NEWS
Composites Strategy
boost for UK aerospace
An all new National Composites Centre to be established in
Bristol is set to improve coordination between Government,
RDAs and industry, as Mike Richardson reports.
The new investment announced by the UK Government,
totalling £22 million, will advance the development of
composite materials throughout the country.
The new Composites Strategy outlines how it plans to
support UK firms involved in manufacturing, utilising and
exporting composites and composite technology, with the aim
of maintaining its global lead in this growth field.
The investment is made up of £16m for a new National
Composites Centre (NCC), comprising £12m from
central Government and £4m from the South West
Regional Development Agency (RDA). The NCC will be
Wing manufacturing
an independent, open access national centre designed to
help deliver world class innovation in the design and rapid
facility under way
manufacture of composites and enable widespread industrial
exploitation. It will form an international hub linking activities Bombardier Aerospace is celebrating another major milestone
across all sectors of the UK in research, education and training, in the CSeries aircraft programme as construction begins on its
technology transfer and the incubation of new enterprises. new aircraft wing facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The South West RDA will oversee the construction of a The new 55,742m
2
factory is being built in two phases and
purpose-built 6,000m
2
facility in collaboration with Bristol will incorporate an existing production building, whilst the
University and several industry partners, currently comprising facility’s design and layout are being optimised both for the
Airbus, GKN, Rolls-Royce and Vestas. The Centre is expected production process – and to minimise environmental impact.
to be operational by 1st April 2011. Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster joined
“This announcement will be welcomed by every UK Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast’s vice president and general
composites manufacturer, not only because it is an opportunity manager, Michael Ryan to lay a special cornerstone to mark
to attract more investment in the composites arena, but the construction.
also because it will help better coordinate Government “We are delighted to mark this major investment in a new
investment in composites,” stated the Aerospace & Defence facility for the production of advanced composite aircraft
KTN’s operations manager, Sameer Savani. “The UK has wings,” stated Ryan. “The CSeries aircraft programme will
a ‘regionalised’ approach to date in the development of help to build on our track record of almost 40 years experience
composites; the NCC will be able to work with regional in composite technology. We are currently testing and proving
composite centres to truly leverage UK capability in this out the design, manufacturing and assembly processes for the
strategically important area for aerospace manufacturing, CSeries aircraft wing.”
ensuring that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The 20 year programme will generate around 800 jobs
According to Savani, the A&D KTN plays a key role in helping at Bombardier Belfast in addition to the many employment
develop the Composites Strategy in the UK: “The A&D KTN opportunities during the build phase for the local construction
is ideally placed to collate insight regarding opportunities and sector during the current downturn.
issues that drive the UK sector against a globally competitive “Locating the CSeries aircraft wing project in Northern
arena. The KTN was integral in working with industry and Ireland is a clear endorsement of the expertise and skill
academic communities to feed into the strategy the market which exists in our aerospace sector and highlights our
opportunities and requirements for UK aerospace in composites. international reputation for excellence,” claimed Foster. “As
Likewise upon publication the KTN also then enabled broad this project develops, I hope there will be further opportunities
reach communication across the sector.” for Bombardier and Invest Northern Ireland to strengthen
www.southwestrda.org.uk Northern Ireland’s aerospace industry.”
www.aeroktn.co.uk www.bombardier.com
AEROSPACEMANUFACTURING | jANUARy 2010 5
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40