
The UK’s only Advanced Manufacturing Park is one of the world’s leading hubs
for research and development, innovation, manufacturing, engineering and
technologies in advanced manufacturing and materials.
It is making Britain a leading global player in a wide range of activities -
aircraft are flying cleaner and more fuel-efficiently, surgeons are improving
reconstructive surgery…and some of Britain’s top bobsleigh athletes are
competing for and winning medals.
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The Park is in the Yorkshire borough of Rotherham, at the geographical heart of
the UK. But it is not just a Yorkshire, or even UK, success story and resource
for industry. It is a flag-carrier for a wide range of the best of international
talents and co-operation.
Globally recognised names are involved on the 100-acre site. Partnering some of
the best brains at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research
Centre (AMRC) with Boeing are Rolls-Royce, Messier Dowty and other less publicly
recognised names that are nonetheless massive in their field, such as equipment
manufacturer Mori Seiki.
A major step forward in that £60 million international collaboration was the
AMRC’s striking Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future. |
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Swedish-owned Dormer Tools has brought its innovative manufacturing skills to
the Park. The Welding Institute’s TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire), and
Castings Technology International (Cti), are among the research and development
operations spreading knowledge and experience worldwide.
But it’s not all about the giants. Small but important companies such as Fripp
Design, Arrow Technical and Bromley Technologies are pushing back the boundaries
of technology, innovation and manufacturing.
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From Fripp Design’s improved scalpels for reconstruction surgery, to
ice-sport R&D and manufacture by Bromley Technologies, the range of
activity on the Park is wide and varied.
Bromley is backing three of the world’s top bobsled stars, who flew the
flag for Britain at November 2009’s World Championships. At the time of
writing, Shelley Rudman, Kristan Bromley and Nicola Minichiello were
contenders for the Great Britain team for the 2010 Vancouver Winter
Olympics.
As more and more innovation-led specialists see the value of moving there,
it is also ramping up its support for them by becoming a member of the UK
Science Park Association (UKSPA).
The AMP is a joint venture between public and private sector organisations,
including regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and land-owner UK
Coal, and it is growing fast.
One of the many attractions companies cite is the convenient location.
Rotherham is at the heart of the UK and the Park is on the Rotherham-Sheffield
border, a couple of minutes’ drive from Junction 33 of the UK’s main
north-south highway, the M1 motorway. |
That also puts it about five minutes from Rotherham Central Station, 10 minutes
from Sheffield Midland Station and 25-90 minutes from international airports,
including Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield, East Midlands, Manchester and Leeds
Bradford.
HRH The Duke of Kent, a strong champion of British business, and Ian Lucas
MP and Philip Rutnam, both from the Government’s Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills, were impressed by the AMP’s innovative tenants
during visits to get an insight into how the region’s companies are
developing future technologies.
Mr Lucas, Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, said after a tour
of Cti and the TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire): “What is happening here
is very exciting. There are very committed and innovative companies with
world-beating ideas and technologies that British industry needs to use
better to compete more effectively.
“Advanced manufacturing is the future. Britain has the high skills,
commitment and knowledge to build a strong manufacturing future. The
Advanced Manufacturing Park is a successful template for industry and
university collaboration.”
Yorkshire Forward’s assistant director of business, Jim Farmery, said:
“Some of the world’s most important high-tech innovations are being made
at the AMP. It is playing a vital role in helping regional manufacturers
share knowledge, improve productivity and achieve success in the global
economy.”
CONTACT:
Joe Anwyl, Head of Business Development
The Advanced Manufacturing Park
Brunel Way, Rotherham S60 5WG.
Tel: +44-(0)114-254 1259; +44-(0)7875 385803
E-mail: joe.anwyl@sheffield.gov.uk
Web: www.ampuk.com;
www.investinrotherham.co.uk |
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