MACH comment: Dave Burley

It’s easy to write off the postponement of industry events as just another COVID casualty but the ability to see the latest technology up close and personal, speak with like-minded people face to face and do business is something that can’t be underestimated. It’s been four long years since the last MACH show – all the more reason to get behind MACH 2022 which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 4-8 April. Dave Tudor caught up with MTA president, Dave Burley for a traditional pre-show chat.

Many readers will know Dave Burley as the former managing director of NCMT – a company best known for bringing top end machine tool technology from Makino and Okuma (as well as other brands) to the UK. In March 2021, after 35 years with the business, he retired from this position – along with the other three founding directors.

Today, there’s a new management team at the NCMT helm – all part of a planned management buyout succession program which began in December 2019. For the time being, Mr Burley and his colleagues are acting as senior advisors within the business.

Curve balls

Sometimes life throws some unexpected curve balls at you. In December last year, MTA president Andy Hodgson announced that he would be stepping down due to personal reasons. Mr Hodgson had an active role with the MTA for many years as a board member but also as chairman of its technical committee. His ‘day job’ was equally as demanding as strategic lead for digitalisation at Siemens.

As vice-president of the MTA, Dave Burley was the natural successor. He will serve a full two-year term as the current president.” It’s a real shame that Andy wasn’t able to continue in the role and see out his full tenure but it just wasn’t to be,” he reflects. “However, from a personal perspective, it’s a real honour for me and I’m looking forward to serving the association to the best of my ability.”

And having known Mr Burley for many years, I have no doubt he’ll make a very capable president. Not only has he served on the MTA board for a substantial period of time, but he also represents the association on the board of CELIMO – the European organisation whose members are distributors of machine tools, cutting tools, and associated equipment. As the new MTA president, he’ll chair board meetings and the AGM; as a collective, the board advises and supports the current CEO James Selka and his team.

All eyes on April

So now, all eyes look forward to MACH 2022. I made a statement in a recent comment that I think this will be one of the most important MACH shows ever as the industry gets back on its feet after COVID. Mr Burley is encouragingly upbeat about the prospect of the first MACH show in four years.

“I think there’s a real appetite and enthusiasm for the event,” he enthuses. “For the first time in four years, it’s a chance to meet face to face and see all the latest technology under one roof – much of it actually cutting metal.

“We’re now moving into much clearer waters in terms of travel, restrictions, and meeting people so anticipation for MACH 2022 is understandably high. There’s lots of uncertainty in the world at the moment like supply chain and skills issues, COVID and high energy prices, so MACH represents a great shop window and opportunity for the industry to come together and support each other.

“Since the last event of course, net zero, the environment and sustainability are fundamental in everything we do and MACH 2022, through its exhibitors will reflect that shift. Today manufacturers have to be able to demonstrate their green credentials and not being able to do so can be a dealbreaker.”

While Mr Burley says there’s a time and place for using technology like Zoom and Teams, he believes there really is no substitute for ‘pressing the flesh’. “The advanced manufacturing technology that’ll be on show at MACH is largely sold face to face and not from the pages of a catalogue or via a Zoom call,” he asserts.

“Nearly every customer application is different and so deserves a full, in-depth evaluation and effective communication between customer and supplier on a technical level. The great thing about MACH is that all this technology will be available in one place – and bringing the manufacturing community back together is such an important ingredient in this whole equation.

“But it’s not just the technology that promises to be a major attraction at the show,” he continues. “The MTA have put together a fantastic seminar programme featuring speakers such as Katherine Bennett, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, David Holmes of Air BAE Systems, Juergen Maier, co-chair. Made Smarter, and Rhys Herbert, senior economist at headline sponsor Lloyds Bank, who will be discussing a variety of topical subjects key to our industry such as sustainability and net zero, additive manufacturing and overviews of the current state of the UK manufacturing sector and the economic opportunities that lie ahead."

