Manchester’s Henry Royce Institute is getting a £95m investment to develop “super-materials of the future.”
The announcement by newly installed Business Secretary Grant Shapps will be to develop products including 3D bio printing and robots for plastic recycling.
“R&D investment is a critical way to turbocharge Britain’s growth. Growing an economy fit for the future means harnessing the full potential of advanced materials, making science fiction a reality by supporting projects from regenerative medicine to robots developing new recycling capabilities, right across the country – including here in the heart of Manchester,” he stated.
“Today’s £95 million investment will do just that, bringing together the brightest minds across our businesses and institutions to help future-proof sectors from healthcare to nuclear energy.”
Advanced materials-related activity contributes around £14.4bn in gross value added to the UK economy.
The visit to the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester was Shapps’ first official trip since taking up his role at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The money comes via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and follows an initial £258m government investment made over the course of 5 years.
“Advanced materials are crucial to driving growth across our key industries, from energy and transport to health, and ensuring they are sustainable for the future,” added EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Dame Lynn Gladden.
“This funding will build on the success of the Henry Royce Institute so far, to unleash the potential of this transformative technology for the benefit of the economy and the environment.”
Professor David Knowles, Royce CEO added:
“Royce and its Partners across the UK, along with the advanced materials community, is very pleased to be able to confirm this Phase ll EPSRC funding.
“Innovation in advanced materials underpins a wider range of our industrial sectors and is fundamental to our economic growth.
“Our Partnership offers a unique combination of materials science expertise, state-of-the-art laboratories and fantastic collaboration spaces for the advanced materials community.
“As we enter our Phase ll operations we are focused now, more than ever, on working with the community to identify the key challenges and opportunities ahead of us, and supporting the translation of innovative research into the viable products and systems needed to ensure a sustainable future for us all.”
