Renfrewshire will be home to a new £65 million National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS), with Strathclyde University announced as the ‘anchor’ university.
Construction of the centre, which will help manufacturing businesses throughout Scotland become world leaders in innovation, will begin this year at Inchinnan (near Glasgow International Airport and the M8 motorway).
The Scottish Government will invest £48 million in the project, with £8 million coming from the University of Strathclyde; this is in addition to the £8.9 million announced last June for the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (as a first step towards the NMIS).
Renfrewshire Council will provide a further £39.1 million (through the Glasgow City Region Deal) for infrastructure work at the site.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement during a visit last month to Rolls-Royce’s manufacturing facility in Inchinnan (Rolls-Royce is a founding member of the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre).
Speaking after a meeting with some of Scotland’s leading manufacturing companies, the First Minister said: “This exciting facility will be an industry-led international centre of manufacturing expertise.
“Research, industry and the public sector will work together to transform skills, productivity and innovation, attracting investment and making Scotland a global leader in advanced manufacturing.
“It will help companies right across Scotland embrace new manufacturing techniques, support cutting-edge research and help to further develop the skills of our workforce.
“The manufacturing jobs of the future offer exciting and rewarding careers for young people. We want to inspire them to work in this sector and revive Scotland’s proud tradition of manufacturing and engineering.”
Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said: “This marks the beginning of a new chapter for Scottish manufacturing, building on a great tradition of innovation.
“By capitalising on world-class industry-relevant research and supporting skills development, the new institute will attract inward investment to Scotland, stimulate the creation of jobs and help companies compete globally.”
Hamid Mughal, director of global manufacturing at Rolls-Royce, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see that the strategic importance of advanced manufacturing is being recognised, and that the Scottish Government intends to work closely with industry to promote greater innovation and productivity.”