Monday, November 11, 2013

News: AMP Technology Centre seven years strong

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The AMP Technology Centre in Rotherham recently celebrated the seventh anniversary of the official opening, when the then-named Innovation & Technology Centre was opened by three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart.

Providing incubation space on the Advanced Manufacturing Park, the centre has been designed to accommodate a range of manufacturing-related activities, from fledgling engineering and technology companies, to University spin-offs and subsidiaries of established companies.

Over the seven years it has attracted companies and organisations who saw strategic value in locating in close proximity to other companies and research organisations at the AMP as a mechanism for encouraging and promoting collaboration, and also larger UK and overseas owned companies looking to work with AMP-based partners, prior to fully committing towards a presence on the park.

Over the years an array of products and technological developments have being developed here; from ground-breaking liquid cooling systems for IT data centres, and the latest high-end audio hi-fi equipment, to parts for concept cars shown by leading car manufacturers, and winter sports equipment, used by numerous nation's athletes in international competitions and the Winter Olympics.

The Centre has also welcomed a number of VIP visitors over the years, including members of the Royal Family, Government Ministers, the Governor of the Bank of England, captains of industry, and even the crew from TV's The Gadget Show.

Conferences and events have been an important part of the Centre's activities, and again the range and quality of these has been outstanding. All the major advanced manufacturing related industries have been represented at events within the Technology Centre, including; aerospace, motorsport, low carbon energy, defence, medical technologies, oil & gas and automotive.

Simon Spode, marketing manager at the AMP, said: "The AMP Technology Centre has certainly lived up to its potential in the last seven years, and continues to fulfil its original vision. We have a number of successful companies developing innovative, potentially world-beating technologies, and some companies have expanded out of the Centre into other larger units on the AMP and elsewhere, employing more staff and growing further. Of course not every company has been successful but for those that weren't, the Technology Centre provided a safe, cost-effective environment for their product/service concept to be trialled.

"We fully expect more of the same in the coming years, as some of our current star companies expand and outgrow the facilities, and other new companies come in – many developing new technologies that will innovative and disrupt the current thinking in high performance industries and continue to keep the AMP at the forefront of innovative advanced manufacturing technology."
Initially developed by Yorkshire Forward, the AMP Technology Centre is now operated by Creative Space Management on behalf of the Homes and Communities Agency.

Paul Taylor, director of Creative Space Management, said: "The AMP Technology Centre acts as a hub building for the wider park and plays an important role in providing facilities for smaller high growth companies. With occupancy now at 90% and with 50 innovative businesses being based there we are proud to have played a part in its growth."

With the centre enjoying its highest occupancy levels since it opened, the new year will see a refurbishment programme of the reception and meeting / conference facilities to ensure that the Centre remains at the leading edge of technology. The recent announcement that the Centre's hydrogen mini-grid system is to be run by a partnership led by ITM Power will see the facility at the heart of the UK's proposed hydrogen network.

AMP Technology Centre website

Images: Creative Space Management

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