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WMG April 2026 recap

Tue, 12 May 2026 10:23:00 GMT

Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick strengthened its regional, national, and international partnerships throughout April, engaging with academic institutions, industry leaders, and representatives from international universities.

These meetings underpin WMG’s role in connecting academia with industry and highlight its ongoing commitment to collaboration and innovation across the globe.

WMG March 2026 recap

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:23:00 GMT

Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) strengthened its regional, national and global relationships throughout March, meeting MPs, international university representatives, and business leaders.

The meetings highlight WMG’s crucial role in bridging the gap between academia and industry, as well as its strong commitment to collaboration and innovation.

Below is an overview of some of the key meetings that took place.

WMG to help deliver £15m fund to boost growth and scale up West Midlands manufacturers

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:28:03 GMT

Hundreds of West Midlands-based manufacturing businesses are set to benefit from a new £15m programme, providing expert support and funding to help them capitalise on a new wave of economic opportunities, driven by the flagship West Midlands Investment Zone (WMIZ).

The Supply Chain Transition (SCT) programme will help SMEs strengthen supply chains, access R&D funding, and upskill their workforce for growth in sectors such as clean tech, electric vehicles, health tech, and digital manufacturing.

Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) has already begun delivering the programme, through its Developing Future Sustainable Manufacturing Leaders programme, which provides future manufacturing leaders with the confidence, skills and insights to lead their businesses towards sustainable success.

WMG to support Bromsgrove and Redditch SMEs

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:14:00 GMT

WMG has been chosen to deliver the Innovation Lighthouse Programme, designed to empower and upskill small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bromsgrove and Redditch. Combining WMG’s manufacturing expertise, academic and research excellence, and world-class facilities, the programme will help SMEs grow whilst becoming more competitive and resilient.

Collaborative project to reduce material and CO2 emissions in pipeline tech

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 09:19:00 GMT

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, and WMG at the University of Warwick have launched a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to apply new technologies to the development of the company’s flexible pipe systems.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) aim to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills within the UK knowledge base. This KTP project was funded by UKRI through Innovate UK.

The Figiel Research Team from WMG’s International Institute for Nanocomposite Manufacturing (IINM), was awarded Innovate UK funding to apply Multiphysics modelling tools that will assist in developing context-aware pipe designs and analysis processes. This research will make material use more efficient, resulting in increased pipeline suitability, reliability and safety, whilst maintaining performance and structural integrity.

Through the use of Multiphysics modelling, Baker Hughes is expected to be able to more accurately predict the coupling between permeation of gases and fluids and the mechanical response of their flexible pipe systems, which are used extensively in floating production systems.

This research will also aid in the development of products to meet the world’s energy transition requirements, including carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen delivery. This work will position the UK as a global leader in the provision of products needed to supply clean energy.

Baker Hughes flexible pipe systems product line employs more than 500 people in the North East of England. This project is expected to result in more efficient manufacturing processes for the company that reduce waste and carbon intensity.

Dr. Soheil Bazazzadeh has been appointed by the university to carry out the project with supervision by WMG engineer Jack Davis and academic leadership from Dr. Lukasz Figiel, Reader at WMG. Soheil’s background includes a doctorate in aerospace engineering and three separate research fellowships, including at the University of Warwick.

WMG’s Jack Davis and Dr Lukasz Figiel say:

"This collaboration will further enhance WMG’s strong academic expertise in the field of Predictive Multiphysics Modelling of advanced engineering materials. In addition, the project will give us the opportunity to continue to build future partnerships in emerging fields such as hydrogen transport."

Dr. Angelos Mintzas, principal engineer at Baker Hughes and technical lead for New Product Introduction programmes says:

“This work has the potential to significantly enhance Baker Hughes’ design capabilities, enabling more efficient use of materials whilst keeping our focus on product reliability and safety. This collaboration is aligned with Baker Hughes commitment for 50% reduction of our CO2 emissions by 2030 and becoming a net-zero business by 2050.”

Ian Blakemore, Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Advisor for this project, says:

"This project is a prime example of the impact that Knowledge Transfer Partnerships can have. By bringing together forward-thinking businesses and the academic expertise of the UK’s world class universities, we can tackle real world challenges in new ways."

Future engineers recognised as Design & Make celebrates five years of inspiring the next generation

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:28:00 GMT

A major competition organised and run by the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN) with support from WMG at the University of Warwick, designed to get more young people involved in manufacturing, has recognised the talented engineers of the future.

The Design & Make Challenge 2024 attracted nearly 100 pupils from 15 schools in what is one of the largest independent STEM events ever held in the UK. It was hosted at the University of Warwick’s Innovation District.

