Their weights and sizes are also therefore ever increasing, so the capacity of the equipment used for lifting, transport and installation must grow with them.

Over recent years, Mammoet’s innovations team have been hard at work developing new solutions to deal with the complexities this creates.

Mammoet’s XXL monopile transport system, which debuted in 2024, allows the world’s largest and heaviest monopiles to be marshalled, stored and transported safely - even as they grow at unprecedented rates.

The new MTC 1600 - on site for the first time - is a terminal crane with 1,600t lift capacity. It works in tandem with another unit to lift XXL monopiles safely and efficiently, creating a production line environment.

Both innovations demonstrated their advantages when Mammoet supported Van Oord to marshal over 70 monopiles for Baltic Power offshore wind farm, which will deliver 4TWh of electricity annually, enough to cover 3% of Poland’s national demand.

Innovative tools to support the future of offshore wind 

Mammoet assisted with the lifting and marshalling of 78 monopiles between factory and foundation. The monopiles weighed up to 1,680t, with a maximum of 86.3m in length and a diameter of 9.1m.

The monopiles were shipped in batches of three, via barge, to the Port of Ronne, Denmark. They were initially unloaded using 78 axle lines of SPMT, fitted with Mammoet’s XXL monopile transport system.

When the SPMT combination was in position, the system’s saddles unfolded hydraulically to cradle each monopile. Using the combined stroke of the SPMT and the system’s jacking spacers, the components were safely lifted off the grillages that supported them during sea transit.

They were then driven to a temporary storage location where they were placed on gravel bunds. The jacking spacers were extended fully to allow the monopiles to be lifted an extra 0.6m.

This extra stroke length allows the XXL monopiles to be placed into the bunds and retrieved from them. This is despite the greater lift distance needed to do so caused by the growing indents required to support larger monopiles.

The system’s foldable saddles also allow the height of the bunds to be lower and their lengths shorter – meaning far less gravel is needed, which reduces the amount of civil preparation work necessary on site.

Before load-out, the monopiles were lifted off the storage bunds and taken to a plugging station where they could be plugged at both ends and tested to ensure they were airtight.

They were then driven to the quayside, where the two MTC 1600 cranes effortlessly lifted them into the water – ready to be sailed out to Van Oord’s heavy lift installation vessel, Svanen, using a tug. The foundations ultimately travelled 23km offshore the Polish settlements of Choczewo and Łeba, for installation.

In this fashion, the MTC 1600 is able to turn any quay into an efficient heavy lift terminal for monopile load-ins and load-outs.

In addition to monopiles, Mammoet also marshalled transition pieces for the project in the same port. This followed a similar procedure, except the components were lifted and placed onto SPMTs using an LR1800 crawler crane.

This work comes after Mammoet’s 2024 project to support Van Oord with the upgrade of the Svanen – fitting this vessel with a new A-Frame to install taller monopile foundations at sea for Baltic Power. The refit and this marshaling project are inextricably linked.

"When we were in discussions with Van Oord, it wanted to upgrade the Svanen to have a 3,000t lifting capacity, so the vessel could install XXL monopiles in the Baltics," said Jaap van der Riet, commercial manager at Mammoet. "To further support that, we said we would develop cranes and systems that matched this capacity. This is a real strength of Mammoet: if no solutions exist, we develop them, together with our clients, to meet their specific needs."

Finding efficiencies at every stage 

Load testing for the MTC 1600 cranes was carried out at the project site. The load-testing took place at a less busy spot on site to avoid disruption, before the cranes were transported in one piece to the lifting area.

The load-in RoRo method was also changed mid-project to streamline the marshaling process. The MTC 1600s proved so efficient at lifting the monopiles, they were used to unload them from the barges instead of SPMTs. 

The added benefit of this was that it significantly reduced the time needed to fully ballast each barge, as the monopiles could be lifted directly rather than their weight being transported across the deck.

Thanks to a combination of the new XXL monopile handling equipment and these time-saving measures, Mammoet was able to save a lot of manual handling at critical phases and make the entire marshalling project safer and more efficient. 

