Tower and Power Tower Duo elevating electric platforms. It features a small ledge that can support plasterboard sheets, with a maximum weight capacity of 75kg. Plus, a rack along the handrail that can carry lengths of material such as pipe, threaded rod or strut, weighing up to 45kg.

The Power Tower mobile elevating platform and Power Tower Duo (which is designed for two-person capacity), are designed to be compact, and at 0.78 m, can easily pass through standard doorways. When fitted with the new accessory, the board tray can be folded away when not in use, so the platform can still fit through standard doorways for easy manoeuvrability around a site. ​

Both platforms offer a maximum working height of 5.00 metres, and are rated to lift 250kg total weight, which includes one person plus the material. The Power Tower Duo offers a two person lift capability, when the attachment is not in use.​ They offer compact working footprints of 1.89 x 1.22 m for the Power Tower Duo, and just 0.78 x 1.62 m for the Power Tower. Both models feature a spacious 1.52 m x 0.75 m platform size to support a comfortable working environment.

Further accessories have also been added to the JLG Power Towers product portfolio. These include an anticlimb grate, which is designed to discourage operatives from standing on horizontal bars to gain extra height. This helps to encourage best practice, helping to reduce the risk of falls and helps reduce the likelihood of tools dropping. A new compact platform option, the Power Tower CS confined space basket, is also available. It allows the full cage to be used within restricted areas, supporting working at height more efficiently and comfortably in tight or awkward spaces.

“As an innovator in equipment for low-level access, designed to support safe and efficient operation, we observe and respond to the real challenges that customers face, as site managers, as health and safety leaders, and as equipment users,” says Andrew Menham. “These new accessories are an important development in supporting safe practices, compliance, and efficient working in construction and fit out applications.”
Learn more: www.powertowers.com, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call +44 (0) 161 654 1000.

• Embeds AI agents alongside people to scale industrial AI into a hybrid workforce at production level, enabling organizations to move beyond pilots and operate with speed, control and consistency

• Connects data, workflows and AI agents in one governed system, unifying enterprise data and lifecycle context, empowering teams to collaborate with AI in context-rich, human-in-the-loop processes across the business

• Delivers measurable operational impact at scale by reducing manual effort, accelerating issue resolution and improving decision-making with results proven in real-world deployments

• Customers are already delivering measurable results including a 95 percent reduction in manual effort and 85 percent faster production issue resolution

Realize LIVE, Detroit, USA - 2nd June 2026 - Siemens today announced Intelligence Center X, new industrial AI orchestration software designed to help organizations turn industrial AI from isolated experimentation into scalable, real world business impact through a hybrid workforce where people and AI agents work together with shared context, workflows and lifecycle intelligence.

By connecting enterprise data, models and workflows on a single governed foundation, Intelligence Center X enables companies to deploy AI-driven applications and agents faster, with full traceability and control. Intelligence Center X combines the Mendix™ low-code platform with Siemens’ Graph Studio and AI Studio software from the Rapidminer® portfolio to create the enterprise context, business-specific lifecycle intelligence, and orchestrated agents and intelligent applications businesses needed to turn AI ambition into real value gains. Across industries, companies have invested in AI but are struggling to scale beyond pilots because data is fragmented, governance is inconsistent, and AI insight does not connect to real workflows. Intelligence Center X is designed to close that gap as the only production-ready system that orchestrates people and AI agents together, on top of what enterprises already own, with full auditability and policy controls.  

“Intelligence Center X helps organizations move beyond AI experimentation by embedding intelligence directly into everyday workflows, where it can be governed, scaled and trusted. When AI is connected to real business processes and enterprise data, it delivers measurable impact at scale,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, president and CEO, Siemens Digital Industries Software. “AI only delivers real value when it is embedded in how work gets done. Intelligence Center X brings together enterprise data with industrial ontologies and Siemens’ knowledge graph capabilities in a governed environment to empower organizations to apply AI with confidence and achieve consistent, measurable outcomes.”

Customers already delivering measurable outcomes

Vivix Vidros Planos, Brazil’s leading flat glass manufacturer, deployed a portfolio of nearly 30 Mendix applications connecting OT and IT data across SAP S/4HANA, Siemens Industrial Edge, and Snowflake. Results include an 85 percent reduction in production issue resolution time, 6,000 hours of manual work recaptured in a single year, and customer complaint resolution compressed from five days to under one. Vivix’s AI-powered Virtual Engineer, built on Intelligence Center X with Amazon Bedrock and Claude from Anthropic, is now advancing toward a full digital twin strategy using the multi-agent capabilities in Intelligence Center X. 

“With this system, we are ready for the agentic future, enabling our people and AI to work together in a more connected and productive way,” said Aristóteles Terceiro Neto, industrial transformation manager, Vivix. “We are already seeing significant enterprise value, including up to 4x faster resolution times in quality-related investigations, as well as measurable improvements in how we support decision-making on the shop floor.”

