News: Productive Machines secures funding to help shore up UK digital supply chains

Productive Machines, a Rotherham-based startup that is set to transform UK digital supply chains has secured £510,000 from Digital Catapult.

Based within the Advanced Manufacturing Park's (AMP's) Technology Centre, Productive Machines uses a software simulation process called digital twinning to accelerate milling process design, reduce cycle time, eliminate quality problems and maximize productivity. Creating virtual replicas helps companies machine parts right the first time.

Digital Catapult helps businesses grow by applying deep tech, showing them what is possible, positive and productive with advanced technology.

The investment will enable the startup to scale the customer base for its SenseNC products, reshore manufacturing by increasing the competitiveness of local manufacturers, and drive greater resilience of UK digital supply chains.

Productive Machines has developed the world’s first autonomous milling optimisation software, SenseNC. The software streamlines machining operations by simulating and optimising various machine settings, helping manufacturers to optimise performance before operations are sent to CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools to precisely cut, shape, and finish materials. This computer-controlled machining method reduces the need for time-consuming trial-and-error processes, where production approaches are tested and refined. SenseNC minimises waste, lowers costs, and delivers significant gains in sustainability and productivity.

The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution has already been successfully trialled by manufacturers in the aerospace sector, including AML, a leader in the precision machining of metallic components, resulting in optimised and decarbonised manufacturing processes. The company managed to reshore production of two different aerospace parts back to the UK from overseas suppliers. Similar success has been achieved with partners such as FICEP UK, a leading supplier of structural steel and plate fabrication machine tools, and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) in Belfast.

Advertisement
Following Digital Catapult’s investment, Productive Machines is looking to respond to expressions of interest from prospective partners and customers in Europe and the US.

Digital Catapult’s investment takes the form of a convertible loan note and is made available by Innovate UK to allow Catapults to invest directly in the businesses they are supporting.

Erdem Ozturk, CEO and Co-founder of Productive Machines, said: " Digital Catapult’s investment will enable us to grow our customer base in the UK and Europe as well as expand to international markets where there is growing demand and interest in our solution. The UK has long been a leader in manufacturing, but with increasing global competition, solutions like our SenseNC software will be critical to sharpening the country’s competitive edge and reshoring processes back into the UK. Our next step will be to invest further into direct sales and partnerships, where we hope to demonstrate the value of investing into deep tech, and how collaboration and partnership is key to long-term startup and sectoral success."

Susan Bowen, CEO, Digital Catapult, added: "With a solution that can cut costs, decarbonise operations and increase productivity for manufacturers across the country, Productive Machines’ solution could transform the UK’s digital supply chains. With this investment, we are looking forward to working closely with Productive Machines to unlock opportunities to reshore UK manufacturing and boost industrial competitiveness."

In 2023, Productive Machines, a spinout from the The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), raised £2.2m in Seed funding.

Local MP Sarah Champion, recently visited the firm. She said: "It’s inspiring to see the incredible work being done by Productive Machines right here in Rotherham. Their cutting-edge technology is not only boosting productivity and sustainability for UK manufacturers but also making reshoring a viable option. This is exactly the kind of innovation we need to strengthen British industry and create high-value jobs locally."

Productive Machines website
Digital Catapult website

Images: Productive Machines

Read more...

News: Northern leaders host productive meeting in Rotherham

Some of the North’s biggest employers and civic leaders convened at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) this week to hear how Rotherham achieved the highest productivity growth in the North over last two decades.

Many of the North’s significant employers, civic and university leaders met at the former Orgreave site, now the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) at Waverley, to hear first-hand how Rotherham delivered its productivity turnaround and to identify the right lessons for the rest of the North: a Metro Mayor backing a proven cluster built by decades of collaboration between Rotherham and Sheffield councils, serious investment in applied research, skills and innovation and having the right type of property regeneration and development expertise that can curate and deliver the built environment to facilitate this success.

Earlier this year Rothbiz reported on the Northern Powerhouse Partnership crowning Rotherham as having the North’s fastest productivity growth of any place, according to analysis of ONS data over the last two decades. Rotherham’s productivity (GVA per hour worked) rose by 63.9% which was among the strongest gains anywhere in the UK.

This progress has been made possible by long-term partnership between Universities, the Public & Private sector and notably developers Harworth Group Plc. South Yorkshire was named as the UK's first investment zone with land on the AMP amongst the sites – built on the partnership between universities, private and the public sector. Of the council areas in South Yorkshire, Rotherham has had higher productivity growth, but Sheffield remains the most productive part of South Yorkshire in absolute terms, showing how collaboration has lifted both places rather than pitting them against each other.

At the heart of this story is the AMP, now home to world-class manufacturers and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) as well as supporting over three hundred local SMEs with innovation and adoption. The NPP’s Board have been keen to learn from this approach and discuss how to apply it across the North.

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Rotherham’s transformation is proof of what can be achieved through long-term investment and partnership. What was once the site of Orgreave is now the UK’s first Advanced Manufacturing Park, built with the University of Sheffield, and it has helped make Rotherham the fastest-growing local economy in the North.

"With Northern Powerhouse Partnership Board meeting here today, it’s a chance to reflect on that progress and to consider what comes next. We’re pressing ahead with the biggest regeneration programme in a generation; from our town centre to new homes and business space, and plans for a new mainline station to reconnect Rotherham to the national rail network for the first time since the 1980s. With the right tools and backing, towns like ours can continue to grow and play a leading role in the North’s future.”

Advertisement
Henri Murison, Chief Executive, Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Rotherham’s turnaround shows what patient investment and partnership can deliver. The AMP has turned a site epitomising the destruction of an industry into a genuine engine of growth. This hasn’t happened in isolation, with collaboration between partners unlocking significant private investment.”

“That’s why we’re seeing Rotherham’s rapid gains while Sheffield’s strengths as a core city need to be further capitalised upon for the benefit of the whole of South Yorkshire which cannot meet its wider potential unless the city at its heart succeeds. The Metro Mayor Oliver Coppard doubling down on what has worked already is a critical signal from the public sector to unlock further private investment to the benefit of both Rotherham and Sheffield.”

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive, Harworth Group plc, said: “Harworth has invested in excess of £200m over more than two decades in the regeneration of the former Orgreave mine and coking works. Working alongside public sector partners, we’ve created a thriving and sustainable employment community at the Advanced Manufacturing Park and the adjacent Waverley community.

"We are pleased to welcome the Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s Board here today to highlight the role that long-term regeneration and private investment can play in driving regional growth. Our expertise as a master developer and flexible approach to funding has supported skills, jobs and opportunities for local businesses, global occupiers and higher-level academia. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the public sector and business to accelerate delivery of jobs and growth across the UK, supporting both productivity and the country’s industrial strategy.”

Northern Powerhouse Partnership website
Harworth website

Images: JPG Group

Read more...

