THE North East will share in a £140m pot of funding to boost hi-tech manufacturing, the Government announced yesterday.
Part of the cash will go to the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), based at NETPark in Sedgefield in County Durham and Wilton on Teesside.
It focuses on industrial biotechnology, anaerobic digestion, smart chemistry, sustainable engineering, thermal technologies and printable electronics.
It is one of seven regional facilities across the country being grouped together to form a high value manufacturing technology and innovation centre that will receive more than £140m over a six-year period – with final details yet to be finalised. The Government is hoping the cash will help bring ideas from scientists’ drawing board into the real world to create commercial products.
A CPI spokesman said: “This investment is excellent news for CPI and demonstrates the UK’s commitment to inspiring new innovation. It aids the on-going development of CPI’s world-class technology platforms in sustainable processing, printable electronics and high temperature processing, which enables British companies to benefit from and commercialise the results of leading research.”
Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson said: “I obviously welcome the news. I am really pleased that the Government has continued to invest in the technology that we established under the previous Government and gained a great amount of support from regional development agencies.”
The Labour MP added the regional bases of excellence would not have been there had it not been for regional development agencies, which are being closed by the Government.
Ian Swales, Liberal Democrat MP for Redcar, said the CPI was doing great work on technologies for the future and was delighted by the Government support for it. “The process industry is already one of the largest employers in the North East and this investment in the future of the process industry is vital for our regional economy,” said Mr Swales.
Speaking to The Journal, Conservative business minister Mark Prisk said: “This is a six-year funding stream, not a short-term one. And this is designed to make sure that they can continue to develop their existing programmes.”
A competition with nearly £18m up for grabs will also be run to fund new products using advanced materials, biosciences and nanoscale technologies. And £15m will be available for research and development of low carbon vehicles.
The Government also launched See Inside Manufacturing, an initiative being piloted by automotive firms. They will open their factories and offices to students and young people to encourage them to consider careers in industry.
Steve Radley, director of policy at the Engineering Employers Federation, welcomed the announcements as welcome in providing further information on how the Government would work with industry to encourage innovation. But with economic headwinds increasing, manufacturers will need to hear more from Government soon if they are to make the investment we need to drive our economy forward,” he added.
