Newly elected mayor of Limerick John Moran was one of more than 1,000 people to have attended Ireland’s largest Irish-UK collaborative manufacturing event, which was held at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) newly opened Coonagh Campus – just hours after he was elected as Limerick’s first citizen.
Organised by the UK manufacturing supply chain trade association, the *GTMA, and TUS, Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2024 showcased the latest advancements in precision manufacturing and included 90 exhibitors from the UK and Ireland.
With half of the exhibitors travelling from the UK, Manufacturing Solutions Ireland has captured the imagination and support of both the Irish and UK Government since its first event in 2016, attracting visits from the British Ambassador to Ireland and Irish Government Ministers.
During his first day as first citizen of Limerick, newly elected Mayor John Moran visited the Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2024 at the newly opened Technological University of there Shannon (TUS) Coonagh Campus. Picture: Alan Place
GTMA Manager David Beattie said, “The strong working relationship between the GTMA and TUS has resulted in an event that began as a conduit for opening up new possibilities within the supply chain to customers and suppliers, to becoming an annual event that is advancing stronger trading relationships between Ireland and the UK. The GTMA is delighted to bring our members to Limerick every year for this event, and it has now become one of the main events on our members calendars.”
Welcoming visitors to the 2024 event at the new €27.5 million campus on the northside of Limerick city President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane, highlighted the campus’s role in expanding engineering education and research in the region.
“The first phase of the Coonagh Campus is designed to drive the expansion of engineering education and research, providing new workshops and laboratories for students, apprentices and researchers. Hosting Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2024 in this 5,819 square metre building in Coonagh underscores TUS’s strong connection with industry and the local economy. It is fitting then, that an event like Manufacturing Solutions, built on the strong working relationship of almost a decade between TUS and the GTMA and supported by the Precision Turned Parts Manufacturers Association of Ireland (PTMA) should be one of the first major events to be held on our new campus.”
Pictured at the Manufacturing Solutions Ireland 2024: Howard Bamforth, MTT with John Tomkins and Derek Rothwell, Waterford and Wexford ETB. Picture: Alan Place
This year, the incorporation of the student-focused Interdisciplinary Engineering Research Review (IERR) conference, added a unique dimension to the event with 60 poster presentations and thesis providing a platform for students to showcase their research and innovations and ongoing engagement with industry. Additionally, the TUS F1 Concept Car team and Trinity College Dublin F1 Concept Cars were showcased, demonstrating cutting-edge engineering and design in action.
Dr Lisa Henihan Editor in Chief of the IERR journal and conference said, “The IERR conference was designed to serve as a hub for interdisciplinary engineering, providing a dedicated space for research, industry, and education to drive collaboration for both students and staff. It encourages support for early researchers by offering a platform to disseminate their work and to foster continued collaboration and innovation, building on the momentum generated by this conference.”
Manufacturing Solutions also attracted international guest speakers and panelist including Professor Tony Schmitz from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and industry leaders from the region and country.