News: Codename Canaveral - £2m for Rotherham investment zone project

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) have agreed to measures to speed up delivery in the South Yorkshire Investment Zone (IZ).

A £2m investment is in the pipeline for a "huge scale-up and reshoring" project in Rotherham.

In 2023, the region was confirmed as the UK's first investment zone, using success in advanced manufacturing to help make South Yorkshire the best place to start, scale or relocate businesses from around the world, boosting the UK economy.

Primarily focused on connecting Sheffield to Rotherham (where the research assets such as The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are already located), it is expected to create 8,000 new jobs and bring in £1.2bn worth of private investment by 2030.

Rothbiz highlighted the Rotherham sites that have been given IZ status where funding can be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions. £160m over ten years was confirmed in the 2023 Autumn Statement.

A recent SYMCA board paper showed that there has been a change from a ten-year funding programme to two annual funding pots, which has necessitated more of a focus on single year projects.

Projects so far has seen match funding drawn in at a ratio of 9:1 with £71m private investment for £8m IZ investment.

Featured projects include £3m towards £34.8m scheme to establish a flexible fund to encourage and accelerate development in the (IZ), and £375k for FerretWorks - an AMRC project to help mature and de-risk the formation of disruptive technology businesses.

Advertisement
Earlier this year, Rothbiz revealed that an unnamed manufacturer was preparing to invest in a £21.3m expansion project in Rotherham, backed by a £2m grant via SYMCA.

Papers show that the project is known internally as "Canveral" with phase 1 in line for "£2m for a huge scale-up and reshoring of blade manufacturing."

SYMCA papers state: "The Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) in Rotherham is a cutting-edge supplier of high-value superalloy turbine blade castings for large civil jet engines. The investment is for tooling and precision machine tools to help to satisfy demand by uplifting blade output above the existing factory capacity."

An advisory group meets to provide guidance on investment with funding based on criteria including: strategic fit, value for money, match funding, deliverability, productivity growth, affordability, and innovation.

The SYMCA board has recently agreed to tailor their assurance procedure so smaller projects are not subjected to the same assurance process and timeline as multi-million pound schemes. It relates to funding for projects under £500k which SYMCA says would "speed up delivery whilst also having the right level of assurance."

Rothbiz reported earlier this year on SYMCA's support for support the Ultimate Battery Company's move to Rotherham with £5.2m in loans and grants. Due to issues encountered by the projects, the company has since ceased trading without the repayment of loans to the authority.

There is a £17m IZ budget for 2025-26 with all projects needed to be assured before acquiring approval.

South Yorkshire Investment Zone website

Images: Rolls-Royce

Read more...

News: Castings Technology secures significant investment

An £18m investment package is enabling Rotherham-based Castings Technology to accelerate its steep growth trajectory by moving into new premises in Sheffield, enhancing one of the most advanced foundries in the world and the only commercial titanium facility in the UK.

The company produces specialised investment castings from a range of alloys for some of the most demanding advanced manufacturing companies on the planet. The deal supported by Castle Square Corporate Finance, the same Yorkshire advisers who advised them on a MBO four years ago.

Currently based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the company is moving to its own dedicated 195,000 sq ft production facility on Shepcote Lane in Sheffield.

Chairman, Kevin Parkin said “Whilst continuing to lease the building and equipment from the AMRC was the correct option in 2021 when the Management Buy-Out completed, due to our substantial growth, it is now necessary for the company to move to its own, larger premises and with new, world-class equipment”.

Castings Technology, which celebrated its centenary in 2023, underwent a management buy-out in 2021 which saw MD Richard Cook and Chairman Kevin Parkin take the reins.

Since then, the company has achieved a 225+% increase in sales and significantly increased its skilled staff to more than 100, with an order book that shows no signs of slowing.

When seeking the current investment, the board turned to Kevan Shaw, Managing Partner of Castle Square Corporate Finance, who was key to the successful MBO, who was able to secure an investment facility of £15m from Zachary Asset Holdings for Castings Technology.

Kevan said “I was thrilled to receive the call from Kevin and Richard to manage this investment deal after working with them on their MBO back in 2020/21. We had several interested parties but Zachary Asset Holdings were the best fit. This deal secures Castings Technology’s long-term future with a move to its own facility.”

Robin Haller of Zachary Asset Holdings added “We are extremely excited to partner with Castings Technology and help to support their growth in Sheffield. We believe their skills and technology are world-class and will benefit both the region and the country.”

The new site, formerly a Whitbread Brewery bottling plant, is undergoing a multimillion-pound landlord-funded refurbishment to enable Castings Technology to install its new equipment.

Much equipment is already on order, due to long lead times, such as a new Vacuum Arc Remelting Furnace and Heat Treatment Furnace costing over £6.5m and £1.5m respectively.

Castings Technology has its own Metrology, X-Ray, NDT, and Metallurgical Laboratory on site which complement its world leading processes.

Advertisement
Richard Cook, MD added “We have developed a strong growth strategy, and we will continue to collaborate with our clients and other institutions to help us improve operational efficiencies. The move delivers a sound platform from which Castings Technology can offer continued supply chain resilience to customers’ future and current programmes.”

Castings Technology has had to find new ways of recruiting the best talent and become an employer of choice in the region. It has a sustainable, diverse, and committed workforce and is dedicated to increasing apprenticeship numbers over the coming years.

It is partnering with local schools and the UTC in Sheffield, providing work experience placements and encouraging more interest in manufacturing to develop engineering apprenticeships. It is also a committed partner of the Better Learners, Better Workers scheme run, in conjunction with The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, by Sarah Ward, Managing Director of Ambition Unlimited.

Wake Smith Solicitors’ Rebecca Robinson, Director and Head of Corporate, provided legal advice to the management team including dealing with due diligence information requests and negotiating the investment documentation, facilities agreement and security documentation. Mark Cooper of BHP advised on tax matters.

Rebecca Robinson said “We are proud to have supported Castings Technology through this significant funding development. The company has outgrown its facilities and this investment allows it to move forward, and further its potential to become one of the largest Titanium foundries in the world.”

The British Cast Iron Research Association was formed in 1923 and the British Steel Casting Research Association was formed in 1953. These two membership organisations merged in 1996 to become Castings Technology International Ltd.

In 2006, Castings Technology relocated the bulk of its facilities to the AMP after securing EU funding to construct and equip a 54,000 sq ft workshop.

In 2013 ownership of these facilities was transferred to the University of Sheffield where funding was secured to expand the facility to 13,000 sq ft and to house Europe’s largest titanium melting facility.

The new facility is expected to be operational in the second half of 2026.

Castings Technology website

Images: Castings Technology

Read more...

News: Sheffield-Rotherham link road still under consideration

A new link road aimed at opening up land for development whilst reducing congestion around the M1 in South Yorkshire is still under consideration by the Government.

Last week the Department for Transport published a list of transport investment schemes that would (and wouldn't) be covered by the recent spending review.

