The University of Birmingham outlines the importance of recognising UK manufacturing and why it is getting behind The Manufacturer of the Year Awards for the second year running.
Research at the University of Birmingham leads to new inventions and fuels innovation and business growth. We play an integral role in the economic, social, and cultural growth of our nation and our region.
Underpinning our world-class research is an infrastructure that will facilitate a step-change in innovation. For example, the University of Birmingham is a key founding partner in the development of the £40 million Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Ansty Park near Coventry. The other founding partners are The University of Nottingham, Loughborough University, and TWI Ltd. Our collective vision for the Centre is to become a world-class global research facility: ‘Making the Future’ through transformational manufacturing technology development.
On the same site, work has also recently commenced on a new £60 million ‘High Temperature Research Centre’ jointly funded by Rolls-Royce and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). This will be a unique casting, design, simulation and advanced manufacturing research facility, and will focus initially on the key design and manufacturing aspects of investment casting relating to aerospace and other industrial sectors.
The Manufacturer of the Year Awards demonstrate innovation in manufacturing in the UK. Our own dedication to quality and innovation was recognised recently by The Times and The Sunday Times, when they named us as ‘University of the Year’. It is extremely important to promote the UK as a key manufacturing nation, and also to emphasise that partnerships between industry and universities are essential for economic growth. For this reason, for the second year running, The University of Birmingham is proud to be supporting UK manufacturing by sponsoring the judging day for these fantastic awards.
The Manufacturer Director’s Conference 2014
As the flagship event The Manufacturer Directors’ Conference (TMDC) will focus on the drive for continued growth in the year ahead, addressing both the opportunity for innovation and investment that this will bring. High achieving leaders will impart their knowledge and give insight about how they plan to grow their business. This will be complemented by inspirational industry figures, key government members and leading academics who will discuss the trends and influences that are shaping the future of manufacturing.
This year’s event will once again be held at Birmingham’s ICC on November 26-27. For more information or to register your attendance, visit the MDC website.