Southam College, Barclay Academy and Lawrence Sherriff High School took the main prizes, winning the Efficiency, Innovation and Manufacturing Awards respectively. The Awards focused on the way they tackled a challenge to use a box of simple materials, to build a device, that could securely lift a metal block with nothing more than a pulley system.

The students split up into teams of four to design, test and build their solution, working closely with apprentices from the eight MAN companies and engineers from WMG’s SME Group.

Dr Mark Swift, Director of SME Engagement at WMG, University of Warwick said:

“Design & Make connects young people with dynamic manufacturers whilst they are still at school and making future career decisions – this is critical for addressing the UK's engineering skills gap and fostering a culture of innovation.

“Early exposure and practical experience help to inspire the next generation of engineers, equipping them with the necessary skills to ultimately develop new technology and grow our world leading manufacturing sector."

Austin Owens, Managing Director at Grove Design and Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Assembly Network commented: “What a fantastic way to celebrate the fifth year of the Design & Make Challenge, with the biggest turnout of students we’ve ever had – that really shows the appetite to learn more about a possible career in industry,”

“The competition is all about inspiring young people to get hands-on with design and engineering skills, working together to come up with a solution that then competes with other schools in terms of efficiency, innovation and design for manufacture.”

“We’d love to make the competition even bigger and are urging other manufacturers, funders and schools to come forward and get involved. Together we can start to bridge the skills gap industry continues to battle against.”

Southam College, Barclay Academy and Lawrence Sherriff High School each received a 3D Printer as part of their prize package, which was sponsored by 3DPrint UK. These will be taken back to each of the schools and used to develop additive manufacturing and design skills.

There was a fourth prize given out to recognise the different careers in engineering, with Thomas Telford UTC beating off competition to win the ‘Communications’ Award.

This saw the Shropshire school praised for the way it told the best story of the day through the use of social media, with a single post racking up more than 347 likes and over 2000 views in just a few hours.

For more information on WMG’s SME Group visit SME Support - WMG - University of Warwick

More details on MAN can be found at www.man-group.co.uk or follow MAN Group on LinkedIn.

WMG welcomes guests from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 13:06:00 GMT

It was a pleasure to welcome senior delegates from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to WMG, at the University of Warwick, on Wednesday (24th April).

Dr. Khairul Munadi, Education and Culture Attaché; Mrs. Anggarini Sesotyoningtyas, Head of Economic Department; and Mr. Raksa Permana Ibrahim, Economic Department; were invited to visit by Dr Kogila Balakrishnan, WMG’s Director of Client and Business Development (Southeast Asia).

As a leading international role model for successful collaboration between academia and industry, the guests were particularly interested to hear more about WMG’s work in entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as the department’s extensive SME support programme.

The guests enjoyed a tour of the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) and the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), before meeting with Gary Dimmock and Bethany Haynes from WMG’s SME Group.

The visitors also had the opportunity to meet with MSc Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course Director, Dr Ali Ahmad; and Deputy Course Director, Dita Amry; as well as Indonesian students currently studying on the programme.

Dr Kogila Balakrishnan, WMG’s Director of Client and Business Development (Southeast Asia) said: “It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to share the work we are doing here at WMG on both the education and research side. I look forward to further discussions and future collaborations.”

Anggarini Sesotyoningtyas added: “We’re interested in learning more about WMG’s experience in building an effective industry-university R&D collaboration as a means to solve global challenges, such as climate change and energy transition.”

While Dr. Khairul said: “We gained valuable insights from the visit. WMG serves as an outstanding example of bridging academic research with industry-driven demands. This aligns closely with Indonesia's recent focus areas.”

Find out more about WMG SME Group here: SME Support - WMG - University of Warwick

Find out more about WMG’s Master’s Courses here: Master's Degrees | WMG, University of Warwick

University support boosts West Midlands economy by £450 million – for every £1 invested, £22 returned to the local economy

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:09:00 GMT

WMG at the University of Warwick has boosted the West Midlands economy by £450 million – with every £1 invested into WMG’s small and medium enterprise (SME) programmes, around £22 has returned to the local economy.

Celebrating 20 years of tailored business support, WMG has delivered manufacturing expertise to 15,000 SMEs in the Midlands. It has supported the creation of more than 13,000 jobs, 350 new businesses and 355 internships over the last two decades.

WMG has delivered critical projects to SMEs to help them succeed in digitalisation, business change and product design. A key ongoing project is helping SMEs mange the energy crisis with a specialised toolkit and tailormade roadmaps to help organisations reach Net Zero.