One project listed as being "under consideration" is the Sheffield Innovation Corridor Road.

The project is described by the DfT as "a new 3.7km transport and active travel corridor broadly parallel to the M1 between J34 (s) to J33 and running from the A630 at Catcliffe to the A6109 at Meadowhall."

An application for the project was made to the DfT's Local Large Major (LLM) fund in July 2016 and £1.4m was secured to work up a business case.

Linked to the innovation district idea and subsequent investment zone designation, the scheme aims to facilitate economic growth by reducing existing network capacity constraints by improving connectivity and capacity to, and within, key development sites in Sheffield and Rotherham.

A Sheffield city region report from 2020 explained: "A significant constraint on achieving the economic growth aims of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) is the capacity of the highway network in the area between junctions 33 and 34 of the M1.

"There are already significant capacity issues, caused partly by the interaction of traffic on the local and the Strategic Road Network (managed by Highways England) at the motorway junctions. There is a limit to what can be achieved through localised improvements.

"The total project value is estimated to be around £100m."

Advertisement
Effectively the scheme links Waverley in Rotherham with Meadowhall in Sheffield so that journeys can be made without using the M1 or its junctions. The route from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) would pass the emerging plans for Runway Park on the site of the former Sheffield Airport, development sites at Tinsley like Bessemer Park, the River Don District and Forgemasters' new site south of Meadowhall.

Options already looked at include new and/or upgraded highways and some more significant infrastructure solutions including bridges and tunnels.

Similar plans failed to materialise. The Waverley Link Road was scrapped after Rotherham and Sheffield Councils could not agree on a route. A sourthern route of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme was shelved following government cuts. The northen route saw a new link road built passing under the M1 connecting Templeborough to Meadowhall South.

Images: Google Maps

Read more...

News: Fast-growing Rotherham provides green shoots for closing productivity gap

Rotherham has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sub-regional economies for productivity in the UK, according to new research.

New analysis from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) has looked at the rise in gross value added (GVA) per hour worked across the North. NPP is a business-led think tank and advocacy group for the North of England.

The Rotherham ITL3 area is the fastest-growing sub-regional economy in the North, with a 63.9% increase in productivity between 2004 and 2023.

Rotherham's GVA per hour worked figure compares to 24.3% growth in Leeds and 37.6% in Manchester. Other high performers were Berkshire West (67.3%) and Brighton & Hove (62.6%). For the same period, Sheffield's increase was 11.6%, Doncaster's was 29.9% and Barnsley was 7.8%. South Yorkshire overall was 12.2%

The figures are based on ONS labour productivity data, analysed by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

This dramatic improvement has been driven by the growth of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District shared with neighbouring Sheffield in South Yorkshire. It is a regeneration success story that has turned former site of the of the battle of Orgreave into a globally recognised hub for high-value manufacturing. It includes the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) which has attracted inward investment to the area and has most recently been helping with R&D for Rolls-Royce SMR (Small Modular Reactors) project.

Advertisement
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “South Yorkshire is at the forefront of a national industrial revival—and Rotherham is leading the charge. In Rotherham we’re seeing industrial strategy done right, delivering exactly what the country needs: higher productivity, stronger innovation and real economic transformation.

“The results speak for themselves. Rotherham’s emergence as a place where productivity is growing almost quicker than anywhere else in the whole of the UK, is a testament to our advanced manufacturing sector and our success building the industries and jobs of the future. Our success won’t just benefit South Yorkshire—it’s a blueprint for how the UK can grow, compete and thrive.

“From the site of the Battle of Orgreave 40 years ago, to a globally recognised hub for innovation today, Rotherham is national example of industrial strategy done brilliantly well.”

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council added: “This is welcome recognition of the progress we’ve made in Rotherham — one of the UK’s fastest-growing local economies. It’s a testament to the innovation, investment and skills that have driven our transformation over the past two decades. It also demonstrates the importance of strong public-private partnerships and upfront investment. Hidden in these figures are the real stories of large-scale land reclamation in the north of the borough, as well as the world’s first Advanced Manufacturing Park, which was only possible in collaboration with the University of Sheffield.

“Of course, there remains still much to do to create the jobs and opportunities we want to see right across our borough. We’re forging ahead with the largest programme of physical regeneration for many years, improving our town centre as well as localities beyond. That includes progressing plans for a new train station, which would return mainline train services to Rotherham for the first time since the 1980s, alongside new homes and business premises, to ensure we continue to make progress over the next two decades.”

Analysis for the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) describes the region's productivity as poor when compared to other city regions, across all sectors relative to both the Great Britain average and other city regions. GVA per job in South Yorkshire is below the national average in all broad sector areas besides Education and Agriculture.

Sectors that produce higher productivity tradable goods and services are seen as the core engine of growth for the UK’s services-dominated globalised economy. South Yorkshire has seen growth in tradable sectors, particularly in the Sheffield / Rotherham corridor: Between 2015 and 2021, South Yorkshire’s tradables jobs grew 3.4%.

Analysis for Rotherham Council shows that although productivity levels have increased over the past five years; this has been at a slower rate than nationally (3% vs. 5%).

With an investment zone based around advanced manufacturing and innovation, improving poor transport connections that limit the size of the labour market, increasing levels of capital investment and addressing skills gaps with targeted skills interventions focused on the growth industries are set to feature in new economic growth plans for the region.

Images: Harworth Group

Read more...

News: Rolls-Royce SMR selection "good news for Rotherham" says MP

Sarah Champion, Member of Parliament for Rotherham, has welcomed the announcement that Rolls-Royce SMR has been named as the selected technology in the Great British Nuclear (GBN) small modular reactor (SMR) competition.

SMRs promise to be much more affordable in the UK than the large scale reactors planned for projects like Hinkley Point C, which has struggled to secure investors and has strike prices inflated by the expense of financing the multi billion pound project.

The UK’s next generation of nuclear power stations will be designed and built by a British company, creating thousands of jobs, boosting the supply chain and creating growth for the economy.

In Rotherham, the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), has been working for over a decade to support the development of SMRs in the UK. With the Nuclear AMRC now subsumed by the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the work continues.

In partnership with Rolls-Royce, a Module Development Facility is being housed within the AMRC’s flagship Factory 2050 building in Sheffield, that will produce working prototypes of the individual modules that will be assembled into Rolls-Royce SMR power plants. The first phase is worth £2.7m and will be part of a wider £15m+ package.

Rolls-Royce SMR has been selected by GBN to build three SMR units in the UK. The decision is expected to help the business retain its crucial first mover advantage in a market that is growing and attracting significant international interest.



Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive, Chris Cholerton, said: “This is a day to celebrate a milestone achievement. This success is testament to our incredible team which has developed a world-leading technology and worked tirelessly over the last two years to ensure we could provide a winning tender to GBN.

