High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute set to improve manufacturing techniques and increase productivity

The new Institute will be based at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) at Rainham, Essex, and CEME and Ford Britain are investing a further £1.44 million. The Institute will develop new and innovative ways to improve manufacturing techniques and increase productivity that will ensure Britain remains a top choice for investment. It is expected to generate £80 million to the local economy. It will develop what are described as state-of-the-art virtual manufacturing systems to assist companies to develop and implement world leading manufacturing processes, which are often too costly for many organisations to design themselves. The new initiative will bring together leading lights from the worlds of business, engineering and academia, employing 22 researchers and PhD students to work alongside six Ford research staff to create programmes that will help develop the high skilled work force needed to operate such systems. Mr Pickles will be joined by Local Government Minister Bob Neill, Ford Britain Chairman Joe Greenwell, as well as Chief Executive Bill Williams and Chairman Martin Broadhurst of the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence. They will meet engineers learning the skills that will drive industry forward in the future. Joe Greenwell, Ford of Britain chairman, said in a statement head of the ceremony: "Ford is delighted to be a founding partner in this exciting new initiative. The Institute will accelerate research and development in innovative manufacturing systems that will help underpin the future of the UK's high value manufacturing sector. This complements the work that Ford is already doing in this area and also provides significant opportunities for supply chain partners." Image: Inside CEME