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The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers are accepting
applications for their 2012 Venture Prize. The Royal Society are also accepting nominations for a range of awards.
The ability of small businesses to borrow money is a key to economic growth, particularly in manufacturing and engineering. Government plans are in place to increase lending to businesses, but it is being questioned whether greater credit availability is actually allowing companies to borrow more.
A significant financial injection into training for small and medium sized businesses is expected to help the clay industry as the UK and world economy slows down.
By changing the fuels in kilns that fire heavy clay products, companies can reduce costs and benefit the environment. Gas, liquid petroleum gas, heavy oil and coal could, in part, or totally, be replaced by biomass and petrol coke.
Ceramic manufacturers are paying more attention to elements of production, namely the area around the kiln, that drain energy. Dyson Thermal Technologies have worked for five years to create Dylite, a cordierite alumina/silica/magnesia material that is half the weight of standard cordierite. This process reduces energy consumption leading to fuel savings and faster firing cycles increase kiln speed leading to greater throughput.
