The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has announced the results of the third round of the Manufacturing Research Hubs for a Sustainable Future opportunity, which seeks to establish large-scale, multidisciplinary research hubs in support of manufacturing, environmental sustainability and net zero. Projects will address major, long-term challenges facing manufacturing industries.

The EPSRC is providing £44 million split equally through the four hubs. These have in turn attracted a total of £38.8 million in direct and indirect contributions from partners. The hubs will bring together world-class researchers with over 180 industry and civic partners to drive practical, sustainable innovation across the UK.

The four hubs are as follows:

• The IGNITE Hub – Led by Professor Cameron Pleydell-Pearce at Swansea University, this hub aims to deliver environmental and economic resilience for key areas of the UK manufacturing economy including defence, transport and energy.
• The Co-AIMS: Research Hub on Collaborative AI for Manufacturing Sustainability – Led by Professor Niels Lohse of the University of Birmingham, this hub aims to transform UK manufacturing by pioneering regenerative, AI-powered, people-centric manufacturing ecosystems that eliminate waste, empower workers and enhance autonomy.
• The EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics – Led by Professor Ton Peijs of Warwick Manufacturing Group at The University of Warwick, this hub will improve the way durable plastics, commonly used in cars, buildings and electronics, are created, reused and recycled.
• The Carbon-Loop Hub – Led by Professor Stephen Wallace of The University of Edinburgh, this hub will develop engineered microbes capable of converting industrial waste into high-value, sustainable chemicals and materials. It will also launch the UK’s first ‘BioFactory’, a national platform for scaling up bioprocessing innovations that cut emissions, reduce landfill and help build a fossil-free manufacturing base.

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, said:

‘These hubs will play a vital role in reshaping manufacturing to help the UK achieve green growth. By combining deep research expertise with real-world partnerships, they will develop the technologies, tools and systems we need for clean, competitive and resilient industries.’

In addition to the hubs, EPSRC is providing nearly £7.5 million to projects focusing on the evolution of manufacturing technologies and processes, to grow and transform manufacturing sectors in areas where the UK can lead and be more productive.

Further details of the four hubs and six projects are available at the UKRI website.