Inspiring Great British Manufacturing
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)The MTC was created with the objective of bridging the ‘valley of death’ between academia and industry. Four forward-thinking founders; University of Birmingham, Loughborough University; University of Nottingham and TWI began the process of bringing this concept to life. After four years of planning and a 16 month build, the MTC opened at Ansty Park, Coventry in 2011.
The MTC is a rapidly growing business. Since its formal opening, the Centre has grown to nearly 500 employees and now has more than 90 industrial global manufacturing members and operates in sectors as diverse as automotive, aerospace, rail, informatics, food & drink, construction/ civil engineering, electronics, oil & gas and defence.
Strategically the MTC will continually work to:
- Accelerate the UK's industrial growth
- Deliver innovation
- Change the way businesses compete
- Create and embed skills
- Maximise synergies within supply chains
The MTC is at the forefront of leading the UK’s processes for Industry 4.0, or what is fast becoming known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and is running a wide research portfolio aimed at helping companies access digital factory technology involving Industrial, Government and European Commission funds totaling over £15 million. The MTC also leads the HVMC in Intelligent Automation and Net Shape and Additive Manufacturing technologies.
Aerospace Research Centre
Formally opened in June 2015, the Aerospace Research Centre, funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute, has provided the additional workshop and office space required to continue growing the large scale Aerospace manufacturing R&D without restricting MTC’s capacity for growth in other industrial sector activity.Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC)
Officially opened in November 2015 by The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lord Blackwell, Chairman of Lloyds Banking Group, this training centre aims to redress the manufacturing skills gaps inhibiting the high value manufacturing (HVM) sector and to develop the skills that are needed for delivering the technologies of the future.The advanced training facilities enable young people to gain professional qualifications up to postgraduate level, with training that matches the best in the world.
Funding from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has been matched by industry support for the development of the centre and a conferencing revenue stream has been created within the building to support the ongoing costs of training apprentices.
Lloyds Bank is the largest private sector contributor to the centre and is contributing £5m over 5 years as part of its commitment to support the UK manufacturing industry and to help tackle the sector’s shortfall in skills.
The bank’s contribution will support over 1,000 trainees, in line with the Group’s ‘Helping Britain Prosper’ plan; as well as helping the UK realise its potential in advanced manufacturing.