Composite components manufacturer Rockwood Composites will quadruple its capacity in the next five years, a strategy that includes increasing its factory floor space from 5,000 to over 30,000 sq ft. This growth has already started with the company’s recent relocation to a new, bigger factory in Paignton. Rockwood has also invested in new technology, such as a Hexagon Absolute Arm and a Hurco CNC machine tool. The growth is also being provided with last month’s opening of a Moroccan subsidiary, which will ultimately have a footprint of 2,000 sq m, specifically for the aerospace industry.
For further information www.rockwoodcomposites.com

Formula One team McLaren Racing is responding to tighter vehicle production time and budget limits from the FIA by 3D printing tens of thousands of parts with large, next-generation Neo800 stereolithography 3D printers from Stratasys. McLaren is winning the ‘race before the race’ by producing up to 9000 parts per year across numerous front and rear wing programmes, as well as large parts of the side bodywork and top body. The race team reports big strides in optimising vehicle aerodynamics during wind tunnel testing thanks to the accuracy of the parts printed on its five Neo800 systems.
For further information www.stratasys.com

Having had his name drawn at MACH 2022 as the winner of the Ceratizit UK & Ireland draw for a £6000 Hope HB130 mountain bike, Dave Buchan finally got to collect his prize at Hope Technology’s headquarters in Barnoldswick. Buchan had to delay collecting his prize due to work-related pressures at Havant-based subcontrator Monolution, where he works as a programmer, setter and operator. He received his Hope HB130 from Lee Pinhorne, Ceratizit UK & Ireland’s technical sales engineer for the south of England. Hope Technology has a long-standing partnership with Ceratizit UK & Ireland.
For further information www.ceratizit.com

Global science-based technology manufacturer 3M has become the latest company to join the Manufacturing Technology Centre. 3M operates 97 manufacturing and converting facilities in 35 countries. The company employs 2150 people in the UK across 15 locations, including six manufacturing sites producing abrasives, personal safety equipment and adhesive tapes. 3M has been working alongside the MTC since 2018 on a number of different projects and as part of its membership, is expecting to focus on utilising manufacturing technology and application to abrasive and adhesive systems.
For further information www.the-mtc.org