Engineering group GKN has taken possession of its new £32m aerospace technology centre in Bristol – a move that strengthens the city’s reputation as a world-leading centre for aerospace innovation.
The 110,000 sq ft centre, pictured, at Filton will house 300 highly skilled engineers working in research and develop for new aircraft manufacturing methods when it opens later this year.
It will focus on additive manufacturing, advanced composites, assembly and next-generation industry processes that will revolutionise the global aerospace industry.
It will also act as a collaborative space for research and development with universities, the UK’s Catapult network of innovation hubs and GKN’s Aerospace division’s UK supply chain.
This includes its nearby production centre, which primarily assembles wings for Airbus aircraft, along with its pioneering composite plant at Avonmouth, which between them employ around 2,000 people.
The state-of-the-art facility has been developed by Warwickshire-based St Francis Group with its London-based development partner iSec at Horizon38, the 65-acre business park on the former Rolls-Royce East Works site in Filton.
GKN Aerospace estates director Jane Leedham said: “For such a high-profile project with a continually evolving brief, it was essential that we found a development partner with a delivery team that was both flexible and extremely capable.
“In return for a long-term commitment from GKN Aerospace, we were able to secure a bespoke research and development facility to rival all others.”
Funding for the centre, which includes 40,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, was provided by BP Pension Fund.
The contractor, Buckinghamshire-based Buckingham Group, handed over the centre to GKN this week despite the exceptional circumstances of constructing such a large building during the coronavirus lockdown. 
St Francis Group development director Gareth Williams said: “When we were presented in 2017 with GKN Aerospace’s vision for a network of regional technology centres across the globe it was clear that this could be one of our more exciting development projects.
“It hasn’t let us down. We are delighted that Horizon38 was selected as the location for this centre of excellence and for St Francis Group and iSec to have played a key role in the continued promotion of GKN Aerospace as a leading technology led global business.
“The Global Technology Centre will enable GKN Aerospace to create a world leading facility for research particularly in the areas of wing configuration and construction, meaning intellectual property, skills and knowledge is retained in the UK.”
The centre will be funded by a £17m commitment from GKN Aerospace and £15m from the government through the Aerospace Technology Institute.
It will maintain GKN Aerospace’s position at the forefront of technology development for the next generation of energy efficient aircraft. The facility will serve as a base for GKN Aerospace’s technology partnership in the Airbus’ ‘wing of tomorrow’ technology programme as well as new additive manufacturing programmes.
Horizon38 was acquired by a joint venture between St Francis Group and iSec late in 2015 and since then nearly 500,000 sq ft of high-quality warehouse space has been built in addition to a new Village hotel and Selco trade counters. A new Sytner Car Shop is under construction and a further pre-let just announced with Volvo Cars UK for a new flagship car dealership.