Baltic Power - developed by ORLEN and Northland Power - is scheduled to become operational in the second half of 2026.

www.mammoet.com

The event took place from 10-13 June at the Istanbul Expo Center. WIN EURASIA is Türkiye’s leading industrial trade fair, bringing together manufacturing professionals, engineers and decision-makers focused on smart factory technologies.

Tezmaksan welcomed visitors to live demonstrations of its CubeBOX range of automated cells alongside a booth dedicated to welding and palletising applications. The company’s robotic systems are designed to help manufacturers improve productivity, maximise floor space and support 24/7 unmanned operations.  

At the main booth, Tezmaksan demonstrated CubeBOX Blues DR-3P, a drawer-based automation system for higher-capacity CNC machine tending. Featuring a six-axis industrial robot, five to seven drawers and payload options of 12 kg, 25 kg and 35 kg, the system can tend up to two CNC machines from a single cell.

The company's stand also featured CubeBOX EcoLEAN-V1, a mobile collaborative robotic system for single or multiple machine tending, and CubeBOX and the global debut of the CubeBOX EcoLEAN palletising system. Engineered as a plug-and-play, modular solution, the new palletizing unit automates end-of-line packaging and material handling without requiring programming expertise, enabling factories to deploy it in less than a day.

"By integrating intelligent robotic tending systems like the CubeBOX into production lines, CNC operators can reduce setup times without needing specialised programming knowledge," said Hakan Aydoğdu, CEO of Tezmaksan. "This helps manufacturers improve productivity while making automation easier to adopt."

Every CubeBOX system is operated with Tezmaksan’s proprietary RoboCAM+ software platform. The software easily converts CAD drawings into robot workflows, which removes the need for manual programming and makes automation easier to adopt.

Alongside the main display, Tezmaksan’s dedicated welding booth showcased high-precision fabrication solutions designed to bridge the skills gap in industrial welding. This included the CubeBOX Blues RT-W portable cell with an integrated rotary table for precise multi-axis positioning of workpieces. This allows CNC machines or finishing tools to work on metal or plastic components from multiple angles.

Visitors also experienced the CubeBOX Welding Pro-S, a modular, high-mix robotic welding system designed for both small-to-medium enterprises and high-volume manufacturers. Integrated with RoboCAM+, the machine’s modular layout is designed to help factories scale production, maximise machine utilisation and run lights-out weekend shifts.

"WIN EURASIA is an essential opportunity for Türkiye-based manufacturers like Tezmaksan to demonstrate how innovative approaches to CNC automation, such as CubeBOX, can support more profitable and resilient manufacturing," said Aydoğdu. "Our CubeBOX systems are designed to help manufacturers maintain continuous production and adapt more easily to changing workforce challenges."

tezmaksanrobotics.com

Körmendi succeeds Anders Wilhjelm, who has led the business since 2019. Norican is home to five technology brands* that underpin key industrial processes across moulding, melting, mixing and surface preparation, supporting manufacturers of metallic parts across industries including automotive, foundry, aerospace and metal fabrication. Through its IIoT brand Monitizer, Norican is accelerating the adoption of connected, data-driven production, bringing real-time monitoring, analytics and AI optimization opportunities to industrial processes that have historically been slower to digitise.

During Wilhjelm’s tenure, the business has undergone a deep transformation, building the foundations for a more agile, digitally connected engineering and manufacturing organisation, with innovation and sustainability at its core. Under Körmendi’s leadership, Norican will build on these foundations, with an ambition to expand across China, India, North America and Europe - both in established sectors and in new applications where metal production is evolving rapidly.

Körmendi joins Norican after eight years as CEO of Norway-based packaging giant Elopak, where he led the international growth expansion as well as publicly listing the company. He resigned from that role to relocate back to his native Denmark.

"Metal is a material for the future: inherently recyclable, highly durable and essential to everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines. At Norican, we’re reimagining the industries that make things from metal, helping them become more sustainable, more efficient, and more connected," said Körmendi.

"In my first months, I’ll focus on deeply understanding the business and working closely with colleagues across our sites and brands. Together with our customers, we will accelerate innovation, expand in key markets, and strengthen long-term partnerships, so manufacturers can move faster, adapt with confidence, and build modern industrial workplaces that inspire a new generation. I’m proud to lead our global team into an ambitious next chapter."

