Global industrial technology leader Kennametal Inc. – a company specialising in innovative wear-resistant products, application engineering, and service backed by material science – has become the latest member of the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry.
The company manufactures specialist metallurgical powders and compounds as well as products made from tungsten carbide or other hard materials for custom-engineered applications for numerous industries.
Headquartered in North America with operations around the world, Kennametal has UK bases in Kingswinford in the Black Country and Newport in Gwent.
MTC chief executive Dr Clive Hickman said he was pleased that a company with the worldwide reputation of Kennametal had joined the MTC’s elite community.
“Kennametal has been an industry leader for more than 75 years and is well recognised for its capabilities in providing custom-engineered solutions for its customers across the aerospace, energy, earthworks, transportation and industrial sectors worldwide and we look forward to working with Kennametal’s engineering expertise here at the MTC.”
Colin Tilzey, director of Kennametal’s innovation ventures group, said, “Kennametal aims to achieve more than 40 per cent of sales each year from new products, and we value partnerships such as this one, which help promote innovative process development and leadership. In addition, developing the workforce of tomorrow is a priority for Kennametal and our partnership with the MTC enables us to further influence opportunities to fill the skills gap.”
The MTC opened in 2011 and was founded by the University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and TWI Ltd. The MTC’s industrial members include some of the UK’s major global manufacturers.
The MTC aims to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions, in line with the Government’s manufacturing strategy. The MTC is part the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by the Technology Strategy Board.
The growth of the Manufacturing Technology Centre has far exceeded expectations, achieving many of its targets five years ahead of schedule.