Ford Britain Sweetens U.K. High-Tech R&D Pot

Ford is providing £1.44 million ($2.2 million) worth of high-tech engineering and manufacturing expertise to the new High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute launched by the U.K. government.

Funded by a £3.5 million ($5.4 million) government grant, the independent institute based at the Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in East London will study ways to improve the efficiency of U.K. manufacturers and suppliers by integrating state-of-the-art technologies from top academic organizations into volume-production processes.

Ford Britain Chairman Joe Greenwell says the institute will accelerate research and development in innovative manufacturing systems that will strengthen the country’s high-value manufacturing sector.

“This complements the work that Ford is already doing in this area and provides significant opportunities for supply-chain partners,” he says in a statement.

The institute will focus on manufacturing engineering, the branch of engineering concerned with the efficient production of industrial goods. It includes the design of production-plant equipment and processes.

The aim is to increase productivity, raise the profile of manufacturing in the U.K. and foster the development of key skills needed to make the country more attractive to businesses.

The institute will bring together academic institutions, end users and supply-chain partners. This will allow the advancement of virtual manufacturing systems, shortening product launch times and reducing costs for small and medium-size manufacturers as well as large companies.