Editor's comment: December 2016

There were a number of PES readers/advertisers exhibiting and as I trawled the aisles catching up on the latest technology, the subject inevitably got around to Brexit.

There’s so much speculation and uncertainty surrounding the UK’s exit from the European Union that no-one – even the Government – really knows how this is going to pan out. There are two ways you can deal with this: batten down the hatches, stack up the sandbags and put a freeze on spending; or meet any future challenges head on and try and adopt a ‘business as usual’ approach.

Easier said than done I hear you say – and I’d agree, but literally all the feedback I received from the show suggested that companies were going for the latter approach rather than the former. There was an underlying resilience from exhibitors – a sort of ‘this is where we are and we have to make the best of it’. Business may be tougher to win, but it’s still out there.

Regarding investment, well that’s a tough one and there’s no right or wrong approach but one thing’s pretty certain – there will be life after Brexit and those companies that have chosen to continue investing in new equipment, staff and technology will most likely be better placed to win new business after the dust has settled.

A case in point is Accurate Laser Cutting based in Tividale in the West Midlands. A year ago I visited the company on the back of a £1 million investment in new equipment. Recently, I dropped by again to report on its latest acquisition – a Bystronic 10kW fibre laser machine costing around £750.000 – said to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Take a look at the article on page 25 of December’s edition of PES. The guys at Accurate are absolutely blown away by just how productive the new machine is.

Dave Tudor Editor