Rotherham, UK-based engineering consultancy Bennett Associates has strengthened its senior design team with the appointment of Julian Bonfield, one of the UK's leading specialists in the design of heavy-duty mechanical handling equipment, as a principal consultant. Bonfield, a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, joins the company after 22 years with Butterley, including the last five years as technical director, where he worked on major projects for clients such as British Nuclear Fuels, Corus Steel, British Waterways, Blue Circle Industries, British Coal, British Energy and Associated British Ports. He started his career with the David Brown Corporation in Huddersfield and also worked for Ruston Bucyrus in Lincoln for six years.

Bennett Associates has recently been appointed by Airbus to design the mechanical handling equipment for the new A350 Composite Manufacturing Centre, having already been similarly involved in the A380 'super-jumbo'.

Other major projects included the Falkirk Wheel boat lift, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and the Channel Tunnel.

In 2004 the company was awarded a Gold Medal by the Institute of Materials for its work on the Airbus A380.