70 jobs a step closer as £20m advanced manufacturing facility gets underway
A topping out ceremony has been held to celebrate the completion of initial construction work on Nuclear AMRC Midlands’ new advanced manufacturing centre in Derby.
The £20m, 46,904 sq ft facility will provide a permanent base in Derby for the University of Sheffield’s Nuclear AMRC, part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and a new home for the University of Derby’s Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering (IISE).
Seventy jobs are expected to be created once the centre is complete.
Andrew Storer, CEO of the Nuclear AMRC, said: “It’s fantastic to see the progress that’s been made on our new facility, especially when the UN climate change conference in Egypt is again highlighting the urgency of reducing emissions from all parts of the global economy. As a nation, we need to build a new generation of low-carbon power plant, and we need to move industry to more sustainable manufacturing and engineering practices.
“The research that will be carried out in this facility will help tackle both of those challenges, and support manufacturers in Derby and beyond to seize the opportunities of the energy transition. I look forward to working with local industry, academic and government partners to deliver sustainable growth in the Midlands for generations to come.”
The new building, designed by Stephen George + Partners and built by Stepnell, is based around a large open-plan workshop which will host a range of state-of-the-art manufacturing and research equipment, with ten metre ceilings and 50 tonne cranes to allow work on large fabrications and assemblies.
Tom Sewell, regional director at Stepnell, said: “The Nuclear AMRC facility in Derby is a fantastic project that we are proud to be working on. Stepnell is committed to investing in the local community and is on track to deliver over £3m of social return on investment. Key activities have included employing a local supply chain, working with people facing significant barriers to employment through Derby City Council led initiatives, and collaborating with local education providers including Derby College, University of Derby, City of Derby Academy and Landau Forte College.”
Chris Webster, studio director at Stephen George + Partners and lead architect for the project, added: “It was exciting to design a building that had to deliver on both the requirements of Nuclear AMRC and be a statement gateway to the development. We were able to use our extensive experience in the sector to create this quality design, reflecting the high technology aspirations for Infinity Park Derby.”
