INFINITY plan discussed with Chancellor John Healey
INFINITY Chief Executive Officer Professor Gary Jones met with John Healey as the Chancellor visited the Manufacturing Technology Centre to deliver his first major economic speech.
Mr Healey used his address to UK manufacturing leaders to set out the Government’s plans to put advanced manufacturing, innovation and skills at the centre of national growth.
The visit provided an opportunity for Prof. Jones to discuss INFINITY’s vision for a 200-acre technology park in Derby. He added detail about the opportunity for helping the UK develop sovereign advanced manufacturing capability, create high-value jobs, unlock thousands of new homes, and strengthen vital industrial supply chains.
Speaking at the MTC, the Chancellor placed advanced manufacturing at the heart of the Government’s growth agenda. He set out a vision for growth driven by investment, innovation and jobs, with greater power for regional leaders and stronger partnerships between business, universities and government.
That is closely aligned with INFINITY’s ambitious plans for the heart of the East Midlands Investment Zone.
Prof. Jones said: “It was a pleasure to meet the Chancellor at the MTC and talk about our opportunity in Derby. The Government’s focus on advanced manufacturing, innovation, technical skills and regional growth reflects exactly why INFINITY matters.
“The UK has outstanding ideas, research and engineering talent. The challenge we are seeking to meet is ensuring that more of that capability can be developed, demonstrated and manufactured here at scale.
“INFINITY will bring together the industrial partners, university expertise and practical facilities needed to help make that happen. We want to be a place where ambitious businesses can develop technologies, build confidence in new manufacturing processes and create the skilled, high-value jobs that will strengthen the country’s industrial future.”
The Chancellor used his speech to underline the importance of institutions such as the MTC in turning ideas into commercial capability. He described advanced manufacturing as one of the Government’s Industrial Strategy growth sectors and highlighted the importance of place-based partnerships that combine business, academia and public investment.
INFINITY is being developed to bring together industry, academic expertise and large-scale prototyping capability in a single location. The project is designed to help businesses take promising technologies beyond the laboratory and mid-scale development stages, supporting the transition into the full-scale manufacturing applications needed in sectors such as nuclear, aerospace and wider advanced manufacturing.
