Welcome to the new MMMA Website

As you can see the style is different, more interactive, more informative and easier to read. Along with our Members' CD we are projecting a more dynamic and modern image to the market place.

It is 2 years since the last introduction was written and time has flown by with the World continuing to change at a very fast pace. China is now a very dominant power in low cost, high volume manufacturing, whilst our manufacturing base has continued to decline. However, it is not all pessimism as there are many UK manufacturers, who are some of the best in the World and have invested in new technology and will continue to do so. MMMA members are there supplying this technology to our manufacturers, so it is important we maintain our strength in depth and do all we can to persuade UK companies to invest in the technology based metal forming equipment that we have to offer.

We are further enhancing the Association's image and reputation through our Website and I am pleased to see that many members now contribute their press material to this site. This allows all our site visitors to see how successful are members are. Importantly Editors now have the ability to download hi-resolution images, making it easier for them to extract and use the information available.

We continue to see articles about the MMMA and its members in the Trade and Technical Press; we have new Council members, whilst METCOM has successfully undertaken work as our secretariat. These are all factors that help keep the MMMA to the forefront of UK manufacturing.

We continue to welcome new members and I want to ensure that the MMMA continues to grow and become even more recognised within the Metalforming Industry. New members are always welcome.

As I have said before, as a nation, we are still having to deal with increasing competition from low labour cost countries, especially in China and Eastern Europe as the EC continues to expand. We still have little or no creative support from our Government. I don't know why! I see other European countries with higher social costs than us, still having excellent metal forming and working machine manufacturers, yet we seem unable to sustain this kind of business. To think that under 100 years ago we were the cradle of industrialisation. Maybe we did not look forward enough; we spent too much reminiscing about how things used to be!

Over 60% of this country's exports are made up of manufactured goods, so manufacturing is a major wealth generator and we should expect more constructive Government support. We will continue to support our members through the lobbying of ministers and government departments through METCOM.

We live in uncertain times, but I am positive that UK manufacturing is starting to find its feet. The signs are there in highly specialised products offering short runs, fast deliveries and where a high degree of development and expertise is required. But this will only be successful with the use of high technology equipment.

The Association continues to target end-users, so that they are aware of who we are and importantly to get them to specify our members when purchasing metal forming machinery or tooling. The end user needs to know he will be guaranteed:
                                           - First class products
                                           - First class product support
                                           - First class customer service

METCOM provides us with a link between the UK Metal and Mechanical Engineering sector, Her Majesty's Government and increasingly with the Organisations of the European Union and it is therefore vital that we as an Association play a pivotal role within METCOM.

Enjoy the site and if you have any proposals on how you feel it could be made even better, please let me know and I will look into it.

Ian Kimberley
MMMA Chairman