New R&D facility to help level-up the Northwest

The University of Sheffield has opened a new research and development facility which they claim could boost UK manufacturing and attract jobs to the Lancashire region.

The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Northwest is based on a model for academic and industry collaboration that has driven innovation and attracted major investment into South Yorkshire.

New facility will focus on advanced manufacturing sectors including aerospace, digital manufacturing, clean energy technologies and additive manufacturing.

Close to a BAE Systems facility, the AMRC Northwest has already been described by local leaders as a ‘game changer’ for the economy of the region, and will play a key role in helping businesses grow, creating high value jobs, closing the skills gap and helping level-up the region.

This model for academic and industry collaboration at the University of Sheffield AMRC, a facility on the border of Sheffield and Rotherham, played a role in attracting Boeing to open its first European production facility in South Yorkshire and supercar manufacturer McLaren to open a new manufacturing facility in the region. It’s hoped the AMRC Northwest can help to attract similar investment to Lancashire whilst also supporting existing businesses in the region, from SMEs to some of the world’s biggest manufacturers.

The new facility will be an open-access technology demonstrator, a 5G testbed, and will set the standard for low carbon smart factories to drive inward investment to the region.

The AMRC Northwest has been operating from an interim facility provided by the University of Central Lancashire in the centre of Preston since forming in 2018.

Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, says, ‘By bringing translational research to the doorstep of existing and new industry we can help to boost productivity and attract more investment to Lancashire. We have a strong 20-year history of working with manufacturers of all sizes to develop greener, more efficient products and processes. We look forward to working with our partners in Lancashire to support the region’s economic growth.’