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The University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, and the Nuclear AMRC are amongst the centres which form the Technology Strategy Board's new Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) in high value manufacturing (HVM) and which has now officially opened for business.

The Board will be investing £140 million over a six year period which will stimulate manufacturing in the UK, reduce the risk of innovation for new and established UK manufacturing businesses and attract international business to the UK.

The Technology and Innovation Centre initiative is part of the Government's plan to grow the UK economy. The new centre in high value manufacturing will be the first of at least six Technology and Innovation Centres to be established by April 2013.

The Centre will capitalise on existing expertise and facilities established in the UK, bringing together seven institutions of excellence to better support UK manufacturing.

In addition to the two AMP-based organisations, the other centres involved in the project include; the Advanced Forming Research Centre (University of Strathclyde); Centre for Process Innovation (Wilton & Sedgefield); Manufacturing Technology Centre (Coventry); National Composites Centre (University of Bristol); and the Warwick Manufacturing Group (University of Warwick).

By incorporating the seven institutions, the HVM Technology and Innovation Centre will support a number of different industries including pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, food & beverages, healthcare, aerospace, automotive, energy, chemicals and electronics.

The HVM Technology and Innovation Centre will commercialise business-led research and innovation to help UK manufacturing businesses become more competitive on a world stage.

As well as receiving funding from the Technology Strategy Board, direct contracts with UK business will form a significant part of the overall funding for the centre (1/3). The Centre will also be well positioned to secure funding from competitive Research and Development (R&D) grants (1/3), including EU funding.

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board said: "High value manufacturing is a priority for the Technology Strategy Board. The future of manufacturing in the UK needs to be high value, delivering strong financial performance, strategic importance, and positive social impact.

"The UK has some of the best manufacturing businesses in the world, the industry accounts for 12 per cent of GDP, around half of exports and in 2010 employed 2.5 million people in the UK. The new centre will help UK businesses stay at the leading edge of manufacturing technology and create and protect jobs long into the future".

Secretary of State, Vince Cable added: "Manufacturing has a key role to play in economic growth and rebalancing the economy, in particular driving exports and productivity.

"The Government is supporting manufacturing through a modern industrial strategy fit for the 21st century. We are assisting manufacturing companies and their supply chains directly through the Regional Growth Fund and other schemes and supporting them to build strong businesses via our commitments to apprenticeships and fostering technology.

"We are also challenging the perceptions of what it is like to work in manufacturing and seeking to raise the status and profile of engineering. But we know there is always more to do. We will set out further proposals to support manufacturing over the next few weeks."

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