Image caption: Calvin Ooi, Executive Director, Leon Fuat, with staff members.

Image caption: Franz-Xaver Bernhard, Chairman, VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association).

In our article ‘Closing the Skills Gap’ in ISMR’s April 2022 issue, we outline practical strategies for manufacturers to follow to diversify their workforces and close the urgent skills gap.

The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers (in the U.S.), has announced its “35×30” Women’s campaign, an ambitious, industry-wide effort to close the gender gap in manufacturing.

A new Spanish smart manufacturing technologies association, STECH, was agreed by the AFM Board of management (the association behind AFM Cluster) on 16 December 2021. It aims to represent and group together companies that offer digitalisation, automation and robotics, and maintenance services for advanced manufacturing.

According to new analysis, the European metal can market was valued at US$ 17.31 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach US$ 19.95 billion by 2026 with a CAGR of 2.33% from 2021 to 2026. The new "Europe Metal Cans Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" report highlights key industry trends.