Körmendi will be based at the Norican HQ in Taastrup near Copenhagen.

www.norican.com

The IS541.1 will make its debut at Critical Communications World (CCW) in London from 16-18 June 2026 at Stand J20. The device combines critical communication with the highest operational reliability and is approved for mission-critical use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Critical infrastructure, energy suppliers, industry and public authorities face the same requirements: reliable, independent communication even when public mobile networks are overloaded or down. This is made possible by the dedicated 450 MHz network. With IS541.1 from i.safe MOBILE, this network is now available for use in Zone 1/21 environments.

450 MHz: Range and resilience for critical infrastructure

The 450 MHz band offers physical characteristics that set it apart from conventional mobile networks. Low frequencies ensure long range and optimal building penetration. The mobile network enables highly available, autonomous and blackout-resilient communication for mission-critical applications such as control, monitoring and crisis management in sectors like energy, water, transport and public administration. Around 40 commercial networks are in operation worldwide in the 450 MHz band.

IS541.1 supports the frequency bands of the 450 MHz band and, in addition, a broad global spectrum of all relevant bands for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks.

The 5G smartphone is built on the proven platform of the IS540.1. The replaceable 4,400 mAh battery enables continuous shift operation, as spare batteries can be charged at any time outside the ATEX zone and inserted into the device. The 6" FHD display with Corning Gorilla Glass withstands the toughest conditions. Accessories such as PTT headsets or remote speaker microphones can be connected quickly and securely via the 16-pin ISM interface connector. Programmable function keys, including an SOS button, provide direct access to PTT communication and lone worker protection (LWP).

IS541.1 is designed for a wide range of critical applications: from the energy sector through industry, mining and oil and gas to public safety and government agencies, as well as transport, retail and agriculture.

i.safe MOBILE is a member of the 450 MHz Alliance, the international advocacy group for the promotion and further development of networks in the 380–512 MHz band. The Alliance brings together network operators, public authorities, equipment manufacturers and users worldwide and is committed to standardisation, regulation and global market development.

In Germany, 450connect builds and operates the nationwide, dedicated 450 MHz mobile network for operators of critical infrastructure (KRITIS).

The IS541.1 is available now through the i.safe MOBILE sales network.

www.isafe-mobile.com

CoLOS Version 7 builds on the strengths of earlier releases with enhanced automation and compliance, reinforced security layers, and more intuitive operations that increase efficiency and reduce errors.

The latest version introduces industry-certified advanced security features, centralised management for multi-site packaging operations, improved ability to minimise downtime, and a next generation responsive web user interface.

A key highlight of the release is the new CoLOS multi-site feature, which enables customers to centralise design, control and automate approval workflows for messages and labels in production, and optimise resources across global sites. The feature helps ensure consistency, compliance, and security with a single source of truth for all messages and label designs. It also allows comprehensive visibility into production efficiency and supports flexible scaling as operations expand.

Product quality and security are priorities at Markem-Imaje. CoLOS Version 7 is certified to the IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity standard for product components, enabling organisations to move production software systems to central IT infrastructure with added confidence. CoLOS Version 7 is available for use with the complete range of Markem-Imaje printers in both on-premises and cloud-based subscription models. CoLOS follows global standards for marking and coding including 1D/2D barcodes and compliant with newest GS1 Digital Link.

www.markem-imaje.com

CEO, Ann Watson and trustee of the Board, Alexia Williams, have been awarded MBEs in his majesty’s birthday honours, for services relating to skilling the engineering and manufacturing sector. Deputy chair, Ian Ritchey, has been awarded an OBE, while last week, it was announced that Enginuity’s chair, Jim McDonald, had been appointed to the Order of the Thistle.

Watson, an alumnus of Teesside University and whose late father was a welder at British Steel, grew up in South Bank on Teesside. She joined Enginuity Group in 1998 and was appointed as CEO in 2015.

"Our work to close the skills gap, support the engineering and manufacturing sector, and ensure that young people can access rewarding and engaging career opportunities has never been more important," she said. "This recognition is not only a great personal honour, but also a reflection of the vital contribution our sector makes to the UK’s economy and future prosperity. I hope this triple recognition brings renewed confidence and momentum to everyone working across the engineering and manufacturing sector."

