Free London 2012 workshops for freight operators and their customers

Transport for London (TfL) are offering free workshops, both inside and outside the capital, to help hauliers and their customers in transport ‘hotspots’ keep running smoothly during the Games.  The workshops aim to attract businesses from across all sectors and will help them to plan and prepare will cover:

• Overview of the Olympics and what’s happening in London during the Summer
• Olympic and Paralympic Route Network: how you can use the network during the Games
• Implications on freight and delivery operations
• The Games as an opportunity to reduce, re-time, re-route and re-mode
• Case studies highlighting how companies have started to prepare
• What’s available to help you prepare

For full event details click here

Transport for London (TfL) has issued a final call for participants to take part in its free workshops, happening over the next few weeks, to help hauliers and their customers plan and prepare to keep business running during the Olympic Games. Taking place inside and outside of London, the workshops are applicable to businesses across all sectors and will run until the end of April.

To read full event details click here

IMechE seminar Can Engines be better by design? Building on fundamental techniques and introducing new concepts for engine optimisation, to be held at Perkins Engines, Peterborough, on 28 February 2012.

This seminar will provide engineers with essential practical advice on the fundamental techniques of internal combustion engine design. Speakers will introduce the latest developments in core components and new engine concepts helping delegates to ensure the most efficient engine design. The technical programme will also help delegates to make the most of the latest techniques in EGR systems development, predictive engineering and simulation and advances in NVH in order to maximise the efficiency of internal combustion engines.

For further information, click here.

The 5^th EV Battery Technology Event on global cost reductions will be held from the 28-29 February 2012 at the Victoria Plaza Hotel, London.

About the event:

Over two days, the 5th EV Battery Tech: Global Cost Reduction Initiative will deliver the latest views, opinions and technology for tackling the ongoing cost and performance issues through interactive panels, presentations and open discussion sessions.

‘Cost and performance issues associated with the EV battery are so crucial that a breakthrough could potentially deliver a major shift in industry and prove the business case for all EVs.  Significant cost reduction will only occur through a major development in electrification of vehicles, which is capable of providing an overall cheaper e-mobility solution to the consumer.

The mission of the EV Battery Tech: Global Cost Reduction Initiative series is to improve the cost performance ratios of battery system materials and technology by analysing the latest materials, chemistry, technology and integration advances that are capable of providing increased energy density, power, range and longevity from the EV battery pack.

Multiple EV stakeholders will be gathering consisting of:

• Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover and more
• Service and supply providers across the value chain
• The leading standards institutions

Day one will deliver realistic models on improving energy density, power, range & longevity to drive cost reduction through OEM case studies, material advances, cell evaluation, integration analysis, thermal management and safety evaluation.

Day two has been designed to highlight the latest relationships across the value chain and analyse standards developments, testing capabilities, battery management systems and next generation technology to showcase future potential performance and cost benefits.

Speakers will include Kazuo Yajima, Head of Nissan’s Global Battery Business amongst others.

For more information, click here.

SMMT new Manufacturing Advisory Service Webinar

Webinar: Manufacturing Advisory Service webinar.
Date: Tuesday 28 February 2012, 14:30-15:00.
Registration details: Registration is free, to register, click here. 

The new Manufacturing Advisory Service – helping UK manufacturing businesses grow.  

In 2002 government launched the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) to help manufacturing companies in England grow.

In January 2012 MAS extended its services to a national level, setting out to help manufacturing companies across the UK grow. 

Aims of the new MAS: 

• To generate £1.5bn in economic growth.
• To create 23,000 jobs.
• To safeguard 50,000 jobs. 

On 28 February, 14:30-15:00, SMMT will host a webinar looking at how the new MAS can benefit UK manufacturing businesses. The webinar will be chaired by SMMT Chief Executive, Paul Everitt alongside Simon Griffiths, Area Director, North and West England, Manufacturing Advisory Service.

The webinar will last for approximately 30 minutes, followed by a short Q&A session.  To register, click here and joining instructions will be e-mailed to you directly. 

Since its launch, MAS has worked with thousands of companies, playing a vital role in helping UK manufacturers share knowledge, improve productivity and achieve success in an increasing competitive global economy.

This webinar will be of particular interest to small and medium manufacturing companies so we would strongly encourage companies of this profile to join in.

SMMT Industry Forum event

For the last seven years we have taken groups to Japan to observe first hand, on the shop floor, world class best practices in some leading Japanese companies, to give delegates the ideas and inspiration to implement improvements in their own companies.

The next visit is planned for 11th – 19^th May 2012. If you reserve a place and pay a deposit before the 9th March you will receive a 10% discount on the cost for the programme.

If you would like to find out more we are holding a free of charge breakfast briefing on 2nd March 2012 at our Birmingham office to give an overview of the programme, including first hand feedback on the benefits gained from delegates who have attended previous programmes. If you would like to attend contact Tomomi.austin-bailey@industryforum.co.uk or phone +44(0)121 717 6619.

For further details on the programme visit the Japan Best Practice Programme web page.

Download Japan Best Practice Visit 2012 flyer (pdf)

‘Automated Britain’, is to alert industry, government and the media to the opportunities that automation offers. It will also highlight best practice by having senior executives jointly present case studies on successful uses of automation to improve competitiveness.

For full event details visit http://www.gambica.org.uk/AutomatedBritain

The Manufacturing Summit continues to provide UK manufacturers with the opportunity to hear from and to question key speakers from industry, government, politics, economics and industry associations – the people who impact the future of the sector. The aim has always been simple: provide manufacturers with a platform to listen coupled with industry case studies and useful workshops take away important practical ideas for their manufacturing businesses.

For full event details click here

SMMT European National Type Approval Guide (SENTA) Webinar

Webinar: Type Approval and SENTA information workshop webinar.
Date: Thursday 8 March 2012, 14:30–15:00.
Registration details: Registration is free, to register, click here.

Is your business ready for changes to European Whole Vehicle Type Approval?

Mandatory changes to European Whole Vehicle Type Approval will come into effect in 2012, affecting thousands of commercial vehicle bodybuilder businesses across the UK.

SMMT’s webinar on 8 March will be hosted by SMMT’s Technical Managers, Colin Wilde and Tony Hopkins, and provide step-by-step Type Approval guidance to vehicle manufacturers, bodybuilders and converters. 

The facts:

• Phased introduction of European legislation means all new vehicles will be subject to up to 50 new Type Approval criteria by 2014. 
• SMMT’s online guide, SENTA (the SMMT European and National Type Approval guide), makes obtaining Type Approval quicker, easier and cheaper.
• Sections one to nine of the SENTA application process have been completely revised to allow an Annex I MSB or an Annex III application to be made.
• The SENTA guide helps manufacturers, bodybuilders and converters through each stage of Type Approval, from original design idea, development and construction stages to achieve a quicker completion of the Type Approval process.

Included in the webinar:

• The latest information on Type Approval.
• Information on the revised approval routes (Annex I MSB and Annex III) of the SENTA guide. 
• Examples of a typical commercial vehicle multi-stage build Type Approval process.
• A Q&A session with Colin Wilde and Tony Hopkins. 

Registration for the webinar is free and details will be e-mailed to you directly. To find out more, view this four minute ‘take a tour’ video.

To register please click here, fill in your details and your joining instructions will be e-mailed to you.

If you would like further information about the workshops hosted at this year’s CV show on Wednesday 25 April 2012 please email memberservices@smmt.co.uk

For further information, please click here