INDUSTRY NEWS
Merlin helicopter.
L-R: Brad Walton( Unison Ltd), Shane Lovett( Leonardo) and Luke Gibson( Unison Ltd) alongside the EvBend 1000 tube bending machine.
Tube bender for Merlin maintenance
A manually operated, CNC-controlled tubebending machine from Unison Ltd is set to assist Leonardo in ensuring the operational readiness of the AW101 Merlin helicopters based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall( UK). Yeovil-based Leonardo is the prime contractor for the UK Ministry of Defence’ s Integrated Merlin Operational Support( IMOS) programme. Leonardo is a global industrial group that builds technological capabilities in aerospace, defence and security. Installed in April 2025, the tubebending machine( a Unison EvBend 1000 model) will be used to bend aluminium and titanium tubing ranging from 6-18mm in diameter, with wall thicknesses from 0.5-1mm. Parts produced will be used in the aircraft’ s hydraulic systems.
“ Our support contract for Merlin helicopters requires us to respond promptly to all MRO requirements relating to the Culdrose fleet,” said Shane Lovett, Leonardo Technical Support Service Manager- IMOS.“ It’ s reassuring to know that, as a UK-based business, Unison will never be more than a phone call or short distance away, should we need assistance or support.”
“ Factory acceptance testing of Leonardo’ s new EvBend 1000 machine took place at our Scarborough-based, machine-tool manufacturing facility in March 2025, with installation at RNAS Culdrose a few weeks later. Simple to operate, with precision CNC control, the machine is already reducing the Culdrose team’ s reliance on external component suppliers,” added Unison Ltd.
In addition to the manually operated EvBend 1000, which is designed for bending tube of up to 16mm in diameter( 22mm in aluminium and copper), Unison Ltd also offers a larger machine; the EvBend 2000. Built to bend tube of up to 50mm in diameter, the EvBend 2000’ s bending function is servo-assisted. Both models feature a 15-inch, PC-based touchscreen controlled by a CNC that can process up to 100 bends per component, storing parts and connecting to CAD and most tube measurement systems. n
www
. uk. leonardo. com
www. unisonltd. com
Don’ t miss Global Industrie 2026 in Paris
The eighth edition of Global Industrie will be held from 30 March- 2 April 2026 in Paris( France), reaffirming its position as a major European industrial event. Global Industrie is France’ s largest industrial gathering. Each year, it brings together over 60,000 professionals, 2,500 exhibiting companies, 750 speakers and thousands of operating machines.
“ A true catalyst for ideas, innovation and cooperation, this major event brings together all key industry players— manufacturers, regions, federations, associations and economic and political leaders— for four days of inspiration, dialogue and action to shape the industry of tomorrow. Across 14 complementary sectors, Global Industrie will spotlight the interconnections between industrial technologies, creativity and the‘ Made in France’ movement,” said event organiser, GL Events Exhibitions Industries.
2026 event highlights will include a new Booster Area, designed to guide manufacturers towards“ immediately actionable solutions.” Its goal is to connect visitors with the right partners, identify quick responses to strategic
challenges and provide personalised support. The area will also feature short workshops, specialist meetings and dedicated stands.
“ At the heart of this set-up, a central hub will offer a guided pathway and a mapping of key players according to companies’ needs— research, funding / investment, international development, skills and consultancy— structured around five thematic clusters within the‘ Booster’ space. Surrounding this hub, twenty start-ups will showcase operational solutions addressing current industrial transformation challenges,” confirmed the show organiser.
A Digital Technologies Village will host companies offering solutions in AI; 5G; cybersecurity; data; edge cloud and digital twins. It will spotlight technologies transforming machine control; data collection; automation; data analysis and optimisation, and security enhancement.
“ After a successful debut in Lyon, the‘ Entrepôt Connecté’ by GI will invite visitors to the Paris event to experience a‘ warehouse of the future’, where technology revolutionises logistics and handling. The exhibition will feature optimised workstations for order preparation, tools to visualise real-time performance indicators and solutions to improve ergonomics and workplace safety. A special area will also showcase the latest innovations in robotics and logistics that are shaping the factories and warehouses of the future,” concluded the show organiser. n
www
. global-industrie. com / en
16 | ismr. net | ISMR December 2025 / January 2026