The first step
The increasing availability of product environmental information provides an opportunity for consumers to choose more sustainable products and for designers to be rewarded for selecting more sustainable materials. Here are some tips on how to do this.
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In an effort to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the whole of Europe, it is now mandatory for all new cars sold within the EU to meet Euro 6 standards for exhaust emissions, no matter where they are manufactured. NOx and other pollutants are monitored and recorded from every manufactured vehicle.
Continue reading “Euro 6 standards are changing the automotive industry”
Installations are often a practically invisible part of a building. Miles of cables, piping, tubes and wires are concealed behind the ceilings, floors, walls and foundations. The facilities themselves are tucked behind voids or form unsightly blemishes on rooftops.
Continue reading “Multitasking materials in future construction and architecture”
Building cars can be an expensive industry and while we know that buying a new car can be quite expensive on its own, the automaker is also responsible for a fair amount of the upfront costs as well. Whilst steel prices fluctuate, in general they go up and OEM’s continue to squeeze their supply chain.
Continue reading “Performance, weight and costs of aluminum vs high strength steels in automotive”
In recent years advanced materials have emerged and are having a major impact on the products around us. Coming from science and technology advanced materials can outperform traditional materials as they for instance can be tougher, can withstand higher temperatures, and can be tailored into new shapes.
Continue reading “Design and Advanced Materials As a Driver of European Innovation”
The automotive industry is continuously changing and one of the greatest new focuses in this industry is an emphasis on lightening materials used in the construction of vehicles. Pressings are produced by stamping and it is this method that is being used to replace some of the manufacturing methods from the past.
Continue reading “How Pressings are Replacing Forgings and Castings”
Biomimetics is on everyone’s lips and it is now difficult to imagine a future where it does not play a key role in the development of our society. The development of new materials is not unconcerned with this new discipline, though we must be aware of what we can obtain (and what we cannot) from imitating nature.
Continue reading “Biomimetics as a tool for the development of new materials”
Hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are offering a fair argument that they could be the future of travel. As well as the ability to reduce carbon emissions by running on zero emissions, imagine how convenient it would be to fill up just once a month or plug in your vehicle at night to recharge and go.
Continue reading “Are Hybrid and Electric Vehicles the Future?”
Materials and manufacturing processes remains an essential component of industrial design education. But for many students and young designers, they are still unsure of their comfort with these complex issues and how they affect their designs.
After many months of arduous due diligence, the Napier team from Left Hand Press finally acquired 90% of Pressmark Pressings Limited in a project which was codenamed Sandstone. The team, which has been led by Alan Gardner through the acquisition, brings a wealth of experience to Pressmark. Leading the new team will be Chairman, Les Wilkins, who brings exceptional experience from the press industry, which has been generated over 40 years. Les has headed up OEM plants for Rover and BMW, as well as major tier 1 plants’ Les has also worked as a consultant for major automotive OEM’s in both Japan and China too. When questioned about the acquisition Les said “Pressmark is a great company with lots of opportunities and I am looking forward to working with the team to develop this further. We want to build on the excellent reputation that Pressmark have for Quality, Cost and Delivery.”
Heading up the executive team will be Chief Executive, John Nollett, who brings a wealth of knowledge from the manufacturing sector, where he has been involved in design, manufacture and assembly direct into automotive OEM’s. On speaking with John he spoke about the opportunity saying, “I have been fortunate enough to have spent some time with the existing team at Pressmark, learning about their capabilities and can honestly say that the company has all of the fundamental structures in place that we need to develop this business further. The team here are great and I am truly looking forward to developing some strong relationships with them, along with our Customers and Suppliers alike to drive this business forward.” He went on to say “Based in Atherstone, Warwickshire, we are ideally situated to fulfil the needs of the UK manufacturing sector. There is a great automotive and manufacturing heritage locally within the Midlands Engine and it will be fantastic to draw upon that experience as we grow our business here in the Midlands.”
Finally, Alan Gardner brings significant change management experience, along with his financial expertise, as he has previously worked at partner level within KPMG. Alan has also had a lot of experience working alongside manufacturing businesses throughout his career. Holding the position of Finance Director, Alan spoke of the deal saying “Pressmark is an ideal acquisition for Left Hand Press, as it brings a variety of large bed presses with ample free capacity to grow the business, not only in the automotive sector, where it is strong, but other sectors too. With the financial support that we have, along with the experience that both John and Les bring to the team, I am excited about the future for Pressmark.”