News: New members boost research capabilities at Nuclear AMRC

Another 13 companies, including worldleading equipment and material suppliers, have been accepted as full members of the Nuclear AMRC in Rotherham.

The new members will help ensure that the centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park can apply the latest manufacturing technologies to support the UK's nuclear supply chain.

The £25m Nuclear AMRC is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners.

Member companies benefit from access to world-class R&D capabilities, participation in generic R&D programmes, access to training programmes, networking opportunities with companies along the manufacturing supply chain and industry recognition through association with a world-class centre of excellence.

Firms joining as Tier One members include two of the world's leading developers of innovative machining centres, Mori Seiki and StarragHeckert, who are providing their latest centres to the Nuclear AMRC. Further machining capability comes from cutting tool specialist Sandvik.

ITW Welding Products will meanwhile support the Nuclear AMRC's joining and cladding research. Carpenter, a supplier of specialist metal powders and materials, and manufacturing software specialist Dassault Systèmes has also signed up.

The centre's capabilities are further expanded by the new Tier Two members, who work in a range of specialist areas. Machining and materials research will be supported by the experience and resources of Houghton in specialist machining fluids, Johnson & Allen in innovative non-destructive testing, Nikken in precision tooling and workholding, Nikon Metrology in measurement and robotics, and Wheelabrator in surface preparation technologies.

Newburgh Engineering, a manufacturer of large engineered parts and assemblies, and Serco Technical Consulting Services are also joining as a Tier Two members.

Professor Keith Ridgway, programme director of the Nuclear AMRC, said: "We're delighted to welcome these world-leading companies into the Nuclear AMRC. By contributing equipment, materials and expertise, they increase the value of the centre for all the companies we will be working with. And in return, we will help them develop their own capabilities to meet the requirements of the industry leaders and seize the opportunities of nuclear new-build."

A number of the new members already have a base in Rotherham - Newburgh Engineering, Mori Seiki, Sandvik and Nikken.

A lead industrial partner in the Nuclear AMRC is Rolls-Royce, who submitted outline plans for a 21,000 sq m "Project PoWeR" facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham that will see them manufacture and assemble power vessels for the next generation of nuclear power stations in the UK.

Nuclear AMRC website

Images: namrc.co.uk