The Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and Tata Steel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see them collaborate in the fields of science, technology and education.

This will result in a new £20 million centre for Advanced Steels Research, which is being built in Warwick; housing 300 engineers, it will complement Tata Steel’s long-term investment in its own move to facilities at the University of Warwick. It will be led by Professor Sridhar Seetharaman, Tata Steel’s chairman in Low Carbon Materials at the WMG.

Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations (pictured with WMG's Lord Bhattacharyya), said: “This development will allow us to work with world-class scientists and researchers to create new steels for customers who are shaping the low-carbon technologies of tomorrow.”

WMG’s Lord Bhattacharyya said: “With Tata Steel, we are creating a national focus that will help to ensure that the UK steel industry has the knowledge, technology and skills to compete in the huge international steel market.”