Collaboration is key

Collaboration is a huge part of what we do at the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA). We know as an industry the importance of a unified voice to champion the engineering excellence we have here in the UK.

Our team works to promote what our members do and the exciting technologies and careers that our sector offers. In education we run the Technology Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge for secondary school pupils, which provides an excellent opportunity to introduce the next generation of engineers to our sector. We want everyone to be excited about the technology and gain a sense that they can be the ones innovating.

We also offer industry statistics which are unique to our sector on which our members and partners rely to forecast the health of the market.

Our technical committee works for the benefit of all, looking at the latest technologies and how they can be implemented. It also takes a lead on the standards that govern the way this technology is used. The MTA’s members have a key role to play in all of this.

As a way of providing a great platform for this, we recently hosted our first open access Technical Day at the Jaguar Experience Centre in Castle Bromwich. This half day event bought together technology users and suppliers to promote the benefits of additive and digital manufacturing technologies and connect companies looking to work with our members and the wider industry.

Adopting these innovative technologies can give companies a new edge and change what is possible. Machines, materials and techniques are improving rapidly in this space and this event proved a great place to find out how. Our members are the ones best placed to talk about the benefits of this technology and how it can be used effectively in the manufacturing process.

We feel that demystifying Industry 4.0 and the move to digital is integral to maintaining and improving the health of our nation’s manufacturers. We work alongside the CATAPULT centres and other academic institutions to find the best ways to introduce these technologies and support companies along this journey of change.

Our members are producing the technology that will revolutionise the way we manufacture in the future and are shaping the world around us. Collaboration is key, sharing ideas and working towards the same goal.

Finally, we can’t forget about MACH 2020 next April, which is fast approaching. The NEC in Birmingham will be transformed into the shop floor of the industry - the largest industrial show of its kind in the UK. None of the things we do would be possible without our members’ and partners’ support, so we’ll continue to collaborate with all, for benefit the UK manufacturing sector as a whole.