The Cast Metals Federation, CMF

Take a look at this fabulous bronze casting replica of the iconic self supporting Diplodocus carnegii 20th-century plaster cast skeleton. Gorgeous! Just a shame that it was not cast by a UK foundry…. #bronze #castings #foundry #foundries

It was great to hear the maiden speech from former UK Metals Council Chair, and now Member of Parliament, Chris McDonald MP in parliament yesterday, as part of the debate on the King's Speech. Focussing on the new way of governing, with service, change and action foremost, and with his background in the #metals and chemicals industries, Chris was able to give a nod towards the industrial heritage of his region (the North East of England) whilst also speaking about the future opportunities in new areas such as aviation fuels, SMRs and sustainable energy as part of a wider #industrialstrategy for the UK. As the first (probably) Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering to be an MP, he was able to reflect on the positive role of #ukmanufacturing and #ukengineering in making the UK safe, whilst providing opportunities for young people and fairer economic growth, saying "Britain is great at Industry".

Do you have a technical innovation to share with the #castings and #foundry industry? Our Call for Papers for CASTcon 2025 is now live and we are accepting applications to present. Bringing the industry together, this event will enable attendees to learn about new developments and innovations in technology, processes and materials as well as to share best practice. CASTcon 2025 is taking place on the 15th and 16th April 2025 at Cranfield University and will include technical presentations, case studies, social events and a table-top exhibition. Places to present are limited so contact one of our team to find out more about how to get involved and to share your ideas. #ukmanufacturing #ukengineering #foundries #innovation #sustainability #bettertogether #bestofbritishcasting. Mark Jolly Steve Goodier.

And if you are a CMF Member, whether based in Scotland or not, you would be very welcome to come along. Booking through the office pls.

We are grateful to the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland for hosting our sector meeting in Scotland in August. Members will be able to discuss topics of relevance to the #castings and #foundry industry, as well as hearing about the work of the NMIS in support of #ukmanufacturing from Dr. Evgenia Yakushina, and have a tour of their facilities. Skills and training will also be an important topic on the agenda and we look forward to hearing from Stewart McKinlay, Skills Director at NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy, University of Strathclyde. If you are not a CMF member, but have an interest in the industry and would like to attend, please contact our office for details. (Pictures of the buildings are from the NMIS website) High Value Manufacturing Catapult #futureproofing #bestofbritishcasting #innovation #foundries #metals #metalrecyclesforever #bettertogether

There are significant #supplychain opportunities for #ukmanufacturing which we should endeavour to capitalise on for our businesses and the wider UK economy as part of the transition to clean power. We for one, alongside many of our UK Trade Associations, also chose to 'accept the mission' and support where we can, if given the opportunity to provide UK-made precision engineered components in #metal, in support of the major infrastructure investments that will be part of what the UK needs. As we all recognise, it's not just about 'part price', £, but the wider value in jobs, skills, taxes and carbon (avoiding #carbonleakage) that come from local sourcing - let's not miss more opportunities.

Lots of great conversation and inciteful discussions during our recent Council meeting and Summer Dinner at Bosworth Hall Hotel, as we looked to the future for the UK #castings and #foundry industry. #Energy, #sustainability and #carbonreporting, #innovation and technology, and skills, training and EDI were all part of the cocktail mix for Board members alongside guests Bruce Adderley, Matthew Rhodes, Nick Newman and Alan Hughes from the The Worshipful Company of Founders - and the odd glass of something lovely. It was also UK election night, so there was the odd glance at our phones as the evening wore on. #bettertogether #foundries #metals #metalrecyclesforever #ukmanufacturing

A couple of busy weeks for our team with regional meetings taking place in East Anglia, kindly hosted by Adam Dalby and the team at Brafe Engineering Limited, with a tour of works, then across to the South West of England for a meeting with our members in Cornwall, Devon, Hampshire and Somerset. And before this we met with our light alloy (#aluminium and #zinc) foundries and suppliers in the Midlands. Common themes were skills, recruitment and retention of staff, CBAM reporting, pricing trends for energy and raw materials as well as #healthandsafety, with members able to share ideas and discuss current challenges. We also discussed some very practical ideas for regional #foundry and #castings training courses that can be supported and facilitated by our professional body, the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, working with employers.

Great to see OMEGA SINTO FOUNDRY MACHINERY LIMITED helping to engage and inspire the next generation of technicians and engineers. #stem #futureproofing #metals #apprenticeships

Have your say on the future of the UK #metals industry as a key part of #ukmanufacturing industry. #metalrecyclesforever #copper #zinc #steel #castiron #aluminium