“As well as delivering affordable, clean energy to support our nation’s energy independence – deploying three of our units will drive domestic growth by creating thousands of highly skilled, well-paid jobs and supply chain opportunities. We are the only SMR company with multiple commitments to build projects in Europe, testament to our differentiated design and compelling offer."

Advertisement
Ben Morgan, interim chief executive officer at the University of Sheffield AMRC, added: “This is a truly fantastic outcome, representing a powerful signal to the world that our nation is committed to a clean, secure energy future and shows global investors that Britain is building and providing a massive opportunity for manufacturers and for those seeking high-skilled jobs.

“The AMRC, which is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, has been actively working with Rolls-Royce SMR for many years to solve the complex manufacturing challenges central to their SMR design.

“Rolls-Royce SMR’s selection is a brilliant illustration of how strategic innovation, collaborative research and a shared vision can not only accelerate technological development but also unlock monumental industrial opportunities for the UK. The AMRC is proud to be at the heart of this industrial renaissance with Rolls-Royce SMR.”

Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, said that it was "excellent news" that is "set to directly benefit Rotherham and the research facilities at our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre."

She added: "Rolls Royce’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR), has been selected to deliver the UK's first ever SMRs in a new era of nuclear power. There is also investment in our world leading fusion, with research taking place in Rotherham’s UK Atomic Energy Authority.

"Today’s announced Rolls Royce project alone could support up to 3,000 jobs at peak construction and power the equivalent of around 3 million of today’s homes.

"Rotherham, and the talent, expertise and creativity we can provide, is now established on the international stage."

Whilst research and development continues, Rolls-Royce has yet to decide on where the modules will be built. The modular approach is unique within the nuclear industry but is widely used and well proven across the oil and gas and renewables sectors.

In 2022, Rolls-Royce announced a shortlist of locations for the first of three factories. South Yorkshire was not on the this list for a factory that would manufacture the "heavy vessels" used in a SMR power station, The other two factories will manufacture civils modules and mechanical electrical and plumbing (MEP) modules – which will be transported to sites and assembled into a nuclear power station that will generate 470MW of low-carbon electricity.

Rolls-Royce was progressing plans for a new Rotherham factory in 2012 that would manufacture and assemble power vessels for the next generation of nuclear power stations. "Project PoWer" was due to create hundreds of jobs alongside its £110m turbine casting facility on the AMP but delays in the large scale nuclear sector means that the remaining land bought by Rolls-Royce remains undeveloped.

Rolls-Royce SMR website
AMRC website

Images: Rolls-Royce / Google Maps

Read more...

News: Former Nuclear AMRC staff move over to AMRC

A new team made up of former staff at the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) has been created at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

Multimillion pound Rotherham facilities have been retained.

Rothbiz reported last year on Nuclear AMRC staff being told of proposed redundancies with only core research & development activities to be retained by the organisation, also part of the University of Sheffield.

With state of the art facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the £25m Nuclear AMRC is a joint initiative with industry, The University of Sheffield and The University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute, and is designed to help build and enhance the UK's civil nuclear new build industry.

Based at the AMRC's cluster of research and innovation centres in Rotherham and Sheffield, the new group enhances the AMRC's existing nuclear sector capability and supports its nationally important role in de-risking investment in new technologies that can accelerate and drive manufacturing innovation into the sector.

The group of talented engineers and researchers bring decades of experience with them and build on the research and innovation of the former Nuclear AMRC at its Rotherham facility, which was retained by the University along with more than £35m of production-scale manufacturing equipment to ensure R&D project delivery for the sector continues.

42 members of staff formally transferred into the AMRC to create the new nuclear manufacturing group, following a consultation. The Nuclear AMRC employed over 100 staff.

The team has already had good success in securing new work of scale in recent months in support of the nuclear sector, and is building on existing and ongoing collaborations with the likes of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Sandvik, Cavendish, Nuclear Transport Solutions, EPRI and Deep Isolation.

Advertisement
The new group is the eighth at the AMRC, which is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult national network or research centres. It adds to the University of Sheffield and AMRC's existing and expanding portfolio of nuclear-related activity, which includes the AMRC's partnership and project work with Rolls-Royce SMR to manufacture and test prototype modules to be assembled into small modular reactors.

Ben Morgan, interim chief executive officer at the AMRC, said: "Nuclear energy is a vital component of the pathway to net zero and effectively harnessed, it can bring high value growth across many parts of the UK. This group will significantly bolster our offering to the sector and help industry to deliver through research and innovation.

"The AMRC and the wider University has a strong track record of providing R&D inputs into the nuclear energy sector on a range of capabilities from new build, to waste, to decommissioning.

"We have been working with Rolls-Royce SMR to de-risk its manufacturing approach which could have a significant UK economic impact as this world-leading technology comes on stream, hopefully in the coming months.

"Our priority looking ahead will be to ensure that the investment in these technologies delivers significant economic benefit for the UK, and in particular regions across the UK."

AMRC website

Images: Google Maps

Read more...

News: AMRC Training Centre director departs

After a successful long-run of delivering excellence in engineering apprenticeships, Nikki Jones is stepping down as director of the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre.

With state-of-the-art facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the centre has trained thousands of apprentices, helping to create the manufacturing workforce of the future.

Nikki's journey with the AMRC Training Centre began in July 2016 when she joined as head of training, bringing extensive experience from her previous role as assistant vice-principal at Barnsley College.

Advancing to the role of director in 2018, she steered the team in its mission to provide crucial skills training, bridge the skills gap in industry and positively impact the region.

Nikki’s leadership was instrumental to the centre’s progress and achievements, including a 'Good' Ofsted rating and launch of pioneering apprenticeship programmes in composites and nuclear, among other successes.

Her tenure also saw the centre celebrate a decade of delivering apprenticeships and skills, be part of the South Yorkshire Institute of technology (SYIoT) and showcase Sheffield’s manufacturing legacy at the Lord Mayor’s Show 2024.

Advertisement
The AMRC Training Centre underwent substantial expansion under Nikki’s guidance, further enhancing the regional impact through skills provision.

Employer partnerships have grown, including those with E.ON and Warburtons – with a 9.5% increase in businesses taking on AMRC Training Centre apprentices in 2022/23 compared to pre-pandemic figures.

Apprentice intake numbers have risen from 150 in 2020/21 to 270 in 2024/25– with female representation increasing from 7% to 12% in the last five years.

Over the past decade, the Gross Value Added (GVA) of advanced manufacturing in the Yorkshire and The Humber region has surged by 48% compared to 27% in England, underscoring the sector's regional importance and highlighting the AMRC Training Centre's pivotal role in workforce development.

Reflecting on her nearly nine years at the AMRC Training Centre, Nikki said: “It has been a genuine privilege and pleasure to have been part of this extraordinary organisation.

“Looking back, the people are what made this journey so memorable– our dedicated staff, ambitious apprentices, and incredible employer partners. The strength of these relationships has been the cornerstone of our collective success, and I’m immensely proud of what this brilliant team has achieved in building a nationally recognised centre for skills training for the industry.

