Bristol’s pioneering National Composites Centre has teamed up with Plymouth Science Park in a bid to bolster industry-led collaborative research and development in the South West and enhance the region’s position as a leader in emerging technologies.
The two have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive innovation adoption and skills development by combining their expertise and resources, in particular strengthening local, regional and national supply chains across key sectors such as advanced materials, digital engineering, sustainability and hydrogen. 
National Composites Centre (NCC), pictured right and below, opened on the Bristol & Bath Science Park at Emersons Green in 2011 with industrial and aerospace giants Airbus, GKN Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, AgustaWestland (now Leonardo’s helicopter division), and Vestas as its founding members.
It opened a satellite site in the heart of Bristol’s Filton aerospace cluster in 2018 to collaborate with industry partners on initiatives such as the ‘wing of tomorrow’ project.
The NCC and Plymouth Science Park said they would now work closely together to “bridge the gap between research and practical application, ensuring that innovations are effectively integrated into industry practices”.
This will be supported by workforce development and future skills to ensure a sustainable solution, including encouraging students, early-stage career professionals and apprentices gain exposure to emerging technologies. 
They will also collaborate to help industries explore, adopt and integrate High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their research and development processes, enhancing the region’s capability to utilise HPC and AI for technological advancements.
The NCC is home to the University of Bristol’s groundbreaking £225m Isambard-AI phase one supercomputer – and the UK’S fastest and most powerful – which recently went live.
In addition, the NCC will serve as a gateway into the UK’s wider world-class High Value Manufacturing Catapult network – of which is it one of seven research centres – furthering technology innovation and delivery in the region.
This connection will provide additional resources and opportunities for companies to thrive. 
Plymouth Science Park CEO Ian McFadzen said the partnership marked a significant milestone for the region.
“By joining forces, we can drive innovation, support industry-led R&D and build a resilient supply chain,” he added.
“Together we will create a thriving ecosystem for emergent technologies and foster the development of a skilled workforce ready to tackle future challenges.”
NCC head of emerging markets Will Grocott added: “The MoU represents a strategic alignment of our goals to enhance technological innovation and industry collaboration that will offer opportunities to develop and transform the current and future workforce.
“By leveraging our combined expertise, we aim to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, delivering impact and contributing to industry’s economic growth and competitiveness.”
