News
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China has prohibited SoftBank’s acquisition of ABB Robotics in China. ABB and the Japanese buyer remain in discussions over the wider $5.375bn transaction, which the Swiss group has not said is cancelled.
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Aluminium Shapes has won an award for lower-carbon extrusion manufacturing. The Corby company made recycled-content Ali4 billet its standard feedstock in January and estimates that the change has avoided more than 20,000 tonnes of emissions.
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Esh Construction has completed Greenfield Academy’s three-storey teaching block project. The Newton Aycliffe development includes 19 classrooms, a sports centre extension and renewed building services, while demolition and final landscaping are scheduled for 2027.
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Actemium has modernised two high-capacity UK frozen food production lines. Its 18-month UK project integrates more than 150 variable speed drives, updated controllers and networked diagnostics to address recurring stoppages and improve production visibility.
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MTC invested in solar thermal equipment at its Coventry campus. The £1.3m project combines 1,965 collectors, thermal storage and absorption cooling, with a peak thermal rating of 786kW and projected annual emissions savings of 37 tonnes.
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Naylor has secured £6m to expand its concrete manufacturing capacity. The financing supports automated precasting and batching equipment at Garforth, with ten new jobs planned and a £5m increase in turnover forecast over the following year.
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MPs want new financing powers for Britain’s critical minerals industry. A parliamentary report recommends coordinated investment in mining, processing and recycling, allied purchasing arrangements and strategic stockpiles to reduce supply risks for UK manufacturing and defence.
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Phillips Medisize plans to acquire its full Chippenham site footprint. The investment would secure laboratory and cleanroom capacity for inhaled medicine development and clinical manufacturing, strengthening the UK operation established through its acquisition of Vectura.
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PwC forecasts $3.2tn in global data centre construction through 2050. Its latest engineering and construction outlook identifies shifts towards interconnected power, digital and industrial infrastructure, with contractors facing shortages of technical skills and long-lead equipment.
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PFISTERER has secured two high-voltage grid equipment contracts in Oman. The German manufacturer will supply and install cable connection and termination systems across two infrastructure projects, with voltage levels reaching 400 kV and work beginning in early 2027.
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