The UK has strengthened its advanced aerospace manufacturing capabilities with the launch of the Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) research and development facility in South Yorkshire. Designed as an open-access innovation centre, the facility aims to accelerate the production of next-generation aircraft structures, improve manufacturing efficiency and support the aviation industry’s transition towards lighter, more sustainable aircraft.
Boeing will become the first industry partner to utilize the new facility, underscoring the growing collaboration between industry and academia to develop advanced manufacturing technologies that can meet increasing global demand for commercial aircraft while supporting long-term sustainability goals.
Located at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the COMPASS facility has been developed to help manufacturers produce large composite aerostructures faster and more efficiently using automation, robotics and digital manufacturing technologies. While aerospace remains its primary focus, the centre will also support research and innovation across the renewable energy, defence, transportation and urban air mobility sectors.
The launch comes at a time when aircraft manufacturers are under increasing pressure to ramp up production to meet global airline demand. Industry forecasts indicate that more than 40,000 new commercial aircraft will be required over the next two decades, making advanced manufacturing technologies critical to reducing production bottlenecks while improving aircraft performance and fuel efficiency.
The first major research initiative to be undertaken at COMPASS will be Boeing’s Isothermic High-Rate Sustainable Structures (IHSS) programme, supported through funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme. The project seeks to transform the production of large composite aircraft components by reducing manufacturing times from approximately 40 hours to just four hours. The initiative combines advanced composite materials, automation and digital production technologies to significantly improve manufacturing speed while maintaining structural integrity and quality.
The adoption of such high-rate composite manufacturing technologies is expected to play a crucial role in supporting the aviation industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Lightweight composite structures contribute directly to lower aircraft weight, reduced fuel burn and improved operational efficiency, making them an essential component of future aircraft design.
Commenting on the launch, Professor Ben Morgan, CEO of the University of Sheffield AMRC, said the new facility represents the culmination of more than two decades of research in composites and manufacturing automation.
“COMPASS delivers a world-leading capability built on two decades of the AMRC’s industrially relevant composites and automation research. To secure the UK’s position as a leading aerospace manufacturing nation, we must de-risk new technologies at scale. This facility will do exactly that, unlocking jobs, attracting investment and driving economic growth,” he said.
The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) believes the facility will play a strategic role in enhancing the UK’s competitiveness within the global aerospace sector.
Gary Elliott, Chief Executive Officer of ATI, said, “The University of Sheffield AMRC has a proud record of providing cutting-edge support to the aerospace industry. COMPASS takes that further still, providing a world-leading open-access facility for UK innovation in composites technology, with support from the ATI Programme. This supports our ambition to double UK aerospace market value by 2035, with significant opportunities associated with composites driving jobs and growth across the country.”
Industrial automation specialist Loop Technology, a key partner in both the COMPASS facility and Boeing’s IHSS programme, will provide its FibreLINE robotic preforming system for automated high-rate composite manufacturing while integrating robotic production systems throughout the facility. The collaboration is expected to demonstrate how advanced robotics can significantly improve production consistency, reduce manufacturing costs and enable higher production rates.
Regional leaders also view the investment as a key catalyst for economic development and growth in advanced manufacturing in South Yorkshire.
According to the University of Sheffield, the COMPASS facility will enable companies to validate advanced manufacturing technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, allowing manufacturers to demonstrate and refine production methods in a representative industrial environment before full-scale commercial deployment. This capability is expected to significantly reduce the financial and technical risks associated with adopting new manufacturing technologies.
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The facility will also provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to industrial-scale research infrastructure that would otherwise be beyond their reach, enabling them to develop, test, and commercialize advanced manufacturing solutions while strengthening their competitiveness within global aerospace supply chains.
As aircraft manufacturers continue to seek higher production rates alongside ambitious sustainability targets, facilities such as COMPASS are expected to play an increasingly important role in accelerating innovation, strengthening supply chain resilience and advancing the next generation of aerospace manufacturing technologies.
