The UK’s machinery manufacturing sector has in recent years become very niche-focused, but the formation of the Advanced Machinery &
Productivity Institute (AMPI) could prove the key to growing the manufacturing of advanced machinery and technology on these shores.
AMPI will be a National Centre of Excellence in machinery design and build, working to develop leading machinery innovation, advanced materials, automation and production capabilities. The project is moving forward as planned, accelerated by the award of £22.6m in 2021 by the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strength in Places Fund (SIPF).
At the heart of the project and vision is an institute headquartered in Rochdale, in the industrial heartland of Greater Manchester. A building where industry and academia can come together to collaborate is in the planning approval stages at Rochdale Borough Council with work set to start in 2024.
However, AMPI’s work is in full flow with new innovation funding streams being started and acting as a platform for collaboration for new projects.
Long-term, AMPI aims to grow the UK’s advanced machinery capability to a £2bn export capacity within 10 years, while establishing more than 30,000 high value manufacturing jobs. The institute will look to help supercharge the future productivity, security and prosperity of the manufacturing industry in the UK.
AMPI Programme Director Gareth Edwards explains the principle focus is on developing the next generation of advanced machinery, technology, products, services and skills, and stimulating and supporting the rapid growth of the UK’s machinery manufacturing sector as it transitions to highly integrated digital solutions with sophisticated automated and autonomous robotic systems.
He says: “The ambition of AMPI is to be an enduring institution and therefore, we are using the SIPF funding to engender a sense of community and start to enable companies, whether it is the large end users or particularly the SMEs – the innovators and developers – to innovate and collaborate.
