£28m boost for National Composites Centre

Located near Bristol, the NCC opened in November 2011 to meet the needs of industry, which is increasingly making use of composite materials which are light, strong and corrosion resistant. The centre, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, will invest the money to construct additional facilities adjacent to the existing building. As well as providing increased capacity and a dedicated high speed composite manufacturing technology facility, part of the new building will be utilised to ensure a sustainable future for the composites manufacturing skills in the UK workforce by bringing together leading businesses, colleges and universities. NCC chief executive Peter Chivers said: "I am thrilled by the announcement today, which reflects government's ongoing commitment to high value manufacturing and its growth in the UK. Composites are key to the future of many UK sectors and their endeavours to reduce CO₂ emissions. "The extended NCC, which will provide for further innovation in multi-sectoral manufacturing and technology development, skills and education, and offering greater support for SME's and the supply chain, will be fundamental in allowing the UK to remain competitive in this rapidly growing global market."