The money will paid over four years to Laing O鈥橰ourke鈥檚 Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI). This is a 拢104m project to develop modular design and manufacturing. The money will go towards new manufacturing facilities and training.
鈥淭his grant comes at a critical time for the construction and engineering sector and its supply chain,鈥� said Stephen Harley, director of advanced manufacturing at Laing O鈥橰ourke.
鈥淲e estimate that it will create over 600 new, direct jobs and as many as 1,000 across the diverse supply chain. Our consortium of 22 partners integrates the design, manufacturing and assembly construction supply chain with leading research institutions to create a new platform for collaborative innovation.鈥�
Business secretary Vince Cable said: 鈥淭o have any chance of meeting the demand for affordable homes, the industry must embrace the latest house building technologies and techniques. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 delighted to grant 拢22.1m worth of funding to help the sector do just that. Whether through smart digital design or off-site manufacturing, it鈥檚 excellent to see firms like Laing O鈥橰ourke leading by example and laying the foundations for growth.鈥�
Working with Laing O鈥橰ourke on the project are engineers Arup Associates, WSP, Hoare Lea and Fulcro and suppliers Airedale, Armstrong, Beckhoff, Crane, Apex, Grundfos, Hamworthy, British Gypsum (part of the Saint-Gobain group), SIG and Thorn. Also involved are the University of Cambridge, the University Of Sheffield and the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
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