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ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Special report by Ged Henderson
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Amid all the orderbook announcements and high-tech hardware on display at the Farnborough International Air Show this summer came news showcasing Lancashire’s desire to secure a greater slice of the nation’s aerospace and defence budget.
It was revealed planning approval had been secured for the £13.2m Samlesbury Innovation Hub – the latest asset in the county’s vitally important advanced manufacturing and engineering eco-system.
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Once developed, it will join an impressive cluster of leading research, innovation and development institutions in the county, committed to driving Lancashire forward nationally and globally and delivering for its economic future.
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The Lancashire Growth Plan identifies national security and resilience as a strategic growth priority and sets out the county’s long term ambition to strengthen nationally important sectors by attracting investment, supporting innovation and creating high value employment. The hub is one of a number of projects tasked with helping to deliver that ambition.
The building is intended to become a focal point for collaboration between businesses,
universities and research organisations, helping companies develop new products and services, strengthen supply chains, innovate and bring new ideas to market.
Sitting in the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone, the hub will provide up to 30,000 sq ft of flexible commercial space, including office accommodation, collaboration areas and event facilities for businesses operating across
opportunities to collaborate. That is what makes strong regional clusters so important.”
Ian Barton, head of enterprise and entrepreneurship at defence giant BAE Systems, adds: “The Samlesbury Enterprise Zone is a natural extension of our Samlesbury site, which has delivered high value manufacturing in aerospace and defence for decades. The Innovation Hub builds on
The opportunities for Lancashire are huge, we
have an eco-system here. There is a lot of thinking around how we support these companies, how we bring together SMEs and start-ups
aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, engineering, cyber and technology.
The project is being funded by £7.2m from Lancashire County Council and £6m from the Lancashire Combined County Authority.
Professor Andrew Schofield, who chairs the North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster (NWRDSC), says: “Businesses choose locations where they can access customers, suppliers, skills, research expertise and
that heritage, bringing new companies and organisations together to collaborate alongside established industry.
“This is a really positive development, expanding the value of the site and the skills we rely on to maintain our world class reputation in manufacturing here in Lancashire.”
It will have a well-established neighbour on the enterprise zone. AMRC North West opened its doors in 2022 – a £20m applied
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