HME - for Design Technology

HME - for Design Technology HME are market leaders in supply of quality Design Technology & Engineering equipment in education This includes maintenance and safety checks including LEV.

HME is a family business, based in Bromsgrove in the heart of England, which was founded in 1984. Over the past three decades HME have been dedicated to the educational market place and have developed into the leading quality supplier and installer of Design & Technology wood, metal, plastics, systems control, 3D printers, mechatronics, hand tools, consumables and renewables including Science equi

pment for schools to name a few. The HME name is renowned for its quality in such services, and the follow up services that we provide to ensure the longevity of such equipment. We offer service and maintenance to current health and safety legislation standards. This service includes those for woodworking, metalworking, and technology apparatus for education including the quality Union range of workshop machines. HME also offers these services to international schools and educational establishments. Our activities include UK Government initiatives in building new and refurbishing schools, Academies and private educational establishments with expanding service to Primary and the higher University Technical Colleges arena. HME Technology also operates in the industrial sector supplying workshops for service and maintenance on site. HME are in partnership with the Imagineering Foundation, introducing young people of 8-16 years to the world of engineering, science and technology through fun, hands-on activities and clubs. The company engages in regular consultation and debate with government and educational bodies to progress “engineering for education” in the UK and strongly believes in education producing “an immediately employable talented UK workforce” at all levels of their career. HME is a member of the British Educational Suppliers Association, which is a guide to an assured policy that all products are good quality, safe and suitable for its intended use and comply with current British and EEC Safety Regulations. Other memberships include the Design And Technology Association (DATA), Contractors Health And Safety (CHAS), The National Association of Advisors & Inspectors in Design and Technology corporate members and Engineering Training Equipment Manufacturers Association of the UK. HME is also GasSafe Registered; Local Exhaust Ventilation qualified and has ISO9001:2008 QA accreditation in all undertakings. Also, as an ISO9001:2008 QA accredited organisation, HME employs the latest computer and accounting softwares, providing accurate and timely management information. The company has a legacy division called LinemannVSR, promoting flow solutions within the bulk solids materials handling for sector worldwide.

One of the most rewarding things about practical education has very little to do with the finished project.It is the cha...
24/06/2026

One of the most rewarding things about practical education has very little to do with the finished project.

It is the change you see in the student.

Many young people walk into a workshop believing they are not particularly practical.

Some are hesitant to try something new.

Others worry about making mistakes.

Then something shifts.

They learn a new skill.

They overcome a challenge.

They create something they never thought they could make.

The project itself is important, but the confidence gained along the way is often the real achievement.

That confidence doesn't stay in the workshop.

It follows them into interviews.

Into apprenticeships.

Into careers.

And sometimes into opportunities they may never have considered before.

A finished project can be measured in millimetres.

The confidence it creates can shape an entire future.

The more advanced AI becomes, the more valuable some human skills seem to get.Will AI change education?The answer is alm...
22/06/2026

The more advanced AI becomes, the more valuable some human skills seem to get.

Will AI change education?

The answer is almost certainly yes.

But there is another question that interests me more.

What are the skills that AI cannot replace?

A student can ask AI to generate ideas.

They can ask it to explain a concept.

They can even ask it to help solve a problem.

What AI cannot do is teach the feeling that comes from working through a challenge with your own hands.

It cannot replace the resilience built when something doesn't work the first time.

It cannot recreate the confidence that comes from turning an idea into something real.

That is one of the reasons Design and Technology remains so important.

Students are not just learning how to make things.

They are learning how to think, adapt, solve problems, and keep going when the answer is not immediately obvious.

Those qualities will matter just as much in the future as they do today.

Perhaps even more.

As technology continues to evolve, practical skills and human capability may become even more valuable than we realise.

Everyone is talking about what AI can do.It can write reports, analyse data, summarise information, automate processes, ...
19/06/2026

Everyone is talking about what AI can do.

It can write reports, analyse data, summarise information, automate processes, and help organisations work more efficiently. The pace of development is remarkable, and there is no doubt that AI will continue to change the way we work.

What interests me just as much, however, is what AI cannot do.

AI cannot walk into a workshop and notice that something doesn't sound quite right. It cannot spot damaged ducting that has gradually become part of the background. It cannot physically test an LEV system to verify that it is performing as intended and protecting the people who rely on it every day.

Technology is becoming more capable.

Human expertise is becoming more valuable.

The organisations that get the best results will not be those that choose between AI and people. They will be the ones that combine powerful technology with skilled professionals who know what to look for, what questions to ask, and when something simply doesn't feel right.

Some responsibilities still require experience, judgement, and a physical presence.

LEV is one of them.

If LEV responsibility sits with you or your team, I'd be interested to hear how you're managing inspections, testing, and ongoing compliance across your sites.

I regularly speak with schools, colleges, and trusts that are looking to keep things consistent without adding unnecessary complexity.

Feel free to send me a message or book a conversation if you'd like to compare approaches, discuss any challenges, or get a fresh perspective on your current LEV arrangements.

The most dangerous workshop risk is often the one everyone assumes is under control.Last week, I spent time supporting A...
17/06/2026

The most dangerous workshop risk is often the one everyone assumes is under control.

Last week, I spent time supporting Age UK's Men in Sheds initiative with inspection and LEV testing.

These workshops are fantastic.

People come together to learn new skills, build projects, repair items, share knowledge, and most importantly, stay connected.

But walking into spaces like these always reminds me of something...

Risk doesn't care whether you're a large manufacturer, a college, or a community group.

Wood dust is still wood dust.

Fumes are still fumes.

