News: Taiwanese takeover for award winning Rotherham firm
Government approval has been granted for the acquisition of Advanced Manufacturing (Sheffield) Ltd (AML) by Walsin Lihwa Europe.
Originally a spin-out from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield, AML is now recognised as a market leader in delivering flexible manufacturing capability at the leading edge of machining technologies and efficiencies, with particular expertise in aerospace, defence and energy components. Blue chip clients include Rolls-Royce and Siemens Energy.
The 100-strong team at Catcliffe in Rotherham was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2024.
Walsin Europe is set gain control of the qualifying entity by acquiring 38.8% of the shareholding in AML.
Walsin Lihwa is headquartered in Taiwain and is an industrial conglomerate with operations spanning wire & cable, stainless steel, and renewable energy. With over 20 production and sales sites across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and the U.S., Walsin products are widely used across industrial, automotive, oil and gas and consumer sectors. It acquired Sheffield-based Special Melted Products Ltd through its subsidiary, Cogne Acciai Speciali S.p.A, in 2023.
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Following a detailed national security assessment, the latest deal was approved with a number of conditions. The parties must meet certain operational requirements, including restrictions on the location of AML’s precision engineering capabilities and a requirement to retain certain existing operational activity in the UK.
Issues over confidential information, intellectual property and data storage. AML must also employ a Chief Security Officer, who must oversee and ensure compliance.
The government said that the conditions were to mitigate the risks to national security relating to "the security of UK know-how and intellectual property relating to the precision engineering of gas turbine engine components, access to which could lead to an uplift in adversaries’ capabilities; and "an interruption to the continuity of supply of precision-machining capabilities to United Kingdom defence programmes."
AML's King's Award win was in the innovation category and relates to the precision manufacture of complex aerofoil geometries for jet engines. The process begins with raw aluminium alloy bars, or forgings, being inspected and measured by the manufacturer before shipping.
AML website
Images: AML
Originally a spin-out from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield, AML is now recognised as a market leader in delivering flexible manufacturing capability at the leading edge of machining technologies and efficiencies, with particular expertise in aerospace, defence and energy components. Blue chip clients include Rolls-Royce and Siemens Energy.
The 100-strong team at Catcliffe in Rotherham was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation in 2024.
Walsin Europe is set gain control of the qualifying entity by acquiring 38.8% of the shareholding in AML.
Walsin Lihwa is headquartered in Taiwain and is an industrial conglomerate with operations spanning wire & cable, stainless steel, and renewable energy. With over 20 production and sales sites across Greater China, Southeast Asia, and the U.S., Walsin products are widely used across industrial, automotive, oil and gas and consumer sectors. It acquired Sheffield-based Special Melted Products Ltd through its subsidiary, Cogne Acciai Speciali S.p.A, in 2023.
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Following a detailed national security assessment, the latest deal was approved with a number of conditions. The parties must meet certain operational requirements, including restrictions on the location of AML’s precision engineering capabilities and a requirement to retain certain existing operational activity in the UK.
Issues over confidential information, intellectual property and data storage. AML must also employ a Chief Security Officer, who must oversee and ensure compliance.
The government said that the conditions were to mitigate the risks to national security relating to "the security of UK know-how and intellectual property relating to the precision engineering of gas turbine engine components, access to which could lead to an uplift in adversaries’ capabilities; and "an interruption to the continuity of supply of precision-machining capabilities to United Kingdom defence programmes."
AML's King's Award win was in the innovation category and relates to the precision manufacture of complex aerofoil geometries for jet engines. The process begins with raw aluminium alloy bars, or forgings, being inspected and measured by the manufacturer before shipping.
AML website
Images: AML
1 comments:
A bit risky that I would have thought given the national security concerns. Can't see how any safeguards will be enforced.
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