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Construction starts on AMRC North West in Lancashire
Lancashire will be a leader in manufacturing innovation and sustainable economic growth, the UK’s regional growth minister said as he welcomed construction starting on the £20m University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in the North West of England.
The flagship facility is being built using a £20m grant from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal and extends the University of Sheffield AMRC’s footprint across the north. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a turf cutting will be held virtually bringing together key figures involved in the major development.
Luke Hall, Minister of State for Regional Growth and Local Government, made the comments to mark the first steps in building the 4,500m2 applied research centre at the heart of the Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone in Preston, Lancashire.
Construction has started on the £20m University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Lancashire / Picture: AMRC
Steve Foxley, CEO, University of Sheffield AMRC, said: “We’ve taken another huge stride in realising our vision to make things better, for Lancashire and for the North,” he said. “This state-of-the-art facility will keep the Lancashire region at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and technologies and support its businesses to innovate and drive up productivity, leading industry towards a green recovery and a smart, sustainable and resilient future.”
Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, added: “The University of Sheffield AMRC has a long history of driving manufacturing and productivity growth in the Sheffield City Region and we’re really proud to be sharing our world-leading expertise and experience in Lancashire.
“AMRC North West is already having a significant impact in supporting businesses to innovate and strengthened by this new facility, will be a beacon for innovation and advanced manufacturing across the north. It is collaborations like this that will be crucial to levelling up the regions and supporting the country’s post-Covid recovery.”
Even before the first spade hit the dirt for the new facility, the creation of a high-performing technical R&D team at AMRC North West is already having impact, having supported more than 100 small and medium sized firms across the region in the first year, and the recent announcement of a £10m funding win to put Lancashire and North West manufacturing at the cutting edge of 5G technology with the 5G-Factory of the Future programme. Led by AMRC North West, the programme will develop a 5G industrial testbed to unlock the potential of industrial digitalisation and improve the performance of manufacturers across the North of England.
James Hughes, Research Director for AMRC North West, concluded: “It is hugely exciting for everyone involved in the AMRC North West project to see our new facility becoming a reality. This new state-of-the-art building will really enable us to showcase the cutting-edge R&D we are conducting in advanced manufacturing. We are looking forward to supporting the region’s manufacturers with innovative solutions to their manufacturing challenges and welcome them to come and visit us, to see it in action for themselves.”
Robertson, one of the largest family-owned construction, infrastructure and support services businesses in the UK, was awarded the £11m construction contract for AMRC North West. Alongside Robertson, a full design team is in place, including Cartwright Pickard Architects, Curtins Engineers, Arup, Gardiner and Theobald, and Rex Procter and Partners. Work is expected to complete during the second half of 2021.
Currently operating from an interim facility provided by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in the centre of Preston, the AMRC North West team’s permanent new home will be a gateway development on the Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone which is part of the wider Lancashire Advanced Manufacturing and Energy Cluster.
The cutting-edge research centre will combine modern office workspace with a flexible high-tech workshop facility and a triple-height atrium will form the social hub of the office space where occupants can interact and exchange ideas. A ‘social heart’ space will overlook the workshop where innovation-led R&D will be carried out with a focus on digital and additive manufacturing, vehicle electrification, battery assembly and lightweighting technologies.