AMRC Cymru saves joint site with Airbus UK enough energy to power 60 homes for a year

In a significant achievement for sustainable manufacturing, the Airbus UK team at the AMRC Cymru facility in Broughton has accomplished energy savings equivalent to powering 60 homes for a year.

This forms part of the revolutionary Ffatri 4.0 project aimed at bolstering business productivity while concurrently meeting environmental targets.

Over five months, this collaboration between AMRC Cymru and aerospace behemoth Airbus observed electricity and gas savings which equate to powering a sum of 62 three-bedroom homes for an entire year.

Impressively, the Airbus team documented a near 20% drop in electricity consumption at the shared facility.

Introduced in the preceding year, Ffatri 4.0 is a Welsh Government initiative in partnership with AMRC Cymru, which falls under the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.

This alliance has yielded tangible dividends, fortifying business resilience, enhancing productivity, and mitigating emissions for Welsh firms, notably within the aerospace and food and drink sectors.

Luis Rivera, an industrial leader at Airbus, lauded the synergies between Airbus and AMRC. The partnership has facilitated the amalgamation of Airbus’s process expertise with AMRC’s research acumen, culminating in fresh avenues of innovation.

A testament to the project’s sustainable focus is its frugal approach to energy savings. By refining the building management system—especially concerning temperature and lighting regulation—impressive energy savings were realised without substantive additional costs.

Flintshire-based dessert manufacturer The Pudding Compartment, a participant in the food and drink sector, has also been at the forefront of digital innovation.

Harnessing advanced digital tools, they’ve obtained a comprehensive business view, spotlighting areas for refinement. The company is presently integrating their first automation systems, illustrating the digital transformations at play.

Notably, the University of Sheffield AMRC Cymru is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to spearhead manufacturing enhancements, particularly in the food and drink industry.

Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Government’s Economy Minister, underscored Ffatri 4.0’s pivotal role in promoting R&D in Wales. Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, praised the project’s tangible results and the contribution of AMRC Cymru as an invaluable North Wales asset.

Jason Murphy, Operations Director at AMRC Cymru, delineated the multifaceted benefits of the Ffatri 4.0 project. This endeavour amalgamates robotic food processing with an intelligent manufacturing system. The data collated from myriad industrial sensors is integrated and analysed, yielding a genuine digital twin of the factory, which facilitates myriad efficiency improvements.