The Nuclear AMRC has constantly grown and developed since its inception.
In July 2009, the UK government’s Low Carbon Industrial Strategy gave a commitment to “establish a Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre that combines the knowledge, practices and expertise of manufacturing companies with the capability of universities”.
Following bids from some of the UK’s leading universities to develop the centre, it was announced in December 2009 that the Nuclear AMRC would be led by the University of Sheffield and The University of Manchester, with Rolls-Royce as lead industrial partner. Other founding partners were Areva, Westinghouse, Sheffield Forgemasters and Tata Steel.
The establishment of the Nuclear AMRC was supported by a £15 million grant from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and £7 million from the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. The European Regional Development Fund also supported the development of the centre’s permanent home on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), South Yorkshire.
BIS and the Northwest Development Agency invested a further £8 million to expand the manufacturing research laboratories at The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute.
In March 2011, the Nuclear AMRC became part of the first of a new generation of government-backed Technology Innovation Centres, later branded as the Catapult network. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is now a thriving alliance of seven leading manufacturing R&D centres backed by Innovate UK. Another eight Catapults are addressing other key technology areas.
The Nuclear AMRC took possession of its research factory on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in October 2011, and officially opened the facility in May 2012.
Since our launch, we have developed and consolidated our position at the heart of the UK’s civil nuclear manufacturing industry. We have opened additional R&D facilities in the North West and Midlands to expand our capabilities into other technology areas of vital importance to the UK nuclear industry.
We have worked with hundreds of companies, including many SMEs, to help them expand their capabilities and win work in nuclear. And we have extended our capabilities from our core civil nuclear market, to help companies solve their manufacturing challenges across the low-carbon energy sector and in other quality-critical industries.
In July 2024, the Nuclear AMRC started a 90-day staff consultation on changes proposed in discussion with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and other stakeholders.