Enginuity, funded by EAL, the specialist awarding organisation, end-point assessment organisation for the engineering and manufacturing sector, is about to unveil the first Vocational Celebration Day. Launching for the first time on 6 August 2026, the day will bring together learners, employers, colleges and training providers to celebrate vocational careers and the opportunities they create.

Among many other things, the charity has:

• Established the Policy Centre for Supply Chain and SMEs: Powered by Enginuity, acting as the voice of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) to government and policymakers.
• Created the Enginuity Skills Awards, now entering their 12th year, celebrating excellence in engineering and manufacturing talent.
• Funded scholarships at Teesside University to attract women in to engineering.
• Formed the Enginuity Alliance, which plays a pivotal role in supporting and representing the crucial SME cohort.
• Produces Steph on Skills: Powered by Enginuity – the skills-focused podcast presented by award-winning journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern.

www.enginuity.org

The rallying call is headlining In-Comm Training’s annual ‘I’m Included’ campaign, which launches today to shine a spotlight on the females behind engineering - showcasing their diverse roles, career paths and life experiences.

Backed by Enginuity and nine companies including Adams Enclosures, Assa Abloy, Filtermist, Industrial Physics, Jenks and Cattell, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) and Safran, the initiative will highlight stories that often go unseen, celebrate achievements across different stages of an engineer’s journey and demonstrate how inclusion drives innovation and can help bridge industry’s skills gap.

The campaign is now calling on other businesses, leaders, engineers, apprentices and stakeholders of the sector to share their own stories via social media, personal videos and by spreading the message at roundtables and events.

"Women represent approximately 16.9% of the workforce in core engineering and technology jobs compared with 56% across all other occupations," explained Bekki Phillips, COO at In-Comm Training. "This highlights ongoing underrepresentation, and we want to play our role in trying to change this.

"We brought together a focus group of ten female role models from the sector and asked them to share their stories, challenges and what they would say to inspire others. This has formed the core of our Inclusivity and Diversity Campaign for 2026, and we hope will provoke conversations in education and across the length and breadth of engineering and manufacturing."

"The overwhelming message is that we need to inspire others by proving that women in industry are the norm, highlighting all the hidden roles that are rarely seen and career journeys that are non-linear and heavily impacted by life phases, such as maternity and flexible working," she added.

"It’s not just about inspiring individuals, we also need to inspire key stakeholders, such as teachers and parents, so they know all about our amazing sector and can openly promote it."

A launch video, created by Eleven10Creative, has been released today to kickstart the campaign, exploring how inspiration doesn’t start in the workplace, it starts earlier on in lives.

The two-minute story starts with a young girl playing with a Formula One car and takes us through a journey of education, early-stage careers and different job roles inside industry, culminating in a standing ovation for a female MD, holding a F1 car that reflects the moment she became inspired as a child.

That leader is Clire Umney of Birmingham-based Alwayse Engineering, a specialist manufacturer of ball transfer units and manual handing solutions.

Following an extensive leadership career in warehousing, logistics and supply chain technologies, she has been in her current position since January 2024 and is a passionate advocate of driving productivity and bringing through more apprenticeships.

"This is such an important conversation to have and I’m extremely proud to be supporting the ‘I’m Included’ campaign, empowered by In-Comm Training," she stated.

"We all have a role to play to inspire more women to consider a career in industry, whether they are just starting out, looking to change roles or those that are returning to work.

"Our sector is an exciting place to work, and I believe is truly inclusive. We need to share more stories and that’s where I want everyone to promote their views and experiences - the more role models we create, the better."

The launch video will be supplemented by a series of personal videos from an apprentice machinist, an associate director, a project manager, a senior systems engineer and from graduates working their way up the career ladder.

"There are so many fantastic women in engineering and manufacturing and we need to celebrate this as the ‘status quo’ and the norm if we are going to get even more girls interested," said Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, who delivered a ‘day in the life’ video in her role as MD of Professional Polishing Services (PPS). 

