MTA appoints Stewart Lane as its new president

The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), the UK’s leading trade body for the manufacturing technology sector, has appointed Stewart Lane, Renishaw’s head of EMEA business development, as its new president.

A proven leader within the manufacturing sector, he brings to the role a wealth of technical expertise, commercial insight and industry leadership experience. With a degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and over 30 years’ experience in the industry, 25 of them at Renishaw, Mr Lane has held a wide range of roles at the global engineering business. He also spent several years working within quality and management functions for a number of French and Swedish industrial businesses, and speaks both languages fluently. He also managed Renishaw’s French sales organisation.

Mr Lane joined Renishaw in 2000, initially performing roles within the company's quality and design functions before combining his technical and commercial skills to develop metrology products for the global machine tool industry. He has also headed Renishaw’s corporate business development function and UK sales division, becoming a member of its international sales and marketing board, and has helped drive the development of the company’s metrology, encoder and additive manufacturing (AM) businesses.

Outside of Renishaw, he has contributed significantly to the wider UK manufacturing sector. He is a past Board member of the West of England Aerospace Forum (WEAF) and joined the MTA Board in 2016, where he became chair of the MTA’s education committee and its representative on the board of CECIMO, the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies.

In recent years, a key focus for Mr Lane has been supporting the growth of additive manufacturing (AM) both within Renishaw and the wider industry. He was until recently chair of both AMUK and CECIMO’s European AM committee. He continues to represent the UK internationally, working alongside fellow MTA board Mmember Marcus Burton, and MTA CEO James Selka.

Close collaboration
As president of the MTA, Mr Lane will champion the association’s mission to represent and advance the interests of UK manufacturing technology companies, collaborating closely with government, industry and research institutions, building on the legacy of outgoing president, Tony Bowkett.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to accept the presidency of the MTA at what is a critical time for UK manufacturing. The sector faces both significant challenges and opportunities. I look forward to working with member companies, stakeholders, and government to ensure that advanced manufacturing continues to flourish in the UK.”

James Selka, chief executive of the MTA, said: “Stewart brings to the role an exceptional breadth of experience across the technology spectrum. Having served on our Board since 2016, his understanding of both the technical and strategic dimensions of manufacturing positions him well to guide the Association forward.”

MTA members and industry partners have expressed strong support for Mr Lane’s appointment, recognising his leadership as timely and well aligned with the evolving needs of the sector.