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Championing future sustainable manufacturing leaders through supply chain diversification initiative

Tue, 26 May 2026 10:10:24 GMT

Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), at the ��ӰƬ is helping to shape the next generation of manufacturing leaders through a leadership programme delivered as part of the Supply Chain Transition Programme. This new initiative from the West Midlands Investment Zone supports manufacturers to build resilience, innovate and adapt to changing market demands.

Liz McArdle, Innovation Manager for the SME Group at WMG, who brings decades of experience working with manufacturing businesses and an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises - explained why leadership programmes are so vital:

“We very much focus on future sustainable manufacturing leaders,” Liz said.

“Leadership doesn’t mean you have to be a CEO or Managing Director. Change happens at every level of an organisation, and we need leaders throughout,” she added.

Delivered in a cohort format, the Supply Chain Transition Programme’s Leadership training brings together professionals from a range of manufacturing backgrounds, creating opportunities for peer learning and long-term collaboration.

“From the outset, we emphasise the value of networking – building relationships for future partnerships, innovation and support,” Liz explained. “It’s not just about teaching theory – participants bring significant manufacturing experience and sharing that practical knowledge is a key part of the learning.”

"Inspire, equip, and empower": Design education at WMG

Wed, 20 May 2026 10:59:49 GMT

Meet Nick Golsby, Associate Professor in Design Engineering at WMG, who is helping shape the future of design education. Working at the intersection of design and engineering, Nick’s career spans both academia and industrial consultancy, where he supports businesses to up-scale whilst keeping sustainability at the heart of operations. His expertise in engineering design and manufacturing materials have seen him develop products and systems for a range of sectors — including wearable resistance technology for the health and fitness industry — and creatively reimagine design engineering workflows.

Drawing on this experience and his industry connections, Nick leads the development of WMG’s design programmes, focusing on sustainability and the intersection between design and engineering.

Shaping the future: Q&A with Professor Kerry Kirwan

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:19:02 GMT

Originally published in Engineering Magazine’s 160 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION: Engineering Magazine

Background

WMG is a world-leading research and education group, creating knowledge to deliver impact - for industry, people, and the environment.

Professor Kerry Kirwan is Dean of WMG, ��ӰƬ. He provides expert investment, policy and strategy advice to international agencies, funders, and governments as the Chair of WMG's Sustainable Manufacturing and Materials Group.

He has also served as Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing and Strategic Director of the Industrial Doctorate Centre at WMG.

An expert in circular economy, sustainable materials, polymer processing, and industrial applications, his work has seen him win the British Science Association’s Isambard Kingdom Brunel Award Lecture and the IOM3 Thornton Gold Medal.

20,000 RPM and counting: Inside Warwick Fighting Robots

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:45:00 GMT

On 28 February, a robot built by a team of eight Warwick Engineering students entered the Bristol Bot Builders’ (BBB) Beetle Brawl 2026 for a thrilling contest of speed, strategy and steel.

Fifteen university teams and 40 amateur teams from across the UK and beyond brought their robots, each weighing 1.5kg or less, to the arena. The competition was a sell-out success, with around 300 spectators turning up to watch the miniature robots go head-to-head.

Warwick Fighting Robots is one of the Student Projects supported by Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), ��ӰƬ. In their final year, School of Engineering students choose a group project, and Warwick Fighting Robots has quickly become one of the most popular options.

Women in engineering: Deeksha Sampath

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:54:56 GMT

Meet Deeksha, a technology transfer engineer for WMG's SME Group. Link opens in a new windowFrom building Lego in India to inspiring young women in the West Midlands, this is her journey into science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM).

Trading the 9-to-5 for international study

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:50:48 GMT

Kimsrung Lov, a Women in STEM Scholar, took a break from her decade-long career in computer science to pursue postgraduate study. Her curiosity has led her more than 6,000 miles from her home in Cambodia to WMG, where she is currently studying for an MSc in Cyber Security Engineering. She shares what inspired her to trade her day job for coursework and what her experience as a Women in STEM Scholar has been like so far.

In conversation with a Women in STEM Scholar

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:15:52 GMT

WMG has been proud to host several British Council Women in STEM Scholars over the past couple of years. One such scholar is Thiri Yamin Hsu, an MSc student in Applied Artificial Intelligence from Myanmar, who is part of the University’s current cohort from Southeast Asia.

How innovation builds a stronger future for your SME

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:31:00 GMT

In a time of rising energy costs, tighter supply-chains, and increasing pressure to decarbonise, many manufacturing SMEs in the UK are asking: where do we start with innovation?

Students build electric motorbike for global competition

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:23:14 GMT

Student Projects teams Warwick Moto is gearing up to take the lead in this year's MotoStudent competition with its electric motorbike, Panther.

How embracing AI leads to sustainable growth for SMEs

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 08:54:08 GMT

Technology Transfer Engineer at WMG, Manikanta Ravi, shares why it’s important for SME manufacturers not to fight AI, but to embrace it to deliver real impact.

The idea of artificial intelligence replacing people’s jobs sparks fear for many workers, but the reality is more positive. When computers entered manufacturing in the 1980s, many feared job losses. Instead, new roles like CAD designers and CNC machinists emerged, and productivity soared.