The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is sharpening its aerospace and defence focus, aiming to quadruple its historical industrial impact over the next decade through advanced manufacturing research, faster technology adoption and stronger UK supply chains.
As it marks 25 years of industry collaboration, the AMRC is prioritising technologies that help aerospace manufacturers improve production efficiency, scale output and bring research into practical industrial use. Its work connects university research with the manufacturing requirements of aerospace companies and their supply chains.
A key initiative is the £54 million Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) facility, which supports research into advanced composite manufacturing. The facility also houses Boeing’s Integrated High-Speed Structures programme, extending the partnership between Boeing and the University of Sheffield.
Advanced manufacturing supports aerospace production
The AMRC works with major manufacturers, including Boeing and Rolls-Royce, to develop and industrialise manufacturing technologies. For the aerospace sector, this research can support more efficient production processes, improved manufacturing capability and the development of advanced structures and components.
The centre’s wider industrial impact includes helping attract £350 million in inward investment and more than 2,500 manufacturing jobs to South Yorkshire’s manufacturing cluster. Its workforce now exceeds 570 researchers and manufacturing specialists across centres in South Yorkshire, Wales and Lancashire.
Professor Ben Morgan, chief executive officer of the AMRC, said, “Our goal for the next decade is to quadruple our historical impact. We aren’t just doing research – we are driving up shop-floor production rates, shortening technology adoption cycles and ensuring critical supply chains remain firmly anchored in the UK.”
For aviation manufacturers and suppliers, the AMRC’s strategy highlights the importance of translating research into scalable production methods. While its focus is on manufacturing rather than aircraft maintenance, improvements in component production, process capability and supply-chain resilience can support the wider aerospace lifecycle.