Career advice                                      

Skills – or more specifically the lack of them – is a crisis blighting not just UK industry but all manufacturing nations around the world. Part of the problem, when attempting to attract young people into the sector, is largely based on perception. Manufacturing and engineering in 2022 is unbelievably exciting and cutting edge – who wouldn’t be enthused about digitisation, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, Industry 4.0 and smart factories? It’s as much about computers and data as it is about machine tools.

Instead it seems we’re (still) grappling with highly stereotyped misconceptions outside the industry of engineering being about pillar drills, oily shopfloors, men wearing hairnets and monthly bouts of dermatitis sustained from carcinogenic cutting fluid exposure.

The Education & Development Zone at MACH – sponsored by Sandvik Coromant – has always fought hard to dispel those myths. Dave Burley takes up the story: “It’s now more important than ever to inspire and educate schoolchildren to pursue a career in engineering – in fact it’s everyone’s responsibility,” he says.

“The Education Zone at MACH 2022 will be the biggest ever with more than 2,000 student pre-registrations. Engineering is a highly absorbing, stimulating career and for the right people it’s a job for life that will command good salaries working with state-of-the-art equipment.

“At MACH, a number of really innovative companies including Sandvik Coromant, Airbus Defence and Space, University of Wolverhampton Racing, Vex Robotics, F1 in Schools and Bowers Group will be engaging with students in the E&D Zone and looking to evangelise just how fulfilling a career in engineering can be.”

Productivity and profitability

Mr Burley is clear about what drives people to come to MACH – and that’s the quest for greater productivity. “Let’s be honest, no-one buys a machine tool on a whim for the sake of it; it’s not like buying a car where you may fall in love with its looks or prestige,” he argues. “You buy a machine tool, or any piece of equipment for that matter, because you want to make money – it’s a business tool. And underpinning that investment is a need for greater productivity – it has to be better than what you had before.

“And this in turn leads to more benefits because it delivers on so many levels. If you’re more productive, you’re usually more competitive, and this often means you’re more profitable and financially secure. If the machine you buy is more energy efficient, you make significant savings there as well.

“Ultimately, you make more money and can re-invest that back into the business. Perhaps more machines, more staff or both. It’s a win, win situation. At the heart of all this is investing in the best technology you can afford. MACH is the showcase to see all this technology first hand – and with Government backed initiatives like the Super Deduction incentive scheme in place, there’s never been a better time to invest.”

But MACH isn’t just a place for buying new technology – it’s also about education and enlightenment to enable informed purchasing decisions to be made. Along with the exhibitors themselves, dedicated zones have always played a key role in the success of previous MACH exhibitions and this year, visitors will be spoilt for choice with a wide offering ranging from automation and digital solutions, through to lasers, logistics, grinding and additive manufacturing.  

Show highlights

It’s encouraging to learn from Mr Burley that despite the ravages of COVID, visitor pre-registrations for MACH 2022 are pretty much in line with the 2018 event: “Numbers and exhibitor bookings are a little down but this is only to be expected. I’m confident that from a visitor experience perspective, the 2022 event will feel just like any other MACH show.

“Another highlight – and a step up from our offering at MACH 2018 – is the Engineering Supply Chain Show which is effectively a ‘show within a show’,” he adds. “This will run from 5-7 April and is designed to put manufacturers in touch with precision subcontractors. Supply chains are stretched at the moment and the whole thrust behind this event is to help alleviate some of that pressure.”

A show first at the 2022 event is the Tooling Clinic hosted by the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) where visitors can tap into the extremely large brains of AMRC engineers for impartial advice on practically any manufacturing problem.  

The AMRC is world renowned for its pioneering work in the manufacturing sector, pushing innovation and productivity to the limits as it develops new techniques, processes, methods and ways of working. 

Well now you can benefit from its vast experience and know-how. Just turn up on the AMRC stand at MACH with your manufacturing conundrums and put its engineers to the test.

MACH 2022
www.machexhibition.com