Sean Davies

The latest revolution

While manufacturing has made great advances in productivity it has yet to turn its gaze fully on the potential benefits of attacking the waste in its non-labour resources. The core areas for the next manufacturing revolution are energy, waste, packaging, supply chain optimisation. Energy efficiency is a well-publicised strategy but others have lagged behind in adoption.

Back from the brink

Two major motorcycle brands came close to collapsing under financial pressure, but Triumph, through innovation, and KTM, through focusing on core competencies, have been resurrected.

Flying start for biofuels

Air travel is something that modern travellers have taken for granted, but in the age of global warming it is coming under increasing pressure to clean up its act. The industry has been vehement in its defence of its environmental credentials, but despite that assertion it is Investing heavily in new technologies that will continue to reduce its carbon emissions. These improvements broadly fall within three areas fuel, engines and aircraft. Each new generation of aircraft and engine offers improved fuel efficiency, fewer emissions and Improved noise performance, but it is in the area fuels, or more accurately biofuels, that the chief breakthroughs are expected.

Braving the cold [offshore resources]

The Arctic region has long been viewed as a huge resource for oil and gas but harsh conditions and tricky economics have made it unappealing. The author of the paper reveals how that is now changing.

Watts the difference [Power Energy Saving]

New legislation that is aimed at boosting the uptake of energy saving devices comes into effect this month and as the author explains it signals the end of the 100 Watt light bulb. The days of selecting 60W. 80W or 100W light bulbs off the supermarket shelf could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new European directive that came into force this month. Consumers will be asked to learn the lumen, which regulators hope will make energy-saving products much easier to market and explain to users.

Subsea: the final frontier

In their continued search for new oil fields, developers are looking to deeper and deeper waters. As this paper discovers, Shells new Perdido platform is pushing the engineering boundaries further than ever before.