Opening of NMIS facility advances future manufacturing in Scotland

On June 21, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), operated by the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow), opened its new world-class, flagship facility at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) in Renfrewshire, aiming to be a major stimulus for the country’s economy, skills development and prosperous, sustainable communities.

Acting as a magnet for advanced manufacturing in Scotland and across the globe, the distinctive heather-colored, 11,500-square-meter, operationally carbon neutral campus next to Glasgow Airport will support manufacturing, engineering and associated technology businesses of all sizes. Innovative R&D will help it to become more productive, tap into emerging markets, embrace new technologies and achieve net-zero targets.

The new facility will be home to the NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy, fully connected Digital Factory and publicly accessible collaboration hub. The Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC) — which is also part of the NMIS group — will relocate from its current base in Renfrewshire, splitting its operations between the new building and NMIS’ founding center the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC). In addition, NMIS has an entire materials division, which covers a range of composite materials.

Featuring a variety of technology zones dedicated to growth areas, the NMIS Digital Factory will include a food and drink cyber-physical demonstrator, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) connected shop floor, a factory command center and a hub dedicated to helping manufacturers embrace the circular economy and extend the life of their products and systems. 

The facility was built by Morrison Construction (U.K.), part of the Galliford Try Group, and designed by HLM Architects (Glasgow). It features clean and innovative low-carbon solutions to mitigate its impact on the environment, including a large-scale rooftop solar array for electricity generation, access to a state-of-the-art low-carbon district heating network and rainwater harvesting system.

“A facility of this scale and ambition doesn't happen by chance. Thank you to our colleagues and partners, who have worked together tirelessly for many years to make it a reality,” Chris Courtney, CEO of NMIS, says. “NMIS can play a crucial role in harnessing this [Scotland’s] potential to impact what we make and how we make it more sustainably and efficiently. There is a real industrial demand for greener, innovative technology solutions that harness the power of digitalization, along with the future skills that we all need to thrive. We will work with our industry partners, talented team and the wider ecosystem to deliver this brighter manufacturing future.”

Since 2019, NMIS has helped deliver more than 150 research and development (R&D) projects for 142 different customers and partners. It has already upskilled and reskilled more than 1,300 people, placed more than 80 graduate trainees in Scottish manufacturing and supported more than 100 internships.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, chair of the NMIS board and principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde adds, “NMIS will help to position Scotland and the U.K. as a globally competitive location for research, innovation and high-quality talent for advanced manufacturing across multiple sectors including aerospace, renewable energy, photonics and transport.”

NMIS is operated by the University of Strathclyde and supported by the Scottish government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Island Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Funding Council. It is also part of the U.K.’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult.