In manufacturing processes, particularly those that create highly precision parts for the medical, automotive, or aerospace industries, efficiency is essential to ensure the timely delivery of high quality products. The Request for Quotation (RFQ) stage is a key element of the manufacturing process, not only because it provides customers with valuable information about lead times and costs, but also because it can significantly impact the manufacturing process.

In precision manufacturing, it’s vital to ensure high quality standards to safeguard parts from poor levels of performance, premature wear, or unforeseen failure. This is particularly important in the aerospace industry, in which the safety of service users - passengers and aircraft personnel – depends on equipment performing reliably and consistently.

Compared with deep hole drilling or boring, trepanning tools offer several important advantages. Whether you are working on a large-scale industrial project or a precision machining application, trepanning tools can make a significant difference in terms of efficiency, cost savings, and material utilisation.

With the Government recently announcing a significant investment in the manufacture of semiconductors in the UK to head off global challenges, it’s a good time to consider the environmental, social, and economic impacts of domestic manufacturing.

The week is Manufacturing & Engineering Week, and is set to be a special time in the UK manufacturing sector’s annual events calendar. This year, the event culminates in a series of concurrent free two-day events on 7^th and 8th June to be held at the NEC Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, in which industry thought leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs will meet to map out the future of the manufacturing and engineering sector.

In March 2023, Make UK published a key report, ‘No Weak Links: Building Supply Chain Resilience’, which laid bare the soaring pressure on supply chains that is resulting in long lead times and rising prices. The severe disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic persuaded many manufacturing businesses that their supply chains needed to become more sustainable, resilient, and collaborative to protect themselves against global instability.

The UK’s manufacturing industry plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, innovation, and job creation. Consequently, the development of a robust industrial strategy for manufacturing is imperative, to lay the foundations for a thriving sector and ensure its competitiveness on a global scale. 

According to research, 99 per cent of manufacturers believe that the UK should have a clear industrial strategy.

If your manufacturing business isn’t achieving optimum efficiency and productivity, now is the time to give serious thought to how you can transform its operations in 2023. Manufacturing efficiency ensures that you can produce as many products as possible in the shortest possible time, without compromising on quality. This enables you to achieve higher profits and unlock business growth by pitching your products and services at a more attractive price point.

Customer satisfaction is all-important, especially in the days of social media, where poor service can severely impact brand reputations among B2B manufacturers. When considering customer satisfaction, it's common to look at front-end factors like service, personalisation, and convenience. Basics like value for money, availability, lead-time, and quality are also essential.

However, customer satisfaction can be driven by mechanisms largely invisible to the end client.

If there’s one thing thatmanufacturers should have learned in recent years, it’s to expect the unexpected. Brexit, the global pandemic, and the Ukraine war have caused economic turmoil that has posed major challenges for the manufacturing industry, least not the supply of raw materials and key commodities required for efficient and resilient production supply.