Latest Industry News – 12/08/2022
News from the 5th - 12th August 2022
Siniat’s plasterboard manufacturing capacity set to double
Lightweight construction manufacturer Etex is set to double the plasterboard production capacity of its Ferrybridge plant upon the opening of its new factory in 2023.
Work is well underway for the new 57,000m2 Siniat facility, which comes at a time when plasterboard and timber shortages continue to put pressure on the supply chain.
The new facility is a significant investment by Etex and demonstrates its commitment to supporting the future of British manufacturing, as well as its eagerness to increase reliability of supply and meet the growing demand for plasterboard across the UK, the largest plasterboard market in Europe.
North Tyneside manufacturer Formica draws in sales of £63.5m amid factory footprint changes
North Shields firm Formica brought in sales of £63.5m in a year of change which saw it reduce its manufacturing footprint, new accounts show.
The Coast Road company, part of the global Formica Group, has been making laminate products for the residential and commercial sectors for more than 70 years. Two years before the pandemic the firm was sold by its owners to Netherlands-based Broadview Holding BV as part of a deal worth more than £660m, soon after the North East site had received multimillion-pound investment across its office and production areas.
https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/north-tyneside-manufacturer-formica-draws-24683535
Unilever to launch fleet of driverless ice cream vans using Robomart autonomous vehicles
Unilever will deploy a fleet of Ice Cream Robomarts this summer, featuring treats from Unilever ice cream brands Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Good Humor, Magnum ice cream and Talenti.
With its patented one-tap grocery ordering technology, consumers can hail The Ice Cream Shop Robomarts to their location using Robomart’s proprietary mobile app.
When it arrives, the user swipes across the app to open the vehicle’s door. Robomart’s checkout-free system allows consumers to handpick their selected products and simply walk away – without physically checking out or swiping their credit card.
