This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New centre for manufacturing research
17/09/2003
Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace
launched Scotland's first ever Manufacturing Research
Institute today and said that it would help us "bridge the
gap" between the world class excellence of our research
base and companies that need to do more to capitalise on
technology.
The £4.2 million Scottish
Manufacturing Institute (SMI), based at Heriot-Watt
University will bring together a range of expertise
focusing on the research needs of the manufacturing
sector.
Jim Wallace said:
"Manufacturing is the engine room of
our economy and is absolutely vital in creating the growth
on which our future depends.
"A vibrant, dynamic manufacturing
sector is a crucial part of the Executive's plans for a
Smart, Successful Scotland, and it is therefore essential
that we do all we can to help drive the sector forward. I
am confident that the impact of this new Institute on our
economy will be tremendously positive.
"We want to do all we can to stimulate
sustainable economic growth. This is a bold, imaginative
approach to modern manufacturing in Scotland. In the
Scottish Parliament a couple of weeks ago I called for
greater confidence and ambition. What we see here today is
an example of vision, energy and commitment and I applaud
all of those involved
"Effective collaboration between
industry and universities is crucial in the innovation
process which allows for the development of new
products.
"We know that the companies and
economies that flourish today are those where intellectual
capital gives the significant competitive edge. In
Scotland, we are faced with the challenge of having, on the
one hand, a superb asset in the world-class excellence of
our research base, and, on the other, an industry base
that, with a few notable exceptions, needs to do more to
capitalise on technology. We need to bridge this gap and
initiatives such as this Institute will help us to do
that.
"The Scottish Manufacturing Institute
at Heriot-Watt University is an excellent demonstration of
the benefits that co-operation between industry and
universities can bring.
"The key components the institute can
add will be an increased level of exchange and
understanding between the corporate and research worlds,
the transfer of technologies and skills to existing
Scottish companies, thus improving productivity and
competitiveness, and a better retention rate of advances
skills in Scotland.
"In order to focus their efforts, the
Institute has chosen to concentrate on the themes of
photonics and digital tools, again areas where Heriot-Watt
has an international reputation. Lasers, fibre-optics,
micro-optical electrical mechanical systems and the use of
3D data are all key components of modern manufacturing and
they are also, crucially, set to open up ever larger
markets for new products and processes; markets that the
institute will help open up to our companies."
The Scottish Manufacturing Institute
was launched with initial funding of £4.2million from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
It will be one of the principal centres for publicly funded
research in manufacturing in the UK and the only such
centre in Scotland.
The Institute will focus on the themes
of modern manufacturing: Photonics and Digital Tools.