Construction has commenced on the UK’s National Composites Centre (Bristol / UK; www.nationalcompositescentre.co.uk) – see Plasteurope.com of 04.12.2009 – part of a UK government initiative that will see investment of GBP 22m (EUR 24m) in the development of composite materials. It will bring together companies and academics to find new technologies for the design and rapid manufacture of products.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by spring 2011, with a formal opening later in the year when plant and equipment are in place. Funding is being provided by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (GBP 12m), the South West Regional Development Agency (GBP 4m) the European Regional Development Fund (and GBP 9m). The NCC building, which will occupy 6,500 m² of space in the Bristol and Bath Science Park (www.s-park.co.uk), is planned to be a one-stop centre of excellence. It will incorporate manufacturing facilities on an industrial scale capable of building prototypes to validate design concepts and rapid production techniques. Vestas, Rolls Royce, AgustaWestland, Airbus UK and GKN are all participating in the project, which will forge links with other centres of advanced manufacturing expertise across the UK.