“Knowing that the AMRC Training Centre is in capable hands, I look forward to watching it continue its vital work, supporting the manufacturing sector and nurturing talent for many years to come. While this move marks a new chapter for me, I will always cherish my years at the training centre as some of the best of my career, and I will remain its biggest supporter from afar.”

The AMRC Training Centre’s impact under Nikki’s leadership is evident in apprentices’ achievements ranging from helping revive a McLaren Racing icon to saving significant costs for employer, highlighting the centre's far-reaching influence.

Following Nikki's departure, the University is exploring future leadership options for the AMRC Training Centre. In the interim, Louise Cowling will lead on education matters and Rebecca Blackburn will lead on external engagement and employer relations, reporting to Mary Vincent, vice-president for education.

AMRC Training Centre website

Images: AMRC Training

Read more...

News: When will the Waverley development be finished?

The transformation of a former Rotherham coalfield site into a thriving new community is nearing completion.

Harworth Group plc, a leading land and property regenerator of sustainable developments, recently announced record revenue and land sales in 2024 with EPRA NDV up 8.5% year on year. EPRA NDV is how Harworth measures the value of its assets.

The success of Harworth's business model is exemplified at its flagship Waverley site where plots have been sold for 2,578 homes to the likes of Avant, Barratt and Harron, plus local players, Homes by Honey, Forge New Homes and Sky-House Co. 2025 could see detailed approval for the final plots.

The latest update on the regeneration of the former Orgreave coal mining site has a forecast completion date for Harworth's work as 2025 for housing, with its work on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) forecast to complete in 2026.

Approved in 2011, the largest, most complex, planning application ever considered by Rotherham Council gave outline approval for South Yorkshire's largest ever brownfield development, creating a new 3,890 home community across 741 acres. The development proposal also included a hotel and wide range of shops, cafés, health, leisure and educational facilities.

The AMP dates back a little further. In 2002 outline consent was granted for the start of the world-leading site and the University of Sheffield's AMRC with Boeing was created as a key industry-university partnership.

The masterplan, which has been updated a number of times, originally set out that the development would come forward over 20 years.

Advertisement
Harworth's financial update shows that there are 393 consented or planned housing plots remaining.

Having secured planning permission for the Railside site, at the end of 2024 an application was submitted for land off Rivelin Way, to be known as Lakeview. The proposals state that the site forms the last residential parcel at Waverley to gain reserved matters consent.

Homes by Honey are working with Harworth on the plans which seek consent for site and enabling works and the construction of 67 dwellings including 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes. Developers want the required affordable housing provision to be located at the railside site and not the Lakeview site.

At the AMP Harworth's finacial update shows that there has been 1.7 million sq ft of commecial space sold or developed and just 300,000 sq ft remaining (with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of £45m - £55m).

Rothbiz reported in January that Harworth had secured planning approval for a landmark office development between the AMP and the houses in an area known as Highfield Commercial.

2025 also saw the opening of Olive Lane, the urban shopping and leisure development on Highfield Spring which also includes a medical centre and community centre.

When the housebuilders finally finish, the community created could count 8,000 people and more than 3,000 homes by 2029.

Waverley website

Images: Forge New Homes / Facebook / Harworth / Stantec / Harris Partnership / Lindum

Read more...

News: FerretWorks - a South Yorkshire take on fostering innovation

A University of Sheffield project which aims to scale-up disruptive businesses in the region is being backed by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

The project has been given the name FerretWorks as a Yorkshire slant on SkunkWorks, the secret R&D team at Lockheed Aircraft Corp that worked quickly to develop a jet fighter for the United States during World War II.

The approach from the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) was formed to incubate high risk/high reward ideas away from the typical business KPIs and constraints, creating a space where it’s OK to fail, as well as putting money into the groups so they can make space for thinking.

SYMCA is now set to award £375k from its Project Feasibility Fund for FerretWorks.

A SYMCA paper explains: "The project will assist entrepreneurs by facilitating access to the resources required to help mature and de-risk the formation of disruptive technology businesses, laying the foundations for scale-ups of the future. The program aims to develop a culture of innovation in the SYMCA region that learns fast, fails fast, and de-risks the translation from concept to establishing an ecosystem of disruptive businesses."

Advertisement
The project is set to develop a pipeline of IP generation and future entrepreneurs, create high-value jobs in the region, and encourage businesses to form and base themselves in the South Yorkshire Investment Zone.

The authority is also keen that the FerretWorks sub-brand will be used in marketing and promote SYMCA as "the place to develop innovative start-up businesses."

The AMRC has grown to become a world leader in manufacturing excellence, part of the national High Value Manufacturing Catapult network of research centres. With facilities in Rotherham and Sheffield it has more than 500 highly qualified researchers and engineers working on the manufacturing needs of the future, from composites to castings, additive manufacturing to machining.

The AMRC strategy was refreshed in 2023 where FerretWorks aims to facilitate ambitious steps in manufacturing research by giving engineers the freedom, space and time to create and explore new ideas, to run adjacent to the centre's themes of sustainability, digital, future platforms and supply chain resilience.

AMRC spin out companies include Productive Machines, FourJaw and AML.

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

Read more...

News: Rolls-Royce readying £21m investment in Rotherham facility

Rolls-Royce, one of the most famous names in engineering throughout the world, is preparing to invest in a £21.3m expansion project at its Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) in Rotherham.

The £110m facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham was officially opened in 2015 and is where turbine blades are manufactured for Rolls-Royce's world-leading aeroplane engines.

Following continued demand and thousands of engines on order, the firm is working on proposals to double the factory’s production capacity which is key to the manufacture of single crystal (SX) turbine blades.

With an initial capacity of 100,000 blades per year, it was always likely to increase to 200,000 when the pioneering manufacturing process had been proven.

The ABCF has a prime position within the South Yorkshire Investment Zone and so the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is looking to support Rolls-Royce with a grant, potentially up to £2m.

Advertisement
Allthough SYMCA meeting papers do not name the beneficiary company, the information all points to Rolls-Royce.

Papers say: "IZ002 [the company] is currently undergoing a major transformation which began in 2023 and is anticipated to complete by 2027, with particular focus on reducing operating costs.

"The Facility in Rotherham is a cutting-edge supplier of high-value superalloy turbine blade castings. IZ0002 load and capacity planning forecasts a demand increase of circa 100,000 single crystal turbine blade castings per year between 2024 and 2030, with existing factory capacity exceeded in 2026. The investment proposal is for a £21.3m investment in the facility to double the factory’s production capacity.

"The proposal includes £18m of capital investment, primarily for tooling and precision machines, including adaptive robotic aerofoil finishing (the latest and most advanced manufacturing technology for this process)."

Investment Zone status provides South Yorkshire with up to £160m over ten years which can be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions to start, scale up and relocate their businesses.

