The ReMake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) will be located within the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and Strathclyde University – the operator of NMIS, in partnership with Exeter and Sheffield Universities. The centre is funded through UKRI’s ‘Accelerating the Green Economy’ programme.
While much of the focus around net zero has been on the transition to renewable energy sources, NMIS said that nearly 45 per cent of global CO2 emissions come from what is made and used.
In specific sectors, such as energy and transport, around 70 per cent of emissions are locked in during raw materials extraction and initial processing, meaning that it’s essential to extend product life for as long as possible to maximise value while preserving the earth’s resources.
The RVRC will focus on ‘high integrity’ sectors critical to national infrastructure including aerospace, marine, wind, nuclear, industrial and power generation.
It will adopt a system-wide approach, addressing challenges through business models, policies, standards, culture, skills, and investment along with metallic and composite based circular manufacturing technology and inspection processes.
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Partnering with organisations from the private, civic, and public sectors, the new centre will explore how components such as aeroplane structures, energy systems, and industrial equipment can be reused or remade, aiming to keep products at their highest value instead of sending them to landfill.
By promoting circular economy practices to reduce waste and emissions, NMIS said the centre could help reshore supply chains and unlock new opportunities for manufacturers.
In a statement, Stephen Fitzpatrick, director of the Digital Factory at NMIS, said: “Focusing solely on the energy transition won’t achieve net-zero since a large portion of global emissions comes from extracting and processing manufacturing materials. To mitigate the projected 500 million tonnes of material demand that we will need to dig out of the Earth over the next decade, we must embrace a circular economy, reusing materials and remaking existing products.
“This challenge requires collaboration across industries and organisations. The RVRC will drive system-level change, making reuse, remaking and repurposing viable for critical sectors.”
As part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, NMIS brings together industry, academia and the public sector to work together on manufacturing research, with the aim to transform productivity levels, make companies more competitive and boost the skills of current and future workforce.