Airborne contaminants still affect people's health.

The difference is that community workshops often grow organically over many years.

Machines get added.

Extraction systems get adapted.

New activities are introduced.

And somewhere along the way, people assume everything is still working as intended.

That's the point where problems can start.

Because an extraction system can be running...

It can be making all the right noises...

It can even look perfectly fine...

Yet still fail to provide the level of protection people think it is.

I've seen workshops where everyone believed they were protected, only for testing to reveal performance issues that nobody knew existed.

Not because anyone was negligent.

Simply because nobody had checked.

That's why I always say:

You can't manage what you only assume.

Whether it's a commercial workshop, educational facility, charity project, makerspace, or community shed, the principle is the same.

If people are relying on extraction to protect their health, confidence isn't enough.

Verification matters.

If you're unsure whether your LEV system is performing as it should, drop me a message.

I'm always happy to have a conversation about your setup, identify any potential risks, and help you understand what good compliance looks like before small issues become bigger ones.

I'm curious...

When was the last time your extraction system was actually tested and measured, rather than simply assumed to be working?

And for those involved in workshops or manufacturing environments...

What do you think is the most overlooked safety risk people become blind to over time?

15/06/2026

This tutorial, presented by Rowan from HME Logistics, provides a clear, step-by-step guide to using a CNC router tutorial.

The video walks viewers through the entire process, starting with design and tool path creation in Vectric VCarve software.

Sometimes innovation is not about reinventing a machine.It is about looking at a proven piece of equipment and asking, "...
05/06/2026

Sometimes innovation is not about reinventing a machine.

It is about looking at a proven piece of equipment and asking, "How can we make it work better?"

This bandsaw is a great example. By integrating it with a dust collection system, we created a more compact solution that saves valuable workshop space while supporting cleaner and safer working environments.

For schools, colleges, and training centres where every square metre matters, small design improvements can make a big difference.

Built and assembled in the UK under the UNION brand, it combines practicality, compliance, and reliability in a solution designed for the people who use it every day.

Just helping the hands that build. 👷‍♂️🔧

When equipment is purchased for education or training environments, the cheapest option is rarely the most economical in...
03/06/2026

When equipment is purchased for education or training environments, the cheapest option is rarely the most economical in the long run.

Many organisations face the challenge of balancing budget, reliability, safety, and longevity.

That is one reason the UNION range has remained a trusted name for decades.

Built in Britain and designed specifically for education and training, UNION machines are known for their durability, dependable performance, and long service life. Rather than becoming a short term purchase, they become a long term asset.

The HME2038 Integrated Dust Collector continues that tradition, helping create cleaner, safer working environments while delivering the reliability that workshops, colleges, training centres, and industry have come to expect.

Some equipment is bought to do a job.

Some equipment is built to keep doing it for years to come.

There’s still something powerful about creating something with your own hands.Technology changes.That feeling doesn’t.
29/05/2026

There’s still something powerful about creating something with your own hands.

Technology changes.

That feeling doesn’t.

One manufacturing site contacted us after an employee raised concerns about persistent headaches on the workshop floor.M...
25/05/2026

One manufacturing site contacted us after an employee raised concerns about persistent headaches on the workshop floor.

Management were confused.

The extraction system was running.

The machines were operational.

Nothing looked wrong.

In fact, they were convinced the issue had to be unrelated to air quality because the LEV system had “always worked fine.”

When testing began, the real picture appeared.

Several extraction points were underperforming.

One duct section had significant leakage.

Airflow readings in critical areas had dropped far below effective capture levels.

The system had not suddenly failed overnight.

It had slowly deteriorated over years while everyone assumed it was still doing its job.

That is the difficult thing about LEV systems.

Problems often stay invisible until someone notices the impact on people.

After corrective work and proper testing, airflow performance was restored and the site finally had confidence that the system was actually protecting staff again.

A lot of businesses see LEV testing as another compliance exercise.

The reality is that it is often the only thing standing between “everything seems fine” and discovering a serious long term risk too late.

We help schools, manufacturers, engineering facilities, and industrial workplaces meet their legal obligations without overcomplicating the process.

If you want to sense check your current LEV situation, DM me.

A factory manager once told me:“We passed inspection last year, so we should be fine.”I asked him:“When was the last tim...
20/05/2026

A factory manager once told me:

“We passed inspection last year, so we should be fine.”

I asked him:

“When was the last time anyone actually checked airflow performance at the source?”

Silence.

Then came the uncomfortable part.

“How many employees are exposed to welding fumes every day?”

“About 40.”

“And how do you know the extraction is still protecting them properly?”

“We clean the filters regularly.”

That’s the moment it hit him.

Most companies think LEV systems are like fire extinguishers.

Install them once. Tick the box. Forget about them.

But LEV systems quietly degrade over time.

Airflow drops.

Capture efficiency weakens.

Ducting leaks.

Filters clog.

Extraction arms get repositioned and never put back correctly.

From the outside, everything still looks operational.

Meanwhile, the people standing closest to the process are breathing in what the system was supposed to remove.

That is usually when companies realise LEV testing is not just about compliance.

It is about knowing whether the protection people rely on is actually working.

We have been helping schools, manufacturers, engineering firms, and industrial workplaces meet their legal obligations while making the process simpler, faster, and more cost effective.

Sometimes the most dangerous systems are the ones everyone assumes are working.

DM me if you want a straightforward conversation about your LEV setup.

Address

HME Group, Priory House Saxon Park, Stoke Prior
Bromsgrove
B604AD

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 5pm
Thursday 7:30am - 5pm
Friday 7:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+441527839000

Website

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