Metals and alloys
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Aluminium scrap exports are testing Britain’s industrial resilience once again. Make UK wants stronger domestic recycling, sorting, and alloy retention as manufacturers face rising demand from defence, automotive, energy, and digital sectors.
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The UK Metals Council has launched its 2026/27 sector survey. The work will gather evidence on tariffs, energy costs, CBAM, skills, apprenticeships, and trading conditions.
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SL Laser is expanding laser projection for precision metalworking workflows. Its systems project CAD-based positioning data directly onto work surfaces, reducing reliance on templates, drawings, and manual measurement.
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John Crane has cut sealing water demand on tailings pumping. A mechanical seal retrofit on a copper mine slurry pump is saving around 288,000 litres of clean sealing water per day.
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Thorworld has warned steel tariffs could weaken UK manufacturing competitiveness. The Chesterfield manufacturer raised concerns with MP Toby Perkins over cost pressures, finished-goods imports, and potential supply chain impacts.
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Tadweld says rising business costs are restricting manufacturing reinvestment plans. The steelwork manufacturer calculates that one 50-person SME contributes more than £1.2 million annually to HMRC before profit taxation.
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SICK’s Flexi Soft has unified safety control across steel processing. Safety Systems Technology used the modular controller to link machines and conveyors across one of the UK’s largest span configurable safety projects.
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Sandvik Coromant has launched GC1240 for stainless steel milling applications. The nano-multilayer PVD-coated indexable grade is built to improve edge stability, resist thermal cracking, and support predictable tool life in wet and dry machining conditions.
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West Special Fasteners has won a King’s Award for Innovation. The Derbyshire manufacturer has been recognised for forging and heat-treatment work enabling advanced alloy fasteners for offshore, subsea, nuclear, defence, and other corrosive environments.
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Odqa has demonstrated 800°C solar heat for heavy industrial processes. The Oxford startup has completed field trials in Spain and melted aluminium using super-heated air in UK lab tests.
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