Wednesday 19th September saw the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science, welcome Atlas Composites' managing director, Shaun Moloney and a select group of guests to the official launch of Nottingham University's new £3.5 million Institute for Advanced Manufacturing. The Institute is a UK flagship for world-class interdisciplinary research in advanced manufacturing with the capability to address the needs of a number of industrial sectors. The centre aims to develop cutting edge technology in areas including aerospace, automotive, defence, medical, power engineering, textiles and clothing. Partners include existing Atlas Composites customers such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. Atlas Composites, who manufacturer composite components for aerospace, satellite communications and unmanned aerial systems amongst others, already has close links with the University, they are Advisory Group Board Members for the Aerospace Technology Centre. With the UK composites industry - driven by growth sectors such as aerospace - expected to grow by around 8% per annum to 2020 the importance of collaborative research with SMEs such as Atlas cannot be understated. Speaking after formally opening the Institute, the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science said: “Nottingham could become home to the great engineers of the future. As set out in the Government’s industrial strategy, it is vital that business benefits from the very best and latest technologies in order to compete in the global marketplace and be a driving force for growth.”
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