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Research & Innovation

Research That Actually Means Something

Most industry research is written for people who already agree with the conclusion.

GoSmarter covers academic research, industry studies, and data-backed analysis that is relevant to metals manufacturers. The question is always the same: does this help a production manager make a better decision?

Topics include:

  • AI adoption in manufacturing: what the adoption data shows, not what vendors claim
  • Scrap reduction and yield research: measured outcomes from real facilities
  • Workforce and skills studies: the human side of automation
  • Industry 4.0 implementation research: what separates the pilot projects from the deployments that stick
  • Environmental impact studies: scope 1 and 2 emissions in metals production

Where research findings have direct implications for how GoSmarter builds its tools, that is noted explicitly. Where the evidence is mixed or the sample sizes are small, that is noted too.

Good decisions come from clear data. That is what these posts aim to deliver.

UK Rebar Sizes: Stop Googling the Same Chart Every Time

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Mar 4, 2026
  • Updated

Stop Googling the same rebar weight tables every time. Here’s every standard UK reinforcing bar size, weight per metre, and cross-sectional area in one place — plus the maths behind it.

The EU Just Slashed CSRD Scope by 90%. What It Means for Metals Manufacturers

  • GoSmarter AI
  • Blog
  • Feb 25, 2026
  • Updated

The EU’s Omnibus I package wipes CSRD obligations for 90% of companies. Here’s what metals manufacturers need to know and what hasn’t changed.

Germany allocates €322m for Salzgitter's hydrogen steel project

  • Ruth Kearney
  • Blog
  • Feb 25, 2026
  • Updated

Germany confirms €322m additional funding for Salzgitter’s Salcos hydrogen steel project after delays.

The Middle East is getting serious about steel education

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Feb 20, 2026
  • Updated

Metal Park and the World Steel Association are building a real talent pipeline in the Middle East — and they’re not messing about.

Norwegian Green Steel Group In the Running to Buy Collapsed UK Producer

  • Ruth Kearney
  • Blog
  • Feb 20, 2026
  • Updated

Blastr wants to pick up Speciality Steels UK’s bones — and maybe move its HQ to Britain in the process.

Nightingale HQ joins forces with King’s College London

  • Ruth Kearney
  • News
  • Sep 30, 2025
  • Updated

Nightingale HQ joins forces with AI faculty at King’s College London.

Best GreenTech Finalist at Wales Technology Award

  • Ruth Kearney
  • News
  • Sep 22, 2025
  • Updated

We’re proud to be finalists in this year’s Wales Technology Awards in the Best GreenTech category, and to be part of a community of innovators from across Wales.

Highlights from UK Metals Expo 2025

  • Ruth Kearney
  • News
  • Sep 22, 2025
  • Updated

Nightingale HQ team join the metals community at UK Metals Expo 2025. CEO Ruth Kearney shares her highlights.

CBAM Explained: The Financial Case for Cutting Scrap

The steel industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonise, with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) set to become a decisive factor by 2026. Scrap is no longer just a production inefficiency it directly increases reported emissions and carbon costs. For Finance and Sustainability Managers, reducing scrap is now central to meeting carbon targets and protecting margins.

Smart Cuts, Less Scrap: A 1D Cutting Stock Problem

In rebar manufacturing, scrap directly impacts profitability and sustainability, making efficient production essential. Mathematical optimisation, particularly the 1D Cutting Stock Problem, helps minimise waste by determining the most efficient way to cut raw steel bars into required lengths while reducing leftover material.