A forward-looking business that was launched in spring 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been awarded a £271,000 grant by Innovate UK,  the UK’s innovation agency, to enable it to develop and manufacture products using pioneering FAR-UVC light technology.

222Protect is a safe Far-UVC light fixture which can be installed in overhead lighting and air handling units to destroy COVID-19 found in exhaled microdroplets in indoor environments.

Moore MedTech, a Yorkshire-based health technology provider, has joined forces with indoor environment experts Free Running Buildings in Rotherham on a six-month trial of its new 222Protect products in the busy coffee shop of the White Rose Park in Leeds. Moore MedTech’s Far-UVC in duct sterilisation units will be installed into existing air handling units and downlights at The Hub, one of the business park’s main hospitality areas, to create a safe, continually sanitised environment.

London, 16 November 2021 - Abbey Logistics is rolling out a new fleet maintenance system across its 4 workshop locations to help improve vehicle reliability and utilisation. Supplied by Freeway Fleet Systems, engineers and technicians are being equipped with rugged tablets for digitally recording time and work activity. Synchronised in real time a Freeway central asset maintenance system, the mobile devices and management software will give Abbey 24/7 visibility of the status of all maintenance work and costs associated with parts and labour.

Abbey Logistics Group is one of the UK’s most recognised and respected road tanker transport brands, operating nearly 1,000 liquid and powder trucks and tankers. Having recently invested more than £4.5 million on new vehicles and trailers, Abbey maintains a tight control of vehicle maintenance to ensure high safety standards and avoid breakdowns.

When it comes to maintenance operations, many manufacturers are often swimming against the tide in their quest to lower costs and cut the time taken to perform essential tasks. We caught up with Jonathan Beaumel from JPB Système, which recently announced a technology solution designed to improve efficiencies for manufacturers.

 Why is it often difficult for manufacturers to achieve efficiency goals when it comes to maintenance operations?

It depends on the individual company and type of maintenance checks required. However, the fact that so many maintenance operations are still planned and performed manually, often by experienced operators performing sometimes basic yet time-consuming tasks, will always be counter-productive to improving efficiencies.

One laborious yet highly important task is the need for maintenance engineers to manually check the torque level of every single bolt that might be in place within a particular piece of machinery, engine, or countless other structures or vehicles.

McMenon Engineering Services Ltd has hailed two of its longest serving employees after they were named among the heroes of UK manufacturing.

Production Manager Richard Fell and Business Director John Edmondson, who both work at McMenon’s 10,000-square-metre site in Workington, have made The Manufacturer Top 100 for 2021, which was announced last night.

Those named in The Manufacturer Top 100 are recognised as the most dynamic leaders and innovators in manufacturing, as nominated by The Manufacturer’s 265,000-strong audience, the wider industrial community, and judged by a panel featuring leaders of industry, academic institutions and manufacturing associations.

John mentored and trained Richard when he first joined the company and both men have since risen through the ranks to become crucial figures within the McMenon team.

MaintMaster continues global expansion with London, UK, office

MaintMaster, a leading provider of Maintenance Management Systems, today announced it has established an office in London, UK, to support its growth plan. 

MaintMaster's cloud-based, extremely flexible, easy-to-use system helps manufacturing companies digitalize and improve efficiency while reducing downtime, increasing machinery lifetime, and enabling greater control over maintenance. Their CMMS is built upon the European Maintenance Standard.

"MaintMaster sees enormous potential to deliver our software solution to the UK market. It's one of the largest manufacturing markets in Europe and home to many leading companies," MaintMaster Head of Sales Henrik Hagdorn said. We have a number of customers with sites in the UK and an organization that is ready to support new customers in the UK from day one. The next natural step for us is to expand with an office to deliver the best experience and value at the local level."