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.
Making the announcement in front of over 130 aerospace industry representatives, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Lightweight Manufacturing 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.”
Speaking after the announcement, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal of the University of Strathclyde, said: “The new centre will enable companies of all sizes, and across 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.
