Thursday night (28th February 2019) saw the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) Annual Dinner at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster, London. The event had special significance this year with the added jubilation of marking the Association’s 100th anniversary of representing the UK’s manufacturing technology suppliers. The event was attended by over 500 guests from across the MTA’s membership, the wider manufacturing community and beyond.

MTA President and Director of Yamazaki Mazak Marcus Burton used his key note speech to reflect on the history of the association and how manufacturing technology will shape our future.

He said, “The overarching lesson from our history is those that have prospered are those that have understood what is happening around them, embraced the new opportunities, and changed their business models.”

He continued “With the opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution we can leapfrog the past and invest in the future. Businesses, the public and Government, through a modern long-term industrial strategy, must embrace these new opportunities and ensure that the UK changes its culture to one of long-term of investment.”

Mr Burton concluded “Digitalisation is going to dominate the future of our industry – in fact manufacturing is being recast as a digital industry. We in this room have everything that is needed to move productivity forward.”

Awards

The dinner also saw the MTA honour some key figures within the manufacturing technologies sector by presenting them with Outstanding Contribution to UK Industry Award.

  • Sir David McMurtry, Executive Chairman of Renishaw
  • John Deer, Deputy Chairman of Renishaw
  • Professor Keith Ridgway CBE, Executive Dean of the AMRC Group
  • Juergen Maier CBE, Chief Executive of Siemens UK

MTA CEO, James Selka DL, said of the dinner and awards “It is fantastic to have so many of UK manufacturing’s leading figures in one room to celebrate 100 years of the MTA. It is our great honour to be able to present the Outstanding Contribution to UK Industry Award to four people who have dedicated their lives to our sector and who are all real champions of UK industry.”

Sir David McMurtry, is the Executive Chairman of Renishaw plc and the inventor of the original touch trigger probe while Deputy Chief Designer at Rolls-Royce, in the early 1970’s.  He co-founded Renishaw in 1973.

John Deer, is the Deputy Chairman of Renishaw, having co-founded the company in 1973. He was Managing Director of Renishaw from 1974 to 1989, primarily involved in the commercial direction of the Group, with particular emphasis on the firm’s global growth.

Will Lee, Renishaw’s Chief Executive, who accepted Sir David’s award on his behalf, said, “At Renishaw, we all feel extremely proud of Sir David and John’s achievements over the past 45 years. From modest beginnings in John’s house in Chepstow, they have overseen the growth of a hugely successful global company based on their founding principles of disruptive innovation, high quality manufacturing, excellent customer support and the development of talented people. It is a great honour for them to be recognised for their contributions to UK industry during the MTA’s Centenary Year.”

Keith Ridgway is the Executive Dean of the AMRC Group. He worked in industry before moving into academia in 1980. He joined the University of Sheffield as a lecturer in 1988 and became Professor of Design and Manufacture in 1997. He helped set up the AMRC with Boeing in 2001 and in 2009 he helped launch the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

Keith Ridgway said, “It’s an honour and a privilege to receive this award and to be among such illustrious company.

“We are changing perceptions of modern manufacturing. But, more than this, we are opening the doors of opportunity to a generation of young people who feel left behind.

“The AMRC Training Centre is fulfilling the University of Sheffield’s civic mission, and bold access strategy, by increasing participation from white males from disadvantaged backgrounds; supporting access to university through alternative qualifications; and developing vocational routes into university.”

“Throughout our journey the MTA has been a great friend to the AMRC. It is also a great friend to UK manufacturing. It has kept the torch of innovation, engineering excellence and high-value manufacturing burning bright.”

Professor Juergen Maier was appointed Chief Executive of Siemens UK in 2014. He has held senior roles within Siemens in the UK and Germany including Managing Director of Industrial activities for the UK and Manufacturing Director of the award-winning Drives factory in Congleton. Latterly he has led Made Smarter, the independent review of industrial digitalisation. Made Smarter sets out how UK manufacturing can be transformed through the adoption of industrial digital technology (IDT). He was made a CBE in the most recent New Year’s Honors list.

Commenting on winning the award Professor Maier said “I am delighted to receive this award and it’s a real honour to be recognised alongside our leading industrialists today. What we all have in common is that we are passionate about UK industry and making British manufacturing a beacon for future technology and innovation. The MTA have played a leading role in shaping our fourth industrial revolution through their contribution to Made Smarter, which I believe can unlock so much potential for manufacturers up and down the country”

James Selka, MTA CEO said “The members of the MTA are what makes our association so special, we are the at the forefront of all technological advances, we are shaping the world we live in and helping British manufacturing thrive. We look forward to the next 100 years of being your voice and we can’t wait to see where your technology takes us.”

For further information please contact: Thomas Lane – tlane@mta.org.uk  – 020 7298 6243 – 07735450951