The centre will develop new manufacturing processes for lightweight materials, such as titanium and carbon fibre, and will be the first step towards creating a National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland, helping to put the country at the forefront of lightweight manufacturing.
Making the announcement in front of 130 aerospace industry representatives at the AFRC, the First Minister said that the centre “will help Scottish businesses take advantage of the fact that sectors such as aerospace and the automotive industry are making more and more use of lightweight materials. It will deliver cutting-edge research and development projects with and for companies in Scotland.”
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal of the University of Strathclyde, added: “Strathclyde has a long history of bringing together academia, business and industry, and government. The new centre will enable companies of all sizes and across all sectors to get involved in leading-edge lightweighting research and expertise to help Scotland compete on the world stage.”
Funding for the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre has come from a variety of sources. The Scottish government has contributed £3.9m, Scottish Enterprise £3.4m and the University of Strathclyde via the AFRC have put in £1.6m.