In SYMCA budget papers, a "Rolls Royce - Expansion of blade manufacturing research and innovation" project has been given a total of £1.75m.

Rolls-Royce launched a bold, multi-year transformation programme in 2023 focusing on cost efficiency, commercial optimisation, and operational improvements. The company's underlying operating profit for the 2024 financial year was £2.5bn.

Rolls-Royce website

Images: Rolls-Royce

Read more...

News: McLaren makes a revolutionary leap in composites at Rotherham tech centre

Building on over 40 years of carbon fibre innovation, McLaren has unveiled a world-first in supercar engineering: aerospace-derived Automated Rapid Tape (ART) carbon fibre. And it has been developed in Rotherham.

The manufacturer opened the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in 2018 on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), which is in Rotherham. The £50m investment was made in developing and manufacturing the future of lightweighting technology.

The latest revolutionary leap in composites uses precision manufacturing techniques from the aerospace industry to create carbon fibre structures that are even lighter, stiffer, and stronger, while reducing waste by up to 95%. It is a world-first application of a cutting-edge and highly specialised manufacturing process in the automotive sector.

The first model to feature this advanced material is the McLaren W1 – where ART carbon integrated into the active front wing delivers a 10% boost in stiffness to help enable the car’s extraordinary aerodynamic performance.

The aerospace industry uses ultra-precise manufacturing methods to build highly tailored carbon fibre structures for the latest generation of air jetliners and fighter aircraft, particularly for large, crucial parts such as aircraft fuselage and wings. This is achieved via the robotic depositing of composite tapes to layer structures, over traditional hand layup using pre-impregnated materials. And it is a rapid pace, ‘high rate’ version of this production method that McLaren has developed and now integrated into its manufacturing capabilities at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in Rotherham.

Advertisement
Completely revolutionising the aerospace industry method of using robotic arms to layer composite tapes, McLaren’s Automated Rapid Tape method instead employs a specially designed machine using a fixed deposition head and a rapidly moving bed capable of rotation, which unlocks a faster manufacturing process suitable for automotive purposes and high-rate composites manufacturing.

Joe Elfort, plant director at the McLaren MCTC, said: "It means we can make the material as strong as possible where it needs to be and as light as possible where it can be. Think of it like human skin - it can be thin and flexible like your eyelids but also strong and durable like your elbows.

"With this new technology we've taken an aerospace scale manufacturing process and enhanced the rate capability so that it becomes viable for a supercar component. What's really unique is we can very accurately control the directionality of the strength the stiffness and the flexibility which allows us to optimise the design for the highly loaded and complex components like you see in the aerodynamic devices of the W1.

"Landmark supercars like W1 always usher in the next big technology trickle down. This is only the beginning of a remarkable new era in lightweight supercar engineering and performance."

The advantages Automated Rapid Tape technology can deliver in terms of manufacturing time and reduced costs creates the possibility of greater use of carbon fibre, in more areas of a vehicle. Looking beyond the carbon tub, wider use of ultra-lightweight body panels constructed of McLaren ART carbon fibre become more feasible and cost effective.

The Artura is McLaren’s first model to be built on all-new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA) that was developed in Rotherham. The latest advancement now unlocks immense possibilities for the next generation of carbon fibre architectures. Integrating ART technology into the structure of an ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong carbon fibre tub – manufactured with minimal waste material generation - that can underpin the next-generation of McLaren supercars is already under consideration.

McLaren website

Images: McLaren

Read more...

News: AMRC Training Centre targets specific skills gaps

The University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre has launched an enhanced apprenticeship programme, offering employers unprecedented flexibility in shaping the learning journey of their apprentices.

With state-of-the-art facilities on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the centre has trained over 1,700 apprentices, helping to create the manufacturing workforce of the future.

The new bespoke programme will enable businesses to customise their apprenticeships to specific needs through additional modular training options.

Employers can select modules at any point during an apprenticeship, in addition to the apprentice's core curriculum, to address skills gaps and tailor development in line with evolving business and industry demands.

These modular add-ons, crafted by industry-experienced educators, cover a wide range of in-demand skills, including introductory and intermediate CAD, welding, manual and CNC milling, manual and CNC turning, robotics and metallurgy, with additional modules continually being developed.

The add-ons can be integrated into various pathways, from level three advanced to level six degree apprenticeships, and are available immediately.

Advertisement
Nikki Jones, director of the AMRC Training Centre, said: “This enhanced apprenticeship programme, built on bespoke, modular training, is a game-changer for employers looking to shape their future workforce.

“It allows them to take control of their workforce development to precisely target skill gaps, ensuring their apprentices receive the training they need to thrive.

“As part of our commitment to strengthening UK manufacturing by nurturing the next generation of engineers, we are continuously refining our apprenticeship programmes based on employer feedback to address challenges and implement the changes they want. Together, we're building the talent pool needed for the sector to grow.”

In January, the University’s apprenticeship training was rated as ‘Good’ for overall effectiveness and Ofsted recognised the institution's commitment to ensuring the content of its curriculum matches the specific needs of employers which, in many cases, extends beyond the requirements of the apprenticeship standard.

AMRC Training Centre website

Images: AMRC Training CEntre

Read more...

News: Xeros technology set to be used by well-known electronics brand

Xeros Technology Group plc, the Rotherham-based creator of technologies that reduce the impact of clothing on the planet, has signed a Letter of Intent with a major electronics distributor for its microfibre product.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, Xeros is a Leeds University spin-out that has created a number of technologies, such as the use of polymer beeds in washing and filters to collect microplastics.

Xeros has signed with a major electronics distributor for an initial order of the XF3 external microfibre plug and go filter. This will see it placed into several major retail outlets, initially in the UK under a well-known electronics brand, towards the latter part of 2025.

An update to the stock exchange added that "further discussions for orders of XF3 with some of the World's largest electronics brands and distributors are progressing well, with other partnership announcements anticipated in early Q3."

Interest in the Group's fabric care technology is gaining further momentum globally. The group recently entered into a paid-for technical verification process with a leading global washing machine brand. Tech verification is a proof-of-concept process, which precedes a Joint Development Agreement (JDA), and typically takes around six months to complete.

Advertisement
Tech verification processes are taking place with four of the world's largest washing machine companies as regards the fabric care technology. Of these global brands, two are in final stage evaluations ahead of signing a JDA, which would aim towards a commercial launch during 2026.

Xeros said that "this growing momentum is testament to the potential for the Group's technology to revolutionise washing machines and garment care."

Under an existing licensing agreements. IFB Industries Limited, the largest washing machine manufacturer in India, is expected to launch of a fabric care enabled domestic washing machine range later this year.

Xeros also works in the huge garment finishing sector, where a deal with Yilmak, has been delayed into the next financial year.

