Chancellor Visits University of Sheffield to Review Aerospace and Nuclear Manufacturing Facilities
The Chancellor of the Exchequer visited the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to assess facilities focused on aerospace and clean energy manufacturing. The tour included the Composites at Speed and Scale facility, developed through the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, aimed at enhancing the production of lightweight aerostructures for aircraft in line with net-zero aviation goals.
The facility is an extension of Factory 2050 and collaborates with Boeing on scalable composite manufacturing. Additionally, the Chancellor visited a site within Factory 2050 for developing prototype modules for small modular nuclear reactors in partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR, aimed at factory-built nuclear power units for deployment in the UK and internationally. The University also leads a £1.5 million government-funded project to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel production and hosts a global certification center for such fuels.
