AMRC Cymru and Wrexham University have formalised their shared ambition to promote and support the development of regional businesses and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 

The collaboration will enable companies to receive wider access and expertise to support technology and knowledge transfer activity and skills development.  

AMRC Cymru, which is part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) innovation cluster and a member of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, is a £20m state-of-the-art applied research centre, which was fully funded by the Welsh Government. AMRC Cymru’s focus is to turn world-leading research into practical improvements for industry, helping to boost productivity, sharpen their competitive edge and save time, money and energy.

Wrexham University has a history of developing higher level skills and knowledge working collaboratively to use research and partitional experience to inform its learning and teaching, meeting the needs of industry and enriching the communities it serves.  

Wrexham University has identified the strategic importance of Knowledge Transfer and commercialisation, and works with industry partners to develop their capacity.  The university is also aiming for Research Degree Awarding Powers (RDAP) based on its performance in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise.

The MoU will provide the platform for joint working on projects such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, joint staff training and knowledge exchange, the development of tailored support packages and interventions to support businesses to develop new capabilities and embed new technological advancements.  

Andrew Silcox, research director at AMRC Cymru, said: "We believe that the collaboration with Wrexham University will strengthen the support that can be provided to manufacturers, particularly in Wrexham and Flintshire, as they face up to the challenges of digitalising and decarbonising their operations."

Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Wrexham University, Professor Aulay Mackenzie, said: "We look forward to working more closely with AMRC Cymru in the future across a number of high impact projects and initiatives and sharing expertise across both institutions."

For more information on both organisations please visit wrexham.ac.uk and amrc.co.uk/cymru.