Moving to an "IP-rich, capital-light" business model with water saving and filtration technologies with multiple commercial applications, Xeros raised £5.5m to provide working capital and enable to execute its high profile contracts in 2024. The board expects to achieve revenue of approximately £2.5m in the current year, though this does not include the significant upside potential of additional revenue opportunities from the numerous discussions we currently have underway.

Neil Austin, CEO at Xeros, said: "The importance of our discussions with these major global players should not be underestimated. A JDA with any one of these could be potentially transformational for the Group, opening the door for others to follow. The washing machine industry is ripe for innovation and change. Existing washing machines have remained largely the same for 40 years and there is pressure on leading OEMs to innovate to secure future sales and market share, as well as meeting upcoming environmental regulations."

Xeros website

Images: Xeros

Read more...

News: Metalysis increases Gen 1 research units by one third

Metalysis, the end-to-end manufacturer of solid-state metal and alloy powders and global leader in materials science, today announced the installation of three new Gen 1 research units - building on the capacity of the existing nine - so expanding Metalysis' first stage research capabilities by a third - in response to unprecedented demand from advanced industries such as hypersonics, defence, clean energy (nuclear fission and fusion) and space.

The company holds the worldwide exploitation rights to the FCC Cambridge process which sees specialist powder metals created in a simple, cost effective process with significant environmental benefits. With a Materials Discovery Centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham it also operates a site at Manvers.

Each Gen 1 can produce grammes of output per machine per run and is the first stage in the Metalysis product development process. The Gen 1s directly serve commercial clients’ advanced material development needs via producing low levels of output for proof of principle before the client’s requirements are elevated to Gen 2, then Gen 3, and potentially to Gen 4, which is capable of tens of tonnes of output per unit per year. The availability of different Gen’s for trial batches offers flexibility to customers, negating the requirement to place large minimum order quantities.

Each Gen unit contains a crucible of electrolyte (calcium chloride, more commonly known as rock salt) and traditionally a carbon anode, with variations in the anode possible dependent upon the off-gas being produced. The metal oxide acts as the cathode, and with heating of the rock salt between 650-950 degrees Celsius and a voltage applied, the oxygen is released, gravitating to the anode, leaving a metal sponge. This is then crushed, milled, and dried, giving a metal or metal alloy powder. The process is agnostic to oxide composition, meaning the Gen units are not constrained by product type.

The benefits of the Metalysis electrolysis process are that in contrast to traditional melting processes for metal alloy powder production, electrolysis uses much lower temperatures and less energy and is a single-stage process rather than multi-stage, such as titanium alloy production. Also, no hazardous chemicals are used during the Metalysis process. This gives substantial energy and yield savings and means that sustainability is built-in across the Metalysis production process.

The Metalysis process in contrast to melting is also highly adaptable, so bespoke materials can be produced as directed by specific customer demand.

Advertisement
Demand is coming from the high entropy alloy sector and the growing commercial space sector.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are a new class of alloy that ushers in a revolution in metallurgy not seen since the Bronze Age. Traditionally, alloys are metals alloyed to one base metal. HEAs are an equal configuration of elements, which means new alloys can be constructed with the attributes of each metal spread throughout the new alloy – e.g, strength, ductility, fatigue, and corrosion, oxidation, and temperature resistance.

Nitesh Shah, CEO of Metalysis, said: “We are delighted to be expanding Metalysis’ development capabilities by increasing the number of our Gen 1 units by a third. This need for substantial expansion is led by our partners and potential partners – particularly in the hypersonics and space sectors – who have sourced Metalysis as their global partner for the development and commercial supply of advanced novel materials. As these innovative sectors grow, the need for novel advanced materials increases, and our Gen 1 units will allow us to work with partners on the required physical properties and chemical compositions of their advanced materials.

"Metalysis recently purchased a spheroidiser for in-house production of spherical powders and this expansion of our Gen 1s further expands our in-house capacity."

Rawmarsh and Consibrough MP John Healey recently visited Metalysis’ manufacturing centre in Wath. He said: "The company has an important part to play in the country’s critical metals sector through its production of metallic and intermetallic powders and alloys that can be used in a range of different products and sectors.

“I’m looking forward to hearing more about the company’s success in the future as it continues to expand in the years to come.”

Metalysis website

Images: Metalysis

Read more...

News: Medical equipment manufacturer moves back to Rotherham

Wassenburg Ltd, which is a world leader in manufacturing endoscope reprocessing products and solutions, has taken a 10,900 sq ft modern warehouse and office unit at Ignite @ Magna Business Park in Rotherham.

The Dutch-owned company is taking a five-year lease, at a headline rent of £8.95 per sq ft at Templeborough.

The move is made possible by global steel business Danieli moving from Templeborough to a new purpose built headquarters in a prime plot on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

Andrew Betts, Managing Director of Danieli, said: "As part of Danieli’s relocation to the Advanced Manufacturing Park following significant expansion, Knight Frank was appointed to market our former premises which offered a high quality, industrial/business unit, with above average office content. Following strong interest, a letting to Wassenburg was agreed and Nick Wales of Knight Frank Sheffield has been retained to sell the investment."

Rebecca Schofield of Knight Frank, who dealt with the letting, added: “The Ignite at Magna Development continues to prove popular; the premises are of high quality and are well located with easy access to J33 and 34 M1. Unit 4 Ignite was well received to the market and the layout and fit out proved attractive to occupiers. Wassenburg was attracted to the quality of the unit and the split between office and warehouse space, and it is great to see them relocate and expand in the area.”

Advertisement
In 2011 Wassenburg transferred its UK operation from Hellaby to Smithy Wood in Sheffield.

Rakesh Javer, Managing Director at Wassenburg, said: “We are delighted to relocate to Unit 4 Ignite. The high-quality facilities and strategic location provide the perfect base for our operations as we continue to expand and serve our customers more effectively.”

Ignite @ Magna offers easy access into Rotherham and Sheffield. It is also around one mile from Junction 34 of the M1, and also close to Junction 33 of the M1 allowing distribution networks across the entire country. Well known occupiers nearby include ETA, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Parcel Force and AESSEAL.

Wassenburg was established in 1984 by Gerrit Wassenburg, and has developed from a family company into a global player as an expert in all aspects related to automated endoscope reprocessing.

Since its establishment, Wassenburg, with headquarters in The Netherlands, has grown exponentially and has sales offices in The UK, Ireland, France, Germany, the US and an exclusive distributors network in Europe, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Wassenburg website
Danieli website

Images: Knight Frank

Read more...

News: Green hydrogen company joins innovation community on AMP

WD HydroTech, a fast-growing green hydrogen company, has taken workspace on the Advanced manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

At the AMP Technology Centre, the start-up joins a cluster of advanced manufacturing, and engineering businesses co-locating in South Yorkshire’s Investment Zone.

AMP Technology Centre offers lab, workshop, office and meeting space in the heart of South Yorkshire’s innovation community. The workspace and surrounding AMP are home to world-class research facilities, global brands, targeted skills development programmes, and a network of experts commercialising research and growing businesses.

