Movetech UK added an element of excitement to the glitz and the glamour of Manchester's FlashMob Fashion event with a unique revolving catwalk.
The three-day event took place inside the city's Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre, showcasing a range of more than 1,000 garments and items available to fashion fans for Spring/Summer 2013.
To ensure that the high-profile event caught as much attention as possible, organisers Maynineteen called in Movetech UK to provide the rotating stage, located in Exchange Court, to carry the models and dancers.

Maynineteen marketing manager Jo Prosser said: "We organise lots and lots of fashion shows and there is a pressure to do something new and different each time.

"We needed something fun, but not gimmicky, and came up with the idea of the revolving stage. It worked really well, it drew in a lot of attention and gave the show the innovative edge we were hoping for.

It was all made possible by Movetech UK's Merlin turntable, which stands 4.5m in diameter and can carry up to 2,500kg. It earned it's name from it's discreet mechanisms which rotate objects ‘as if by magic' and it has been specially designed to be portable - easy to assemble and doesn't requiring floor fixings. The Merlin turntable is even suitable for use on-the-go, and can be powered from a car's 12v battery if required.

Of course, installing a large, rotating catwalk in a busy shopping centre could cause its own problems, but the Movetech UK equipment was installed in just a matter of hours, during a period when the Arndale Shopping Centre was closed to shoppers.

Jo added: "We're prohibited from setting up in shopping centres whilst they are open to the public for obvious safety reasons. Build time is limited and can be stressful but fortunately it was all very straightforward for the team to put together and was ready in plenty of time for the show."

Movetech UK's Technical Director David Houghton said: "The FlashMob Fashion show is one of the most glamorous projects we've been involved with.

"It was a test for us as we had to ensure that the dancers on board the turntable were perfectly safe as it operated, and we had a limited timeframe to install the equipment. These are the types of projects we enjoy tackling and the end result was really quite spectacular."

Plastics specialist MG Stuma has unveiled its new branding and relocation plan as part of its £1.7m investment for growth.
The company has acquired two new sites in Blackburn with Darwen and will now trade as MGS Technical Plastics Ltd and MGS Medical Plastics Ltd.

The sites allow the company to house separate and specialised medical and technical manufacturing facilities, as well as improving logistics and ease of access.

John Sturgess, director, said: "We've always had the latest injection moulding machinery, but the old mill we operated from had some logistical challenges - not least of all because we worked across three floors.
"Our new homes allow us to focus on what each department does best, with room for growth in the future. We see the medical side of our business especially as having great potential and now we are better prepared to capitalise on that."

MGS Medical Plastics moulds medical filtration products and disposable medical devices. The medical facility is a brand new, purpose-built site covering 1,000sq m, of which 250sq m is a Class 8 clean room that cost £90,000. It will allow full medical moulding, assembly and packing through six injection moulding machines, and also means that MGSMP can now work towards its ISO 13485 accreditation.

MGS Technical Plastics has moved into a 2,000sq m factory. It will house fifteen injection moulding machines which are will be used to mould a wide variety of products ranging in size from 1 gramme up to 3700 grammes. Typical sectors that MGSTP currently works with include hygiene, leisure and sports, and health and safety and lighting

John Sturgess continued: "We are delighted with our two new acquisitions, especially as they are not too far from our previous home in Bolton.
"The move gives us great cause for optimism and we are excited about the future."
Funding for the expansion plan was sourced by RBS throughout the Regional Growth Fund. MG Stuma currently employs around 70 people and was previously based in Bolton.


About MGS Medical Plastics and MGS Technical Plastics

MGS Medical Plastics and MGS Technical Plastics are the new names of MG Stuma, better reflecting the company's major product areas - plastic injection mouldings for medical and hygiene markets; and security, leisure, safety, lighting and electronics.

With hundreds of different injection moulded plastic products, it's hard to highlight ‘typical' products, but the company manufactures: roller towel housings, which it assembles for its clients, microwave steamers, hard plastic helmets for the building industry and white water rafting protective head gear, high-tech plastic components for military communication equipment and mass produced small plastic caps and filters.

Established in 1974, the family owned company has around 100 employees and a turnover of £6.5 million.