"I feel it’s also important to bring men on our journey, encouraging them to be advocates and champions for what we are trying to achieve. Their voice and backing are important. My message to women is simple... 'engineering is built by people like you.'"

You can watch the launch video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufHRrUAs-9w

Nearly three quarters of businesses surveyed said they felt there was a lack of government support to address skills shortages following the budget last year, whilst only a third believe the Industrial Strategy is going to support their workforce development plans.

These concerns are reflected in an uncertain landscape, with less than half (46%) boosting training budgets and, worryingly, just 45% planning to take on an apprentice over the next twelve months. 

This is the first time in the history of these findings that this number has fallen under half and is a massive 24% drop on recruitment intentions seen in 2025.

Staff retention has also been an issue for the 103 companies who responded. 58% of bosses they are struggling to keep employees, and this could be due to a difficult cocktail of circumstances, including an ageing workforce, wage inflation and changes to employment law.

"Skills continue to be one of the pressing challenges for manufacturers and it appears the majority have lost faith in the government playing their part in helping them bridge the gap," said In-Comm Training MD Gareth Jones. "Changes to skills provision and the pace it is being delivered is damaging engagement due to a lack of industry understanding and a belief that they will not deliver the skill levels required. 

"It’s not difficult to see where the lack of confidence stems from. The removal of certain qualifications, defunding of some standards and reducing the level of competency involved in apprenticeships has left firms feeling the system is unwieldy and not fit for purpose.

"There has also been no increase in funding for engineering apprenticeships since 2020, whilst costs have risen astronomically in the same period. It begs the question, how are providers going to be able to maintain the same level of quality provision, whilst being squeezed from all angles?

"All of this is translating into less of an appetite to invest in apprentices. A 24% drop in the number of companies planning to take on a new apprentice is more than worrying and should send shockwaves through the corridors of Whitehall," he continued. "It feels that management teams are being battered at every possible turn with legislation, employment changes and then issues coming out of the conflict in Iran. There’s very little financial wriggle room to invest in the future."

The In-Comm Training Barometer is one of the UK’s leading reports on the current skills and training landscape, providing critical data on provision, apprenticeships and company sentiment.

Releasing staff from core activities (55%) continues to be the biggest factor holding firms back from upskilling and this is exacerbated with just under two fifths not considering modular training, once felt to be a preferred upskilling option for employers.

This could be down to the apprenticeship units in the Skills & Growth Levy being up to 16 weeks, which many firms feel is too long to lose valuable employees for.

Nearly a third of all companies questioned are looking to boost leadership and management training, yet the government’s recent decision to defund Level 3 and above apprenticeship pathways in this area may reduce this demand over time.

"Interestingly, 60% of respondents felt recent changes to the Skills and Growth Levy - particularly around modular, apprenticeship-aligned training - will add value to their organisations," Jones stated. "As a provider we are currently looking at the details of these courses, considering if we can deliver them and if they add value to companies based on the content, length, feasibility and funding levels available to us.

"In my opinion, I believe the government has chosen this route to try and deliver some quick impact, rather than attempting the hard yards of changing legislation to better enable non-apprenticeship aligned training."

Other key findings in the In-Comm Training Barometer, include:

• More than a quarter (27%) of firms feel the new funding for under-25 apprenticeships will make them more likely to recruit an apprentice
• 53% of respondents use apprenticeships to upskill their workforce
• 68% of businesses have invested in new technologies to improve productivity
• Just 17% of management teams are using AI to support workforce development, training or skills planning.

www.in-comm.co.uk

Lesters, which employs 60 people at its facility in Burntwood, has seen revenues increase by 25% as demand for its full ecosystem of services, including design, boxes, supply chain management and logistics, grows.

To cope with the rise in interest, the family-run business is now on the recruitment drive, looking to take on seven new people across production, forklift truck driving, customer service and transport.

"Our collaborative system takes into account not just the box, but everything around it to ensure that we’re delivering efficiency across the entire supply chain," explained Billy Hutchinson, MD of Lesters. "How is the box transported, where is it stored, what level of protection does it need and how is it getting there? They’re all questions we ask. A lot of new clients are switching from using lots of providers to just one, as we can offer everything under the same roof."

