News: HRH The Duke of York opens Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future in Rotherham

HRH The Duke of York KG joined guests from the top flight of the world’s aerospace companies and suppliers at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Rotherham yesterday to open a £15 million state-of the-art Factory of the Future. The Factory, sponsored by Rolls-Royce, is the second phase of development of the University of Sheffield’s AMRC with Boeing. According to AMRC Research Director, Professor Keith Ridgway: "The Factory of the Future is just that – an exemplar which will show what can be done, and inspire partners with a practical demonstration of the crucial cleaner, greener ways we can manufacture in the future. The zero carbon footprint of the Factory building also represents the goals of our partner companies in making aerospace manufacturing as sustainable as possible." Hamid Mughal, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering at Rolls-Royce, said: "The continuous development and application of advanced manufacturing technologies is a critical enabler for Rolls-Royce to meet increasingly demanding product and business objectives. We believe the new Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future provides an ideal environment for the rapid development and exploitation of technology to meet these challenges." Sir Roger Bone, President of Boeing UK, agrees. He said: "The AMRC epitomises Boeing's approach to growth in the UK, that adds value and builds competitiveness in the long term. With the opening of the new factory and as a long standing UK research partner for Boeing, the AMRC is also helping us to deliver sustainable aviation growth and environmentally progressive manufacturing. Boeing is now seeking to actively pursue opportunities to replicate the success of the AMRC around the globe." Councillor Roger Stone, The Leader of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, added: "The Factory of the Future is a flagship project on the wider Advanced Manufacturing Park which has a world-class reputation for its cutting-edge work. We're proud to have the AMRC in Rotherham, but really it's a regional and, indeed, a national asset. We're delighted to have played a part in helping it reach this latest milestone, through our regeneration arm, Rotherham Investment & Development Office."
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