The main contractor, Morrison Construction began work on the building foundations in December following two months of ground stabilisation activities and bulk earthworks. It has now completed all piling works, with the foundations due to be ready in early April and roof works to commence later in the month.
Weighing a total of 1500T, the main structural steel work for the digital factory will be fully in place by June. Featured in the main image, a 32 x 12 m, ‘window to the world,’ will provide a view into the new factory where the next generation of manufacturing technologies will be explored and developed to help solve the engineering challenges of the future.
At around 1.5 times the size of Hampden football pitch, the full NMIS facility will include a skills academy, a fully digitalised factory of the future and a collaboration hub. The new facility will help support manufacturing and engineering firms of all sizes and from all sectors across the country, and internationally, to innovate and grow their businesses.
NMIS is a group of industry-led manufacturing and engineering research and development facilities operated by the University of Strathclyde and supported by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council and Renfrewshire Council.
Speaking of recent construction progress, Sarah Jardine, chief operating officer, the NMIS, said: "It’s fantastic to see our new digital factory coming to life and really taking shape as construction on the new NMIS HQ continues at a great pace.
"It’s been a difficult year for the manufacturing sector but we are feeling optimistic about the future and the continued support that we can provide across the NMIS group with derisking innovation and boosting the skills of the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow."