The £20 million AMRC Cymru in Broughton will provide businesses with a new level of support and be a catalyst for growth and jobs in Deeside, North and Mid Wales, the Northern Powerhouse and beyond, Economy Minister Ken Skates has said.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
During a visit with the Deeside Enterprise Zone Board to see construction progress of the advanced manufacturing research centre, the minister emphasised the development in Flintshire will support the many high quality small, medium and large enterprises in the area and ensure stronger and more entrepreneurial collaboration between industry and academia.
Construction began on the facility in May 2018 and is scheduled to be completed in the autumn.
Airbus will be the first major tenant at AMRC Cymru which will be a platform to develop next generation wing technologies aligned to the ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ as part of a global Airbus investment in research and innovation.
It is predicted the new centre could increase GVA (gross value added) to the Welsh economy by as much as £4 billion over the next 20 years.
Last month, the Economy Minister announced that current Principal of Coleg Cambria and Chair of the Deeside Enterprise Zone, David Jones OBE will chair the Local Advisory Board for 6 months which will provide oversight on the activities and performance of AMRC Cymru.
Following his visit, Ken Skates said:
"I’ve been pleased to see that construction is progressing well on AMRC Cymru which will deliver cutting edge advanced manufacturing research on an industrial scale.
“I have said before the new centre will be a game-changer and I firmly believe that. It’s all set to be a fantastic building which will be a catalyst for driving innovation and productivity across the supply chain and provide a real boost for economic growth.
“The Deeside Enterprise Zone is a hotbed for manufacturing in North Wales and AMRC Cymru will be a feather in the cap for the region. I look forward to seeing further progress over the coming months before its completion later this year.”