Author Archives: Ken Hurst

About Ken Hurst

Ken Hurst began his career as a journalist in London over 30 years ago, working on a range of publications before moving on to weekly newspaper production in the newly-independent Zambia of the 1970s. He returned to the UK where his work included spells on newspapers and magazines, before moving to head up Norwich Union’s corporate affairs division. In the 1990s he moved on to freelance, co-own and publish the B2B audio magazine Sound and front the BBC radio Yesterday’s Papers programme. There followed six years as Business Editor at Britain’s biggest selling regional daily newspaper, The Eastern Daily Press, where he led an award-winning team and for whom he still writes a weekly socio/political comment column. Subsequently, he was Group Editorial Director at CBM, responsible for its UK and US magazine output – including The Manufacturer magazine – research-driven industry reports and live events content. Currently he is Contributing Editor at Works Management magazine publisher Findlay Media and Chairman of the consumer publishing house TNT Multimedia Ltd. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and of the British Association of Communicators in Business.

ABF sweet on retail as sugar goes sour

One of the UK’s  biggest food and beverage sector manufacturers is again being buoyed up by an operation entirely alien to its name and historical roots. See more at our new website: http://www.whimfing.com

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EEF urges Osborne to tackle energy costs

Manufacturing bosses filed an early salvo across Chancellor George Osborne’s bows this morning, urging him to tackle escalating industrial energy costs during his Budget speech in just less than a month’s time. … more at our new website http://www.whimfing.com

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Xeros wants a manufacturer with balls

A company that invented a washing machine that does away with the need for water is reported to be heading for a £100m stock market flotation and is on the lookout for a manufacturer with the balls to make it. … Continue reading

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New manufacturing news website goes live

After over 1000 blogs, the Whats Happening in Manufacturing blog spot has grown up and become the sector’s newest fully functioning 24/7 manufacturing news website. WHIMFING.com (What’s Happening In Manufacturing) boasts “no frills; just facts”. It’s “where busy people who … Continue reading

Posted in advanced manufacturing, Aerospace & defence, apprenticeships, Automotive, chemical, Company results, compressed air, Construction, Continuous improvement, corporate responsibility, Education & Training, Electronics, employment law, energy, engineering, europe, exports, fabrication, Finance, Food & beverage, Government/statistics, health & safety, High-tech, Innovation, jobs, legislation, Logistics, machinery, Maintenance, Manufacturing management, Manufacturing operations, marine, medical, metals, Motors/machinery, Moves/expansion, MRO, MRP, Other discrete, Packaging, Pay, People, Pharma, plastics, Process, R&D, robotics, sales & marketing, skills, Supply chain, Technology, textiles, waste management | Tagged | Leave a comment

Manufacturing growth fastest for 40 years – CBI

Manufacturing order books remained robust in February and output growth accelerated faster than in almost 40 years, according to the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey. Orders from abroad also put in their strongest performance since October 2011, with the automotive … Continue reading

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ACT strikes out Cobra to seize eco parts market

Just a year on from its takeover by industrial investors, the Wrexham-based manufacturer Cobra Automotive Engineering is to change its name in a bid to grab £3m of new contracts in automotive, aerospace and new generation low carbon vehicles. Cobra … Continue reading

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‘Solid’ year for BAE Systems

The British defence contractor BAE Systems said today that it had “delivered a solid performance in 2013, against the background of reduced government spending and challenging market conditions”. Announcing its financial results for the year, BAE chief executive Ian King … Continue reading

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UK manufacturing bosses hit out at government on immigration

UK manufacturing sector bosses today accused the government of acting unreasonably in restricting employers’ access to skilled graduates from outside of Europe. In a submission of evidence to the House of Lords’ Science and Technology Committee inquiry into international STEM … Continue reading

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JLR jobs fest begins as bosses pick up top industry awards

The fairy story that is Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) under the ownership of the Indian steel-making conglomerate Tata continues to be happy but shows no signs of ending. Yesterday, the company’s CEO Dr Ralf Speth picked up an industry award … Continue reading

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£7m BMW contract will push Cab Automotive towards £40m sales

Car interiors specialist Cab Automotive, says the re-emergence of the UK car industry as a global leader is helping it towards the fastest growth in its nine year history. Cab Automotive has secured £7m of new contracts to supply parts … Continue reading

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