"We’ve achieved our best ever year and need more team members to help us take it on even further. There’s lots of opportunities in automotive that we’re discussing and we want to capitalise on these, not to mention supporting the expansion of our sister business Lesters Logistics," he continued. 

Lesters’ encouraging performance comes just a few weeks after it successfully retained its ‘AA’ BRCGS rating, which ensures safety, quality, and operational compliance across the entire supply chain. 

The standard, primarily aimed at the food industry focussing on food safety, quality and legality, highlights the robust systems the business has put in place to oversee quality control and hygiene, process management and full traceability. 

"There has been a lot of investment in technology, our people and key hires - together this has given us a platform to scale yet keep operational performance and compliance to the highest possible standards. Our ‘AA’ BRCGS rating is testimony to this." said Hutchinson.

"We’re also concentrating on becoming an integral part of UK plc’s supply chain network. A big focus for us will be on how we can help 3pl and e-commerce solutions providers maximise their supply chain efficiency and, to this extent, we’ve joined the UK Warehousing Association to start forging a deeper collaboration in this field.”

"Lesters Logistics has been a massive success story. We’ve transformed a struggling company into a full service 3pl provider, where we can offer stock and serve, pick and pack and straightforward transport solutions in one place," he added. "It’s a crucial link in the Lesters ecosystem, which also includes a ‘reuse’ offer that buys back used boxes and resells them to the market to generate revenue and boost the environment."

Lesters has ambitious plans to expand through organic growth and acquisition if the right business, with the right values, comes on the market. It is also currently looking for additional warehousing space in the West Midlands to support the activities of Lesters Logistics. 

www.lesterspackaging.co.uk

Ace Partitioning Systems and Bespoke Industrial will be displaying the Made in Britain trademark on their products and branding to clearly show that their products are made in the UK and to demonstrate their commitment to transparency, provenance and UK production values.

The two companies have seen growing customer emphasis on traceability, accountability and quality assurance across procurement and specification decisions.

The move comes amid growing consumer and commercial demand for clearly identifiable British-made products. Recent research commissioned by Made in Britain found that 86% of UK adults consider product origin when making purchasing decisions, while 70% said they are more likely to buy products displaying the Made in Britain trademark.

Ace Partitioning Systems designs and manufactures bespoke aluminium glazing and glass partition systems, supplying office fit-out contractors, glazing companies and interior specialists across the UK.

"With contractors and specifiers placing greater emphasis on traceability, reliability and verified quality standards, independent verification is increasingly important to our customers. The business sees the Made in Britain mark as a practical tool to support specification decisions and build confidence across the supply chain," said Anna Fraczek, director of Ace Partitioning Systems.

"Joining Made in Britain was a natural step for us. We’ve always designed, developed and manufactured our systems here in the UK, so the accreditation allows us to clearly demonstrate that commitment to our customers. The membership is an important recognition of what we already stand for - British manufacturing, quality and accountability. It gives us a stronger platform to communicate that in a competitive market."

Similar priorities are also being seen across industrial and warehouse environments, according to Bespoke Industrial, a specialist designer and manufacturer of industrial partitioning and separation systems.

The London-based business works across sectors, including warehousing, food production and manufacturing, delivering partitioning and warehouse separation solutions that allow businesses to adapt operational spaces efficiently.

"Being a Made in Britain member gives you an elevated feeling that your business lives up to the trademark and shows we follow the tight requirements of Made in Britain," explained Daniel Smith, director at Bespoke Industrial.

"When consumers see that a product is Made in Britain, it can be enough to sway them to use that business. It’s also nice to see a clear drive for more British manufacturing at the moment."

Recent projects for Bespoke Industrial have included extensive works at a British boating dock, where the company constructed 20-metre-high separation walls within a large warehouse environment to support repair operations on large vessels.

"It’s clear that British manufacturing commands a high level of trust among consumers. Consumers and businesses want to know where products come from, how they are made, and the standards they meet," stated John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain.

"The Made in Britain trademark helps manufacturers by creating room for growth, helping people to identify products manufactured in the UK by verified members committed to quality and accountability. It’s all the evidence people need to buy British with pride."

www.madeinbritain.org