The consortium behind AMPI, led by NPL, has secured £22.6M funding for 5 years from the UK Research & Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund. The funding will be used to drive innovation for the UK’s advanced machinery manufacturers, creating the new machines and engineers needed to manufacture tomorrow’s technologies.  

Longer-term proposals for AMPI in Rochdale are designed to ensure that the North of England becomes the UK centre for innovation in machinery technologies. It will form a hub for associated specialisms and supply chains for precision components, control systems, advanced software development, Industry 4.0, digital systems and intelligent networks.  

Officially launching this innovation initiative at the recent MATADOR event, a prestigious global conference in the field of manufacturing technology, provided the opportunity for UK industry and local stakeholders to learn more about AMPI. The NPL-sponsored launch event alongside AMPI’s role in delivering this year’s event jointly with MATADOR’s traditional organiser, The University of Manchester, and in conjunction with Euspen as the delivery partner, is indicative of the collaborative approach being adopted to ensure the UK gains a leading position in the fourth industrial revolution. 

AMPI is focused on developing world leading machinery innovation, automation and production capabilities, vital to the future productivity, security, prosperity of the manufacturing sector in the UK economy. NPL’s leadership role in the SIPF programme is indicative of its commitment to delivering impact across the UK and supporting the levelling-up agenda.  

Gareth Edwards, AMPI programme director, NPL states: “The Strength in Places Fund award is providing a real boost to the UK’s Advanced Machinery, enabling it to invent, realise innovation, and adopt of new machinery and robotics through UK equipment manufacturers. This 5-year programme enables economic prosperity through the design, development and manufacture of intelligent machinery, robotic and cooperative systems demanded by existing and emerging industrial sectors. Centred around existing capabilities and research excellence across the North of England, AMPI is a partnership between industry, local government, higher education institutions and the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL). It will provide a secure space, technical resources and skills pipeline needed for advanced machinery innovation to flourish, delivering a sustainable impact on its own local economy and that of UK industry export.”

For further information: https://www.npl.co.uk/ or www.ampi.org.uk