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Rolls-Royce Bristol Innovation Centre
Image credit: Rolls Royce

We are at the forefront of future composites capability

Industry led innovation driven by global giants AirbusGKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce all playing their roles to accelerate advanced composites, additive manufacturing and industrialisation, and transition to a net zero carbon economy.

Supporting key sectors

  • Aeroplane icon Aerospace
  • Boat icon Marine
  • Cog icon Defence
  • Cluster icon Robotics
  • High tech and digitalisation
  • Automotive icon Automotive

Collaborative composites ecosystem

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Rolls-Royce Bristol Innovation Centre Image credit: Rolls-Royce
Industrial capability

Multinational leaders Rolls Royce, Airbus, GKN, alongside key aerospace businesses including National Composites Centre and Centre for Modelling & Simulation, support the Bristol & Bath composites cluster.

Engineer at work Image credit: National Composites Centre
Research excellence

We are home to four world-class universities and over 650 composites experts across our centres of excellence.

Together, inspirational talent and game-changing new technologies are leading the way to drive innovation for composites research and application.

Engineer at work Image credit: National Composites Centre
Talent & skills

DETI (Digital Engineering Technology & Innovation) and CLAMPS (Computer Learning in Manufacturing Process) are accelerating the growth of the composites skills base.

The West of England is home to the UK’s largest aerospace cluster with the Advanced Engineering and Aerospace sector employing 29,500 people.

Ian Risk, Chief Technology Officer, CFMS (Centre for Modelling and Simulation)

If you're thinking of investing in the space sector here in the UK then the West of England is one of the prime areas you should consider.

The advanced engineering sector has really grown from the early days of the likes of Brunel and Concorde.

That capability has snowballed over the last few years. The growth in the industrial footprint in the academic capability in the region and with the arrival of the Science Park, we have the likes of ourselves at CFMS, we have The National Composites Centre.

We have the new institute from Bath University as well, all of which is providing an ecosystem that these companies that want to come to the region can access and access efficiently.

The South West is the UK's most diverse and capable advanced aerospace engineering cluster.