Projects win slice of £213m fund for business

A GROUNDBREAKING £29m initiative to make gearboxes for offshore wind turbines is one of a string of Yorkshire schemes to benefit from a £213m slice of government investment.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Feb 2013, 08:30 BST

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills today announced the successful bids from the second round of the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI).

Nationally, the recipient schemes are expected to create and safeguard more than 16,000 jobs, with 12 projects in total being successful.

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Among those, six will be delivered in partnership with businesses based in Yorkshire.

Commenting on the successful bids, which are subject to due diligence, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “This is a welcome boost for jobs and growth in Yorkshire. This investment will secure Britain’s future as a world leader in both traditional and new technologies.”

One of the projects celebrating today will be spearheaded by David Brown Gear Systems Ltd, based in Huddersfield and promises to put the region at the forefront of producing large gearboxes for the next generation of offshore wind turbines.

The Supply Chain Innovation for UK Production of Large Wind Turbine Gearboxes project includes six businesses and two universities and is expected to create more than 250 jobs. AMSCI funding of £6m to deliver the scheme will be supported by another £23m from private partners.

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Gerry Marshall, Chief Operation Officer of David Brown Gear Systems said: “The UK renewable energy market is a significant investment opportunity for the UK supply chain to seize.

“We have a wealth of experience in developing innovative technologies for the defence, power and oil and gas industries and transfer of this expertise alongside that of the supply chain will enable the UK to cement its position as a leading provider of affordable, renewable energy for the future.”

He added: “This AMSCI award, alongside our significant investment will enable us and our UK supply chain partners to continue to drive our diversification programme in this emerging market to promote wind industry growth and excellence. The UK is determined to build a supply chain for offshore wind and we are delighted to be a part of it.”

The AMSCI aims to provide money to strengthen manufacturing projects across sectors including automotive, aerospace, chemicals and construction as well as offshore wind.

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It was first announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable in December 2011 in a bid to improve the UK’s global competitiveness and early winners included Tata Steel’s ‘proving factory’ which will develop green technologies for the car industry and includes a component manufacturing base at the Tata Steel site at Brinsworth, Rotherham.

Of the £213m invested in this round of funding, approximately £73m has come from the initiative with another £140m coming from private sector partners.

Mr Cable said: “This project led by David Brown Gear Systems in Yorkshire will help cement the UK’s enviable position as a leader in renewable energy production while creating hundreds of valuable new jobs.”

Other winning bids supported by AMSCI which will be delivered in partnership with firms based in Yorkshire include Construction UK Supply Chain Competitiveness and Innovation, PICASSOS, Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain for Aluminium Matrix Composite Components, Development of and Advanced High Temperature Bearing Steel and Composites Innovation Cluster.

Businesses interested in applying for rounds three and four of the AMSCI programme can visit www.innovateuk.org from today for details.

Related topics:YorkshireGovernment