Broughton: £20m AMRC Cymru ‘is enhancing North Wales’ reputation as a place to invest and do business’

The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru will raise productivity in the region and, along with the North Wales Growth Deal and Welsh Government investment in infrastructure, will allow the region to fulfil its economic ambition, according to Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Minister was addressing an audience of businesses attending a Digital Factory Showcase event at the state-of-the-art centre where Welsh manufacturers were invited to see new Product and Process Verification (PPV) equipment, funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The £20m AMRC Cymru, which was funded by the Welsh Government, opened in November 2019 and was set up to boost the region’s existing reputation for manufacturing excellence. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

At the start of the covid-19 pandemic it played a significant role in the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium, with Airbus employees manufacturing 2,000 ventilators a week there. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Lesley Griffiths said: “AMRC Cymru will boost productivity by driving innovation in design, manufacturing and skills to secure and sustain high value manufacturing jobs for future generations to come. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It is enhancing North Wales’ reputation as a place to invest and do business. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It provides businesses, including SMEs, with a focus for future proofing their manufacturing capability, identifies and supports the next steps to develop a resilient, high-value and highly skilled flexible workforce, which in turn is able to help deliver the products, services and technologies necessary for the future economy. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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“The AMRC can support businesses in addressing climate change and the need to decarbonise. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“As we look ahead towards the recovery following the pandemic we know that the investment made in AMRC Cymru places the region in a strong position for the future.  We have already seen impressive work carried out here, and I know we will see many more examples over the months and years to come.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

AMRC Cymru Research Director, Andy Silcox, says nearly 200 people, representing manufacturers large and small, attended the Digital Factory Showcase. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “The ATI has funded a large amount of the equipment we have on the shop floor at AMRC Cymru, however it is not for the sole us of aerospace manufacturers. This event was about demonstrating to other sectors how they can benefit from our centre for excellence for Product and Process Verification. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Every piece of equipment we have purchased has been bought with data in mind, be that data acquisition, data handling an d processing, or data visualisation. The equipment is here for manufacturers to apply in their production processes and our team of engineers are here to help manufacturers of any size on their digitalisation journey.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

AMRC Cymru is the first High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Centre in Wales. To find out more about AMRC Cymru’s capabilities and how the team of engineers can help you improve your manufacturing processes visit the AMRC Cymru web page. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​