Business Secretary Launches New Purpose-built Advanced Manufacturing Park Facility
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Sajid Javid, has officially opened a new 32,000 sq ft state-of-the art facility at the 100-acre Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham. The new building, which is funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), offers specialist office and workshop spaces for growing advanced manufacturing and technology companies.
Mr Javid was given a tour of the facility, which it is hoped will provide fast-growth SME companies from the neighbouring AMP Technology Centre the opportunity to expand into larger premises, as well as attract high technology companies from further afield.
Marking the occasion, the Mr Javid said: “It’s fantastic to visit South Yorkshire, which has long been a centre for manufacturing in the UK, to open this new building which will offer much needed space for the next generation of advanced manufacturing and technology innovators in the Northern Powerhouse. Many of the companies here are inventing, designing, developing, researching and manufacturing products and technologies 20 years ahead of their time and it is key to the growth of the UK economy to provide the space to facilitate their continued expansion.”
During his visit, Mr Javid was introduced to the first tenant of the new building, MetLase, a new joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Unipart, which has taken 10,000 sq of office and workshop space and will create 30 technical engineering jobs over the next two years. The company will make its laser cutting technology and patented assembly systems which originated in the aerospace industry, available to companies in other sectors for the first time.
The Business Secretary also met with existing tenants at the AMP Technology Centre, which is home to more than 50 fast growth SMEs working at the cutting-edge of engineering, research and manufacturing. Iceotope, which has been based at the AMP Technology Centre since 2011, showcased its pioneering computer cooling system which uses a non-flammable liquid and is a thousand times more effective at transferring heat than air.
Added Jacquie Boulton, Area Manager at the Homes and Communities Agency: “The official launch of this new building marks a significant milestone for us. The AMP Technology Centre opened in 2007 and since then we’ve worked hard alongside managing and lettings agent Creative Space Management to ‘cluster’ similar businesses which benefit from sharing knowledge and expertise from like-minded companies. The Technology Centre is now at almost 100% occupancy and to ensure that these companies, which generate valuable high-net worth jobs, stay in South Yorkshire, we need to make sure we provide the type of specialist office and workshop space in which they can grow and develop. This building will allow them to do exactly that.”
The new building is already 50% pre-let in deals facilitated by managing and lettings agent Creative Space Management.