Tony Bowkett, Nikken CEO and president, has been appointed as acting president of the Manufacturing Technologies Association. With more than 30 years’s experience as managing director and founder of Nikken Kosakusho Europe Ltd, he has been instrumental in the success and triumphs of Nikken’s activities around Europe and beyond, which includes multiple subsidiary companies within the Nikken Europe Group, together operating in more than 23 countries.
Under Mr Bowkett’s leadership, Nikken is also a founding industrial partner and non-executive industrial board member of the
University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and firmly believes in UK manufacturing and knowledge transfer as a vital wealth creator, focusing on developing and training the next generation of engineers. Nikken has supported and exhibited at all
MACH exhibitions since 1992, which are organised by the MTA, promoting the company’s innovative and industry-leading solutions and the manufacturing technologies sector in general.
Furthermore, with his experience in similar roles, such as a financial director and vice president of the MTA, Mr Bowkett is equipped to support the MTA to the highest level and aspires to promote and develop the association to engage and network with its members and associates, ensuring that UK manufacturing technologies are recognised as critical parts of Government economic strategy.
He said: “It is a great honour and privilege to serve our association members, and we now proudly represent over 300 companies. Together, we generate an annual turnover of more than £2 billion and employ over 20,000 people — collaborating with a vast UK supply chain, generating many millions in real wealth for the UK economy. Through our live exhibition of
MACH, education, training, legislation, and standards teams, we aspire to reach all of UK manufacturing. During my presidency, I would like to make it my mission to engage with our members and represent their best interests on local, national and international platforms.
James Selka, CEO of the MTA, said: “We are incredibly lucky to have a talented and strong board representing our members and are grateful that Tony has agreed to take on the role of acting president. He is a man who understands the challenges facing the manufacturing sector and the solutions that are required to see it flourish once again.”