NEWS 12 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS September 2025 www.hpmag.co.uk Omniflex celebrates 60th anniversary Remote monitoring specialist Omniflex is celebrating its 60th anniversary, having been founded as Control Logic (Conlog for short) by John Moshal and Alan Murray in 1965 in Durban, South Africa. The duo were inspired by the potential of the newly-invented transistor. Throughout its history, the company has delivered technologically innovative solutions for key industries, including mining, nuclear, petrochemical, and oil and gas, for notable clients like Sasol, Sellafield, New South Wales Ports and Port of Melbourne. In 1965, Moshal and Murray founded Conlog leading the way in replacing bulky wiring intensive, power-hungry mechanical relays with small, elegant, electronic modules. Their secret weapon was an octal-based transistor logic module that slashed complexity and boosted maintenance performance in industrial systems. This is what caught the eye of renowned Anglo American chairman Harry Oppenheimer in the early 1970s and inspired him to provide the funding that kickstarted the company’s growth in South Africa. “Since its inception, Omniflex has been about listening, designing, tweaking and delivering exactly our customers need, even when it means pushing the boundaries of technological capabilities or going against the industry consensus,” explained David Celine, managing director of Omniflex. Flexibility and reliability became Conlog’s core principles and remain an integral part of Omniflex’s culture today. This saw the company earn the respect of engineers across key industry sectors and helped to establish the firm as the leading experts for complex, high-stakes industrial automation. The company is sharing its highlights from each decade of its history in a series of blogs on its LinkedIn account. Engineering and technology courses have seen the largest increase in placed applicants in this year’s university admissions, according to new data released on A Level and T Level results day in August. The figures also show that, for the second year in a row, STEM subjects have grown in popularity, with mathematics remaining the most popular A Level subject. While demand for engineering at university and college is rising, research from Universities UK has highlighted a reduction in funding allocation for so-called “high-cost” courses such as engineering. This trend is seen as a concern, given that the Government’s Industrial Strategy identifies engineering skills as “at the heart” of several priority growth sectors. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is continuing to urge the government to support the university sector in addressing the gap between demand and funding for high-cost courses. This year also marks the second cohort of students completing the Engineering and Manufacturing T Level. Sector bodies say they are closely monitoring the destinations of these learners. Alongside T Levels, BTEC and other vocational qualifications remain important routes into engineering careers, providing pathways to apprenticeships and technical roles. Employers and sector organisations, including members of Skills England, have committed to working together to ensure regional opportunities are available for young people entering the engineering workforce. Surge in demand for engineering courses
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