Aerospace company Leonardo UK has joined the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) as the latest Tier 1 member, launching a collaboration to strengthen UK manufacturing capabilities, increase competitiveness and its long-term sustainability.

Leonardo is a global company with a major presence in the UK. Its onshore business employs over 8,200 highly skilled people across eight sites.

The AMRC will focus on supporting Leonardo’s UK-based electronics and helicopters businesses with initial research work in metallic machining, advanced metallic manufacturing processes, digital automation and additive design.

Simon Stacey, capability lead, strategy and technology at Leonardo UK, said: “Our Tier 1 membership with the AMRC reflects our joint interest in the nexus of technology, skills and sustainability.

“The membership will help us accelerate the development of disruptive new products and capabilities through additive manufacturing and the adoption of lightweight composite materials. Crucially, we will also be able to draw on the expertise of the AMRC in furthering our transformational programme of digitalisation, in line with our company’s 2024-2028 industrial plan.”

Matt Farnsworth, commercial director for the University of Sheffield AMRC, said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce Leonardo as our latest Tier 1 industrial member. It is a proud moment for us to welcome them into the AMRC family and see the excellent synergies between their aspirations to develop more sustainable and productive manufacturing capabilities, alongside our core research strands and competencies.

“Our manufacturing capabilities in metallic machining, digital automation and additive design are the initial focus areas and we’re collaborating with Leonardo to help them deliver future manufacturing capabilities that increase their competitiveness and long-term sustainability.

“The AMRC membership is the first step in establishing a strategic relationship with Leonardo. We are extremely excited to be partnering with the company that represents the UK’s onshore expertise in advanced electronics technologies such as radar and electro-optics and flies the flag for the nation as the home of British helicopters.”

The investment will enable both organisations to strengthen their research project portfolio and bring in new perspectives on technology challenges and opportunities. It will help develop new skills and future longer-term projects – supporting the extensive UK supply chain Leonardo employs, whilst embedding sustainability and circularity principles into all new research.

Supporting STEM and early careers are two driving passions for both Leonardo and the AMRC. The new relationship is helping to build further support in this space as both companies are preparing to exchange two former apprentices to shadow each other for a week to understand the possibilities for future joint work between the two organisations. Leonardo has also expressed a desire to develop this model in future by offering industrial placement opportunities across the disciplines and into the supply chain.