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Five new UK hubs to support sustainable manufacturing

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The advance of sustainable manufacturing technologies is to be supported through five new university-led research hubs around the UK.

Sustainability is becoming an increasing priority among manufacturing, and it can have economic benefits. For example, products like the polyglycol gear oil from Kluber have helped manufacturers to substantially reduce energy consumption, meaning fewer emissions and lower production costs.

In this spirit, the new hubs will have environmental sustainability at their core to assure lower long-term production costs.

UK Research and Innovation is supporting the new hubs through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). They will focus on key manufacturing areas like medicines, semiconductors, digitalisation and the circular economy.

To use one example, the hub at the University of Birmingham will focus on developing a new circular ecosystem with modern technologies for devices like electric motors, medical equipment and batteries. It aims to achieve a 75% increase in the reuse of vital components.

Professor Charlotte Deane, the Executive Chair of the EPSRC, said that given the size and significance of:

“…the UK’s manufacturing sector, we must ensure that it is able to benefit fully from advances made across the research and innovation ecosystem. With their focus on innovation and sustainability, the advances made by the hubs will benefit specific sectors, the wider manufacturing sector and economy, as well [as] the environment.”

Each hub will receive £11 million in funding, but combined with cash and in-kind contributions from partners, the full support package over all the hubs will be worth £99 million.

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