WD HydroTech is a research and development company focused on improving electrolyser and hydrogen gas compression technology to support the green hydrogen supply chain. Incorporated in August 2021, WD HydroTech is the brainchild of Founders Dr Nigel Williamson and Keith Downes, who started the business from Nigel’s garage three years earlier. Combining their extensive experience in engineering and bringing new technologies to market, with a passion for sustainable energy solutions, they are developing a novel solution for green hydrogen generation and compression.

In September 2024 the duo and their growing team, which includes Head of Operations Heidi Tomlin and Engineering Manager Mark Walker, were awarded the highly competitive Innovate UK Smart Grant. The government-backed investment raised half a million pounds and has been the catalyst to secure onward investment, catapulting the start-up from proof-of-concept prototype, to the next round of pre-seed funding and onwards to real-world product testing.

Over the next 12 months WD HydroTech will expand operations and triple the team size from their specialist unit at AMP Technology Centre.

Advertisement
Head of Operations Hiedi Tomlin, said: “We looked for a suitable workspace across North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire and were attracted to AMP Technology Centre because uniquely they could offer us room for engineers to prototype, manufacture and test products for industry, alongside the business-critical commercial meeting and office space that is so essential for a fast growing start-up like ours.

“The business community that is co-located here and our proximity to the Catapult Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and their Training Centre was another major draw. The world class apprenticeship programme established here can deliver a steady pipeline of highly skilled talent for our growing business.

“We’ve already started to have useful conversations with our neighbours, and we value the opportunity to build these local networks and relationships within a space like AMP Technology Centre.”

The global application and potential for green hydrogen is huge but for a long time the challenge for producers and suppliers has been reliable and sustainable production and storage. The challenge for end users is often accessibility and price. With their green hydrogen electrolyser and gas compressor technology WD HydroTech will address these challenges directly, improving accessibility and affordability for green hydrogen across markets.

WD HydroTech website
AMP Technology Centre website

Images: AMP Technology Centre

Read more...

News: AMP move for Insight Direct confirmed

Harworth, a leading regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has confirmed the letting of a recently completed, Grade-A Industrial & Logistics building at its Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, to Insight, the solutions and systems integrator.

Rothbiz reported back in 2023 that planning permission had been secured to enable Insight, a Fortune 500 IT firm, to operate from the AMP.

Focused on driving client success through digital transformation, the principal activity of the company is the provision of technology solutions including hardware, software and services to business and public sector clients.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of American firm, Insight Enterprises Inc., Insight Direct UK is a leading provider of brand-name IT to large enterprises, small to medium-sized businesses and public sector institutions, principally in the UK.

Insight has agreed a 15-year lease for the 73,000 sq ft unit, which reached practical completion earlier this month. It will serve as a major European Solutions Integration Centre for Insight, bringing together a number of operational processes under one roof, including distribution, technology lab services and agile office space.

Advertisement
Insight has operated from a technology campus created in a converted former nightclub next to Sheffield Arena for over 15 years with part of the premises used as a distribution facility for the sale of IT equipment.

The integration centre's main activity is to asset tag and store client equipment during their own IT refresh. Insight's focus is around adding value to the services and solutions to their client base which includes some high profile public sector bodies such as the NHS.

Jonathan Haigh, Chief Investment Officer at Harworth Group, said: “Insight is a global leader in its field and its decision to choose Harworth’s Advanced Manufacturing Park to support its expansion plans is testament to the quality of space on offer, and appeal of the location.

"The AMP has established itself as an international centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing with its designation as part of the UK Government’s first Investment Zone, and we are proud to have played a role in its creation. We continue to focus on delivering high quality Industrial & Logistics schemes across the Midlands and the North of England in undersupplied markets where we are seeing strong demand from a wide range of businesses.”

0.2 million sq. ft. of Industrial & Logistics space has now practically completed so far this year on the AMP, a major hub for manufacturing in the UK, and home to global businesses such as Boeing and Rolls-Royce, as well as the UK Atomic Energy Authority and McLaren Automotive Composites Technology Centre.

Construction of a new 80,000 sq ft headquarters for Technicut, a specialist tool cutting manufacturer, is currently on site, with a further 0.4 million sq ft of consented developable space available at the AMP. This will be ideally suited for a range of businesses seeking to upgrade or expand their existing facilities.

Insight Direct UK website

Images: Harworth

Read more...

News: Harworth makes £43.7m purchase adjacent to AMP

Harworth, a leading regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has completed the acquisition of Catalyst, a 285,000 sq ft, Grade A, urban logistics estate in Rotherham.

The £43.7m purchase price reflects a net initial yield of 5.4%.

The asset, completed in 2023, is strategically located adjacent to Harworth's own head office and its flagship industrial development and major UK manufacturing hub, the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP). Harworth said that the acquisition delivers an extension to the AMP which now benefits from a highly prominent, extensive frontage on both sides of the Sheffield Parkway and its excellent arterial connectivity provides access to a vast labour pool.

Comprising of five units, the scheme is currently 90% let to a diverse range of occupiers including Octopus Energy which has taken 91,923 sq ft to use the warehouse for its Octopus Energy Services part of the business which is spearheading the transition to greener, cheaper energy through the installation of in-home technologies.

Harworth is confident of securing a letting for the final 28,000 sq ft and when fully let the scheme will generate £2.5m of annualised rent. The acquisition provides an opportunity to implement tailored asset management initiatives and deliver additional value across the wider AMP, where Harworth continues to see strong demand from occupiers, and rents have recently exceeded £10 per sq ft.

Advertisement
The acquisition is in line with Harworth's strategy to grow its Investment Portfolio to £0.9 billion by the end of 2029 and transition its core portfolio to 100% Grade A by 2027. Following this acquisition, alongside practical completion of a further 73,000 sq. ft. of Industrial & Logistics space at the AMP earlier this month, the Group's Investment Portfolio will total 2.8 million sq ft of which 45% is Grade A.

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive of Harworth, said: "This acquisition, the largest of an Industrial & Logistics investment asset in Harworth's history, aligns with our strategy to grow our high-quality Investment Portfolio. It also continues our track record of strategic site assembly, providing an opportunity to extend the AMP, further establishing it as one of the leading manufacturing and distribution centres in the region.

"Increased direct development and the retention of Grade A Industrial & Logistics assets across our major sites, supplemented by select, income producing acquisitions, is core to our strategy, whilst we will also look to recycle properties where value has been maximised through completed asset management initiatives."

Harworth recently ascended to the FTSE 250 Index - a group of mid-cap blue chip companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Since re-listing as Harworth in 2015, the Group has grown its Statutory Net Assets by 137%. It consistently reports that it is on course in its strategy to reach £1 billion EPRA NDV by the end of 2027.

Harworth website

Images: Harworth

Read more...