The Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre has announced that Bosch Rexroth UK is its latest member. MTC chief executive Clive Hickman said that his relationship with Bosch goes back almost 40 years, to when he was a junior engineer.

Mr Hickman said: “I am delighted that a company with such a strong reputation for quality and professionalism has become the latest to join the family of members who support our work. Our aim is to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions. We look forward to Bosch Rexroth becoming involved in many of our projects and to forming a close working partnership with the company.”

Bosch Rexroth UK is part of the Bosch Group, which has its UK headquarters in Worcester. It makes drives and controls for use in a wide range of applications, including factory automation and renewable energy.

Paul Bowden, vice-president of sales, said: “We are pleased to become members of the MTC — an organisation that develops the very latest cutting-edge technologies into manufacturing processes to deliver truly innovative solutions to UK industry.”

The MTC opened in 2010, founded by research and technology group TWI Ltd and the universities of Birmingham, Loughborough and Nottingham. Its industrial members include ABB, BAE Systems and General Motors, as well as a large number of SMEs