Launching The Cluster to nurture hi-tech skills

Cambridge, UK: – Precision engineering specialist and compaction simulation leader Huxley Bertram has helped launch The Apprenticeship Cluster to nurture hi-tech skills in the UK.

The Cluster is an innovative new initiative designed to address regional skills shortages in the Manufacturing industry. Huxley Bertram Engineering Ltd is an inaugural member of the Cluster, alongside Domino UK Limited, SMC Corporation (UK) Limited, RARUK Automation Limited, and Endoline Machinery Limited, all based in the English East Midlands and East Anglia.

Drive for automation

The initiative aims to deliver top-tier training opportunities for young people through a collaborative approach, uniting business leaders, educators, and apprentices to shape the future workforce to make it ready for digitalization.

The Cluster is supported by Automate UK, the almost 600-member trade association launched in 2023, whose mission is to put automation at the heart of UK manufacturing and be a unifying voice for automation suppliers and end users of technology across processing, packaging, robotics and machine vision sectors.

Political support

The launch of The Cluster attracted a visit from local Member of Parliament Charlotte Cane, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, who toured Huxley Bertram’s headquarters at Waterbeach that has grown from a business originally started in a garden shed.

She was able to see the company’s work, which ranges from concept design to system build, test and commission, and ongoing service and support, with turnkey projects often culminating in fully automated machines helping transform manufacturing in industries such as pharmaceutical, medical healthcare, hydrogen fuel cells and new nuclear.

The MP also talked to Huxley Bertram directors and apprentices about the scheme model that enables businesses to share best practices in apprenticeship training, promote interest in manufacturing careers, and expand the talent pool for member companies and their end users. She praised celebrated Huxley Bertram for its commitment to developing local talent and creating opportunities for young people in the Cambridge area to gain practical, hands-on experience in their chosen fields.

Cluster impacts

Following her visit, Ms Cane commented: “Capitalizing on the potential within the engineering and manufacturing sectors is vital to kickstarting economic growth. This visit has provided an opportunity to witness firsthand the benefits of both the Cluster and the wider work Huxley Bertram is doing in the constituency. Their work demonstrates the significant impact that investment in the sector could deliver.”

For Huxley Bertram, Mark Jenkins, Senior Engineer & Director, said: “We are proud to be one of the five inaugural members of Automate UK’s Apprenticeship Cluster, helping to boost skills and employment opportunities for young people in the region We look forward to continuing to work with Ms. Cane to ensure the manufacturing industry is prepared to meet the demands of the future.”

Automate UK CEO Peter Williamson stressed the importance of nurturing more skills within the manufacturing sector, particularly within robotics, industrial vision, and packing automation. He commented: “Members of Automate UK, such as Huxley Bertram, stand as examples of British technological excellence in the manufacturing sector, showcasing the innovation that defines the UK’s industrial capabilities. The Cluster presents an opportunity for policymakers to back sectors with the highest growth potential and expand access to more rewarding jobs.”

About Huxley Bertram

Huxley Bertram Ltd. (HB) produces its range of high-performance powder compaction machines and tablet press simulators from its modern design and production facility situated in the hi-tech hub of Cambridgeshire in the UK.

HB Powder Compacting Machines and Equipment are ideally suited to the development of new powder formulations, with leading-edge technology and precision engineering that allow HB presses to simulate high speed production processes whilst recording accurate process data to optimize production quality and efficiency.

The superior attributes of the Huxley Bertram tablet press simulators are recognized by the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies for use in their process analytical technology (PAT) and Quality by Design (QbD) methods.

HB Powder Compaction Simulator machines, software and instrumentation are designed to meet the needs of formulation scientists and production engineers, and ranges from economic benchtop fixtures to high-end tablet compaction simulators offering OEB Level 5 containment for work with highly potent compounds.

Huxley Bertram powder compression systems are engineered to be simple to install and easy to maintain, while minimizing material and tooling costs. They are CE certified and comply with UL requirements, manufactured and tested in-house at Huxley Bertram’s ISO 9001:2015 certificated facilities.

Learn more at: https://huxleybertram.com

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