UK government invests £70 million in manufacturing research centres

19 January 2010

The first three state of the art manufacturing research centres funded under a new £70m Government investment will be based at Southampton, Loughborough and Brunel universities.

The funds will help UK businesses develop the technology products of the future and underpin manufacturing growth, according to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

The three new Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) centres will focus research efforts in the fields of:

  •  photonics (the science and application of light using optical fibres to revolutionise the internet and telecommunications) at Southampton University;
  •  regenerative medicine (therapies to enable damaged, diseased or defective tissues to work normally again) at Loughborough University; and
  •  liquid metals (developing innovative technologies for the reuse and recycling of metal) at Brunel University.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “A highly skilled, innovative manufacturing sector is vital to Britain’s future economic growth. This £70m of Government funding will see universities and businesses working together to commercialise academic research. Southampton University has turned academic research into products that are used to navigate airliners, power the internet and manufacture your iPhone. With more investment to bring these two sectors together we can strengthen our future innovation and growth.”

Professor David Delpy, Chief Executive of EPSRC, the UK’s largest government funding agency for engineering and physical sciences research and postgraduate skills, said: “EPSRC’s new manufacturing centres will focus on areas of pioneering research that has the potential to create new industries and new jobs for the UK.

“They will save lives through advances in regenerative medicine, develop recycled forms of metal which are environmentally friendly, and harness light to revolutionise the internet and telecommunications.

“UK research in photonics has changed all our lives, allowing us to navigate airliners, power the internet, manufacture your iPhone, sculpt medical devices, and keep us safe from attack.”

These three new centres are the first in a £70m investment EPSRC will make in this area over the next year, also attracting industry partners and investment. They centres will each focus on a key growth sector:

EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Photonics University of Southampton

  •  This centre will work with industry to develop the next generation of optical fibre materials and technology platforms, train a new generation of engineers and fuel growth in photonics-related manufacturing.
  •  Investment from EPSRC will total £4.7 million over a five-year period starting in March and 13 industrial partners will contribute a further £4.6 million.

EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative Medicine Loughborough University

  •  This centre will carry out world-leading research, test and implement ideas in clinical and industrial settings, create next generation platforms for manufacturing regenerative medicines and inform business models, policy and public debate.
  •  Investment from EPSRC will total £5.3m over a five-year period starting in September and 28 industrial and government partners will contribute a further £3m.
  •  Partner universities are Nottingham and Keele.

EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Liquid Metal Engineering
Brunel University (London)

  •  This centre will work with industrial partners to develop innovative technologies for the reuse and recycling of metal. This will lead to substantial conservation of natural resources, reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
  •  Investment from EPSRC will total £4.5m over a five-year period starting in February and 15 industrial partners will contribute a further £4.6m.
  •  Partner universities are Oxford and Birmingham.

 

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