n NEWS January 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com 6 AN INDEPENDENT BODY HAS been created to give more than 325,000 UK SMEs operating in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, a voice in the corridors of power. The Policy Centre for Supply Chain and SMEs has been set up by Enginuity – the former Sector Skills Council – to bring together industry leaders, sector bodies, policymakers, and government, and to ensure that the realities facing British SMEs are not just heard, but drive meaningful change, at the highest level. The Centre’s mission is to unify and amplify SMEs’ voices, bringing together industry, trade bodies, policy organisations and government to collaborate on the skills and policy priorities needed to support a thriving and resilient supply chain. “SMEs are the lifeblood of the UK economy, yet often fail to be heard by those making policy in key areas at the heart of government,” says Enginuity CEO, Ann Watson. And those honing policy need to listen. “Effective government policy depends on meaningful engagement with the people and organisations whose insights and experience are essential to its success,” she adds. “SMEs are huge in number, but that can mean that they can be difficult to identify and engage and their individual voices lacks unification, amplification and clarity. “This is where Enginuity’s Policy Centre can really come in to its own, creating the epicentre between SMEs, Government and others, ensuring that positive and productive engagement and dialogue takes place.” The Centre will also provide guidance to help businesses navigate policy changes. “By gathering robust data, conducting research, and fostering honest dialogue, the Policy Centre will provide evidence-based recommendations to shape policies that strengthen SMEs and reinforce the UK supply chain,” says Watson. “We are here to do what’s right for SMEs and the supply chain-giving them a platform and the influence they deserve.” https://enginuity.org New body will champion UK manufacturing and engineering SMEs p Nidec has inaugurated six high-tech production plants on a 50-acre (20.2ha) site in Karnataka, India, known as the Orchard Hub Campus. The $55m development is Nidec’s largest and most advanced manufacturing facility in the country, and will make “nextgeneration” products including: highefficiency motors and drives; battery energy storage systems; motors, controls and chargers for EVs; and generators. p The industrial automation and process control supplier, Eltek Systems, has renamed itself as Actemium and relocated to a larger site in Peterborough. The move follows Eltek’s acquisition in 2020 by Vinci Energies, which already owned a UK subsidiary called Actemium. Eltek initially continued to operate under its own name. Now, five years later, it has adopted the Actemium brand, joining the other Actemium UK businesses which have a combined total of 635 staff working at 20 locations, providing electrical, automation and mechanical systems and services. p The Industrial Network Technology (INT) division of the Swedish industrial communications specialist, HMS Networks, is buying part of Molex’s Industrial Solutions business, including a product portfolio consisting of network interface cards and software stacks, as well as the French company, Woodhead Software & Electronics. The purchase price is $7m and will be paid in cash on closing, which is expected to happen this month. HMS says that its main reason for the acquisition is to obtain strategic IP and know-how from Molex’s engineering teams. p The Worthing-based servo specialist HT Servo has been acquired by the Swedish industrial group Teqnion. The terms of the deal have not been revealed. HT Servo was established in its current form in 2001. David Baillie joined as managing director in 2004. He has since expanded the company, and will continue to lead HT Servo. For the past three years, HT Servo has had average revenues of around £4.5m. Teqnion has almost 40 subsidiaries. It says it focuses on profitability and long-term sustainable relationships. pThe Japanese pumps, blowers and compressors manufacturer Ebara is buying Mitsubishi Electric’s three-phase motors business for an undisclosed sum. Mitsubishi plans to focus on its factory automation activities and technologies such as PLCs, servodrives and CNC systems. The assets being transferred include Mitsubishi’s three-phase and IPM motor businesses and production facilities, as well as industrial motor, pump, and diecasting businesses run by Mitsubishi’s Thai subsidiary. As well as the production plants in Japan and Thailand, Ebara is acquring Mitsubishi’s development facilities. NEWS BRIEFS Mitsubishi Electric Automation Systems has strengthened its sevenmember UK management team, led by divisional director, Mike Cairns (pictured), as it transforms from a products-based to a solutions-based business. Tom Cork has joined as indirect sales manager, after spending almost 20 years in industrial roles, including more than a decade at ABB. Dan Bull has joined from Rockwell as UK sales manager, while Stephen Chilton, previously with Omron, is the new product and marketing manager. David Bean has been promoted to the newlycreated role of business development group manager. Schneider Electric has appointed Alice Williams as VP for digital energy in the UK and Ireland. Her role will be to drive growth in the business through end-user energy savings using Schneider’s automation and energy management systems. She succeeds Kasim Mohammed who is now VP for services UK&I. Williams, who began her career in the British Army, has been with Schneider for more than six years, most recently as VP for services in the US, leading a team of 600 there for three years. The Hima Group has appointed Carl Ramsden to the newly created position of CEO of Sella Controls. Hima acquired Sella in 2023 following a long-standing partnership. Sella now acts as the group’s regional centre for the UK and Ireland, and as its global centre of excellence for railway activities, with more than 130 people working at its Stockport and Ashby sites. Ramsden has more than 20 years of leadership and financial expertise from the industrial and technology sectors, including senior positions at BASF and Yokogawa. He will assume overall responsibility for Sella, and will lead it alongside Chris Parr (CTO) and Eddy Turnock (CSO). Watson: SMEs are the lifeblood of the UK economy, yet often fail to be heard
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