The inaugural Motion Control Industry Awards – produced by Touchwave Media in association with the UK Motion Control Alliance (UK MCA) – took place at the National Conference Centre (formally known as the National Motorcycle Museum) on the evening of Tuesday 12 April 2016. Supported by some of the biggest names in the motion control arena, and with 250 people in attendance, the event has been heralded a great success by all those involved.
The evening commenced with a Drinks Reception, sponsored by Bosch Rexroth, with guests being invited through to enjoy a four-course dinner at 8.00pm. The event was formally opened with a Welcome Address given by Andy Jones, President of British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), and Chris Buxton, CEO of the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), incorporating the British Fluid Power Distributors Association (BFPDA). They took the opportunity to offer some background on the formation of the UK Motion Control Alliance, and the awards programme which was one of the first initiatives to be born out of its creation.
Event host, comedian and writer Simon Evans, took to the stage directly after dinner for a bout of entertainment before launching into the main awards ceremony. This was followed by some further networking in the bar, where guests enjoyed a fun casino into the small hours.
Industry reaction
Commenting on the overall reaction to this new awards programme and presentation dinner, Chris Buxton, CEO at the BFPA said: “As one of the founding Stakeholders in this initiative, we are delighted with the support shown by our Sponsors and Media Partners. Their belief, confidence and commitment, enabled this industry wide awards programme to be developed, and bolstered by that engagement, we have come through on our promise to deliver a truly wonderful evening of reward and celebration for our industry.” He added: “The awards ceremony was a fitting conclusion to the year-long programme of activity, with the response from all those attending being extremely complimentary.”
This view was supported by Steve Brambley, Director of Public Affairs at GAMBICA who said: “GAMBICA is delighted to have been a sponsor for the Motion Control Industry Awards. It was inspiring to participate in such a positive celebration of innovation and achievement and above all to recognise the people who make it all happen.”
Further endorsement came from Martin Eldridge, General Manager at Parker UK, who said of the awards: “The MCI Awards illustrated the potential of our industry to collaborate for the greater good. In an increasingly competitive global environment, the industry’s future success will rely on our ability to develop a pipeline of talented people to drive business forward, and create an environment where they can collaborate effectively.” He added, “Parker and The JCB Academy were delighted to be recognised for our collaboration on the fluid power training facility, which is aimed at inspiring young people to a career in the motion control industry.”
Vanda Jones, Executive Director at BCAS added: “The awards evening was a perfect way to celebrate all that is good in our industry and to acknowledge some of its achievements. Feedback from our members has been excellent with particular reference being made to the exceptional venue, the beautiful meal, the superb audio visual presentation, and to witnessing the sheer delight of those being called up on stage to receive their awards.”
She added: “It was great to see the lifeblood of our industry being recognised too, with the ‘Young Engineer of the Year’ category providing a good indication as to why a career in the motion control industry should be considered for budding engineers of the future. I am sure the event will be an even bigger success next year with members already asking how they can become finalists, or better still, secure the accolade of category winner. A very successful inaugural event and BCAS now very much look forward the next MCI awards event.”
Award categories – sponsors, finalists and winners
The following list details each of the award categories and their respective sponsors, with a breakdown of all of the finalists and winners.
Technical Innovation of the Year
Sponsored by: Beko Technologies
Presenter: Martin Potter, General Manager
- ABB Air Gap Inspector. Lenze Smart Motor. Phoenix Contact PSR Mini Safety Relays.
- Pirtek Fluid Power Glove.
- Rockwell Automation iTRAK System.
- Webtec Products Portable Hydraulic Tester (DHM 4 Series) with Bluetooth and QuickCert App.
Winner: Rockwell Automation iTRAK System
Environmental/Energy Efficiency Award
Sponsored by: GAMBICA
Presenter: Graeme Philp, Chief Executive
- Bosch Rexroth Sytronix.
- Danfoss Drives FC 103 VLT Refrigeration Drive.
- Danfoss Drives for generating surplus power from wastewater treatment.
- Donaldson Filtration for significant energy savings with heat generated HRS 2750 (Enersave).
- Hydrovane TO2 Transit Compressor. Ing. Enea Mattei SpA Xpander.
Winner: Danfoss Drives for generating surplus power from wastewater treatment.
Project of the Year
Sponsored by: ABB
Presenter: David Hawley, LBU Manager, Motors & Generators
- Danfoss Drives for generating surplus power from wastewater treatment.
- Mattei Compressors for supplying reliable, flexible and highly energy efficient compressed air to the CEMEX South Ferriby site.
- Wrekin Pneumatics for building and installing chiller units and heat exchangers.
Winner: Mattei Compressors for supplying reliable, flexible and highly energy efficient compressed air to the CEMEX South Ferriby site.
Manufacturer of the Year
Sponsored by: Hydraulics & Pneumatics Magazine
Presenter: Ryan Fuller, Commercial Director
- Kawasaki Precision Machinery.
Winner: PI
Distributor of the Year
Sponsored by: Beaumanor Engineering
Presenter: Adrian McGreevy, Managing Director
- Oddy Hydraulics.
- Wrekin Pneumatics.
Winner: Brammer
Contribution to Skills & Training
Sponsored by: Bosch Rexroth
Presenter: Alastair Johnstone, Managing Director
- Greg Bordiak, British Compressed Air Society (BCAS).
- Kawasaki Precision Machinery.
- Parker Hannifin and The JCB Academy for the new hydraulic engineering training facility.
Winner: Parker Hannifin and The JCB Academy for the new hydraulic engineering training facility.
Young MC Engineer of the Year
Sponsored by: Parker Hannifin
Presenter: Martin Eldridge, General Manager
- Ashley Paley, Countersales UK.
- William Broome, Derek Lane & Co.
- Graham Fick, Zikodrive Motor Controllers.
Winner: William Broome, Derek Lane & Co.
Lifetime Contribution
Sponsored by: BCAS
Presenter: Vanda Jones, Executive Director
Winner: Greg Bordiak, BCAS.
Lifetime Contribution
Sponsored by: BFPA
Presenter: Paul Dunlop, President
Winner: John Savage, National Fluid Power Centre (NFPC).
Full details on each winner and a gallery of the photographs taken on the night are available on the dedicated awards website – www.mcia-awards.co.uk.
Andrew Castle of Touchwave Media, who headed up the organising team, commented: “Having spent the best part of a year planning and promoting the inaugural Motion Control Industry Awards, we were delighted with both the attendance on the night and the overall reaction to the awards ceremony. The response from all those involved has been excellent, ensuring that we now have a strong mandate to produce the awards on an annual basis.”
He continued: “Our congratulations must go to all of the finalists, and of course to the eventual category winners, all of whom are richly deserving of the accolade. It was a pleasure to see some of the MCIA trophies and certificates on display at the co-located exhibitions throughout the week, which will no doubt have helped to encourage others to prepare and submit entries for the 2017 awards programme. Of course, the support and commitment of our sponsors must also be acknowledged; without whom an awards programme of this type would not be possible”.
Further details
For more information, visit the website – https://mci-awards.com or call Andrew Castle at Touchwave Media on 07785 290034. ([email protected]).