"Axiz Digital is among the first enterprises globally to deploy Intelligence Center X as a full agentic enterprise system. Integrating the AI/ML modeling capabilities, application development and process orchestration for an end-to-end pricing use case, Axiz achieved a 95 percent reduction in manual effort and 100 percent accuracy in data ingestion,” said Andrew Moodley, chief cloud, digital and marketing officer, Axiz Digital. “Axiz is the first customer globally to integrate Intelligence Center X for our pricing use case. AI/ML development acts as the brain, while the application development and orchestration capabilities act as the body.”

Building the data foundation for agentic execution

Intelligence Center X is designed to connect industrial data across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain and service into shared lifecycle intelligence that AI can act on. As part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, Intelligence Center X is designed to work alongside existing enterprise and operational data solutions to enable agentic workflows to operate with trusted data across the broader ecosystem. This approach is supported by Siemens’ data and cloud ecosystem partners.

We are genuinely excited about the new capabilities Intelligence Center X brings to Snowflake customers," said Amy Kodl, senior vice president, Worldwide Alliances and Channels, Snowflake. "It works with their existing Snowflake data, complements capabilities like Snowflake Semantic Views and Cortex AI and shares our relentless focus on being easy, connected and trusted.”

Three deployment models 

Intelligence Center X deploys in three patterns: layered on Siemens AI products to amplify lifecycle intelligence with out-of-the-box industrial ontologies; as a standalone platform for asset-intensive organizations running other OT vendors; or as a pure agentic enterprise platform for financial services, insurance, healthcare, government, and retail organizations that need production-grade AI execution with full auditability. 

Availability 

To learn more about Intelligence Center X, visit <https://www.mendix.com/?utm_source=siemens.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=icxlaunch>.

EXAIR has launched a new interactive factory microsite designed to help manufacturers quickly identify products that can improve efficiency, safety and performance throughout their facility. The digital experience features a fully interactive factory floor map with clickable hotspots positioned throughout key production and maintenance areas. Each hotspot highlights how specific EXAIR products can be applied in real-world industrial processes, giving users a practical, visual way to explore engineered compressed air solutions for their operations.

The new digital plant allows users to navigate through different areas of a manufacturing facility and interact with application-specific product recommendations. Each hotspot provides product images, concise explanations of how the product functions in that environment, and direct access to product pages for fast, convenient purchasing. From conveying and cooling to blowoff, static elimination, and industrial cleanup, the platform demonstrates how EXAIR solutions integrate into everyday manufacturing challenges. Built to simplify product discovery and improve the customer experience, the microsite offers an engaging new way for engineers, maintenance personnel and plant managers to evaluate solutions tailored to their needs.

This tool is part of EXAIR’s ongoing commitment to providing customers with accessible tools and technical resources for solving industrial challenges. In addition to the new digital experience, EXAIR offers a wide range of support resources, including detailed product line cards, application guides, blog articles, Efficiency Lab, videos, technical documentation, and direct access to Application Engineers for personalized assistance to help customers confidently select the right solution for their application. https://exair.co/micro

Brightly Software, a Siemens company, will demonstrate how manufacturers can bridge the gap between shop floor operations & maintenance and top floor management with Asset Essentials on Stand J46 at Maintec 2026. Maintec 2026 forms part of Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 and takes place at the NEC Birmingham from 3-5 June 2026.

The event marks one of the first major UK industry showcases for Asset Essentials as Brightly expands its presence in the UK manufacturing sector.

At Stand J46, there will be live demonstrations of Asset Essentials, showcasing how it can transform maintenance strategy from reactive to predictive. This enables organisations to understand how real-time machine data can automate maintenance workflows, trigger work orders, support planning and scheduling, and improve visibility across maintenance, engineering, and operations.

About Asset Essentials

Asset Essentials gives manufacturers one platform to control asset management, work orders, asset lifecycles, spare parts inventory & purchasing, compliance, analytics and reporting. It also connects older and previously disconnected assets through smart IoT-enabled technology. This technology allows its users to easily identify and maintain poorly performing assets before they become a major problem. If assets do fail, automatically generated work reports ensure you minimise downtime, saving users time, money and resources. 

As a Siemens company, Brightly Software brings together enterprise asset management (EAM) and computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) capabilities with direct integration to Siemens industrial automation technologies, including WinCC SCADA and Siemens PLCs.

Tom Reames, Account Director, Brightly Software, comments: “Maintec provides a great opportunity for us to introduce Asset Essentials to the UK manufacturing market. Our mobile-first CMMS and Asset Management is built for modern operations, and at the event, we will be demonstrating how connected maintenance can help manufacturers improve uptime, visibility, and operational efficiency. Asset Essentials connects maintenance technicians, assets, and work orders in one intuitive platform with AI Insights. As a Siemens company, we understand that many maintenance teams are running inconsistently because their software is disconnected from their machines. In utilising Asset Essentials, manufacturers can move beyond reactive maintenance by linking machine data directly into maintenance workflows and asset management processes. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand and sharing insights.”

Visit Brightly Software, a Siemens company, on stand J46 in the Maintec area of Smart Manufacturing Week to see the future of integrated EAM/CMMS in action.

For more information about Asset Essentials, visit: https://www.brightlysoftware.com/en-gb/products/asset-essentials