Nicola Sturgeon opens new £8.9m centre for lightweight manufacturing technology

A new £8.9 million centre to help companies benefit from lightweight manufacturing technology has been opened by Nicola Sturgeon.

The Lightweight Manufacturing Centre, operated by the University of Strathclyde, will develop lighter, more efficient components for high-value industries, including automotive and aerospace.

The centre is the first stage in the creation of the new £65m National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, aiming to make Scotland a global leader in advanced manufacturing.

The First Minister said: “Our ambition is to build on Scotland’s long history of innovation and to be seen as modern inventors and producers, rather than just consumers of goods. It is really important as technology rapidly advances, that our economy must follow suit.

“This world-class centre will help us do just that, as the first stage of our new National Manufacturing Institute Scotland. Businesses across Scotland will benefit from access to state-of-the-art equipment and opportunities for collaboration and research and development. The opportunities that stem from lightweight manufacturing will help increase their competitiveness.”

Funding for the centre was split between the Scottish Government, which provided £3.9m, Scottish Enterprise, which provided £3.4m, and the University of Strathclyde, which provided £1.6m.

David Smith, director of national opportunities at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Manufacturing is experiencing rapid advances driven by digital technologies, automation and global supply chain opportunities that are transforming the way we design, build and sell products and services.

“For Scottish manufacturers to remain competitive, it’s increasingly important for them to embrace innovation and adopt new processes and technology. This is exactly how the LMC can help, especially for smaller manufacturers who want easy access to cutting-edge lightweighting expertise and facilities to grow their business.”