As a High Value Manufacturing Catapult (a government initiative driving manufacturing innovation), WMG is playing a pivotal role in the revival and development of the West Midlands and the wider UK manufacturing base.

Dr Mark Swift, Director of SME Engagement at WMG, University of Warwick, said: "Our work over the last 20 years has shown that targeted, high value support can help SME manufacturers accelerate growth, improve productivity, and create jobs.

"It is vital that we continue to be a guiding force to help businesses implement new technologies, develop their teams, and continue to innovative and prosper. We have an important legacy to protect and continue and I am delighted to lead a team of industry experts working tirelessly to do just this."

Adrian Williams, Managing Director, Pashley Cycles, said: "Working with WMG over the years has given Pashley the opportunity to take advantage of skills, expertise and facilities which we would never otherwise have access to. This is really helping us create robust and reliable, yet lightweight products which we’re confident will give us a competitive advantage in the market.”

Peter Davies, Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Assembly Network and CEO of James Lister & Sons, said: "WMG has been an outstanding source of advice, guidance, support and access to funding opportunities for all members of the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN).

"The specialist assistance has helped us unlock innovations, bring new services to market, achieve efficiency gains and, in more recent years, accelerate our move towards sustainable manufacturing and taking advantage of the green economy.

"WMG 'gets' manufacturing and what we need and is happy to work with us to achieve an outcome that works for all parties."

Founded by the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya forty years ago, WMG began offering tailored support to SMEs in the Midlands in 2004.

Read more about WMG and the manufacturing supply chain here.

Media contact
University of Warwick press office contact:
Annie Slinn 07876876934
Communications Officer | Press & Media Relations | University of Warwick Email: annie.slinn@warwick.ac.uk

New award wins shine light on the importance of industry-university partnerships

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:20:00 GMT

WMG at the University of Warwick has secured funding, alongside other departments at the University, for eight new Innovate UK funded Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) projects, designed to rapidly inject innovation capacity within UK industry.

With over 500 applications and just a third of projects awarded a slice of the £5 million, WMG was successful because of its strong industry ties and robust business relationships.

Like regular Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, which have been funded by successive governments for almost 50 years, AKT projects provide organisations with a specialist academic team including a postgraduate student. The WMG team will:

Identify innovation blockers
Evaluate an innovation concept
Find solutions to immediate as well as longer term challenges
Accelerate new thinking and processes
Develop new business models and expand capacity

One WMG industry partner set to benefit is Jaltek Systems Ltd. The team at Jaltek will be using the funding to continue with the integration of robotics technology into processes.

Andy Dowling, Head of WMG’s SME Business Development team said: "These awards are testament to the University's continued drive and success in establishing collaborative relationships with industry through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme. As only 35% of the AKT applications were awarded Innovate UK funding, we are proud of our achievements and are looking forward to working on this set of exciting projects."

Steve Blythe of Jaltek Systems Ltd said: “We are continually looking to improve productivity through training, improved processes, and automation. We saw good practice using cobots (collaborative robots) in other businesses and reached out to WMG to support our plans. The funding for the AKT will help us further our activity in this area.”

The 16-week long projects will start from April 2024 and WMG will be recruiting talented graduates to join the team. For more information contact: wmgsme@warwick.ac.uk.

To find out more about WMG’s SME Programmes visit: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/for-industry/sme-support/

WMG staff praised for international manufacturing project

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:46:00 GMT

Three members of staff from WMG, at the University of Warwick, have been praised for their ‘excellent’ work to support the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda (CCA) in implementing Manufacturing 4.0 in Mauritius.

The CCA is a major member-state led initiative to grow intra-commonwealth trade and investment and promote expanded investment to support global growth, create employment, and promote knowledge exchange among Commonwealth members.

The WMG team led by Dr Hamid Moradlou together with colleagues Tarek El-Said from the Supply Chain Group, and Onur Eren from the SME Group, responded to a funding call from the Commonwealth Secretariat to support Commonwealth countries with their connectivity agenda.

The trio were praised for delivering a well-received capacity building programme for local policymakers and manufacturing businesses including comprehensive understanding of Manufacturing 4.0; strategic vision and roadmap development; effective technology integration; change management and innovation; policy navigation; and performance measurement and sustainability.

Dr Hamid Moradlou explained: “This project was a great example of collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers. The initiative was equally supported by both the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives in Mauritius, facilitating the work done by WMG in eight manufacturing companies from various sectors. The success of this project has led to further discussions around scaling this project in other Commonwealth countries.”

WMG supports SME manufacturers with digital technologies across the UK. Find out more here: https://warwick.ac.uk/wmg/for-industry/sme-support/