A new £5.5 million centre in the Glasgow region aims to support the transition to net zero while driving substantial UK economic impact.
By promoting circular economy practices to reduce waste and emissions, the centre could help reshore supply chains and unlock new opportunities for manufacturers.
The ReMake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) will be located within the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Strathclyde – the operator of NMIS, in partnership with the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Exeter and the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Sheffield. The centre is funded through UKRI’s ‘Accelerating the Green Economy’ programme.
While much of the focus around net zero has been on the transition to renewable energy sources, nearly 45% of global CO2 emissions come from what we make and use.
In sectors, such as energy and transport, around 70% of emissions are locked in during raw materials extraction and initial processing meaning that it’s essential to extend product life for as long as possible to maximise value while preserving the earth’s precious resources.
The RVRC will focus on ‘high integrity’ sectors critical to national infrastructure including aerospace, marine, wind, nuclear, industrial and power generation. It will adopt a system-wide approach, addressing challenges through business models, policies, standards, culture, skills, and investment along with metallic and composite based circular manufacturing technology and inspection processes.
Partnering with organisations from the private, civic, and public sectors, the new centre will explore how components such as aeroplane structures, energy systems, and industrial equipment can be reused or remade, aiming to keep products at their highest value instead of sending them to landfill.
NMIS is where industry, academia and the public sector work together on ground-breaking manufacturing research to transform productivity levels, make companies more competitive and boost the skills of our current and future workforce. It is part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult.