News: AMRC's Adrian Allen awarded OBE

Adrian Allen, the commercial director of the Universtity of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours for services to industry in the Yorkshire and Humber Region.



Adrian was born in South Yorkshire, and has dedicated over a decade of his life to regenerating his home region which was devastated by the collapse of the mining and manufacturing industries in 1970's and 80's.

After working in the aerospace industry for more than 20 years, which included owning and managing a Sheffield-based engineering consultancy firm, Allen developed a unique knowledge and understanding of the aerospace industry's key-drivers.

He would later use this knowledge to persuade the world's leading aerospace company, Boeing, and the University of Sheffield to collaborate and create The AMRC.

He said: "The award is obviously a great honour for me and something I am very proud of. Really, it's a recognition of the strength of the team at the AMRC and at the University. It's now close to ten years since we established the AMRC with Boeing, and we're now recognised around the world as a model for how academia and industry can work together."

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, The AMRC is a £100m partnership that has successfully bridged the gap between academia, industry and government.

With more than 40 partner organisations, comprising world leaders in the aerospace supply chain, key government offices and international academic institutions, The AMRC identifies, researches and solves advanced manufacturing problems and has over 80 highly qualified researchers and engineers from around the globe.

Funding is secured from a range of organisations; through winning competitive calls for research from the Technology Strategy Board and Research Councils; research projects commissioned by business; and through Tier 1 and Tier 2 sponsors.

Research is carried out on new and exotic materials such as titanium, inconel and composites. The landing gear for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner was developed for Messier-Dowty by engineers in Rotherham.

Adrian joins Professor Keith Ridgway, research director and John Baragwanath, projects director at The AMRC as recipients of the prestigious award.

AMRC website

Images: AMRC