FEBRUARY 2019 COVER STORY
19
The opening of two new state-of-the-art factories
in Sheffi eld demonstrates the latest stage in a highvalue
manufacturing renaissance in the Steel City
BY CHRIS BECK
As the saying goes, you wait ages for a bus,
only for two to turn up at once. This
was certainly the case in Sheffi eld last
November, except instead of buses, UK
manufacturing gained fl agship factories
belonging to two of the world’s most
desirable manufacturers.
Firstly, global aerospace giant Boeing opened its
fi rst European facility, followed a fortnight later by
McLaren Automotive’s new McLaren Composites
Technology Centre (MCTC). Both were the
result of years of collaboration with the Advanced
Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), part of
the network of High Value Manufacturing Catapult
sites that dot the country (see box, p21).
Both sites play a crucial role in their respective
companies’ wider manufacturing process. The
MCTC will become the home of the manufacture
of the carbon fi bre ‘tubs’ that form the chassis of
their market-leading supercars, which are currently
built by a supplier in Austria. Boeing Sheffi eld will
make actuation systems for the company’s 737 and
767 aircraft, which are built in Renton, near Seattle.
All the right ingredients
this. The steelmaking heritage
is particularly vital to Boeing’s
operations today, with the
factory using steel that is made
at a mill three miles away, and
rolled six miles away.
“It’s important to remember
that we could have picked
anywhere in the world to
open this factory,” says James
Needham, manufacturing
manager and site leader at
Boeing Sheffi eld. “Sheffi eld,
though, has all the right
ingredients. Traditional
manufacturing techniques are
part of the fabric of the area.”
This sentiment is echoed
by Ruth Nic Aoidh, executive
director, commercial and legal
at McLaren Automotive
(pictured, below). “The Sheffi eld
region is driving forward
innovation and technology,” she
explains. “That gives us a very
useful network to be part of.
The manufacturing heritage of
the area means that opening a
new factory would be second
of manufacturing
technology, with
over 100 industrial
STEELING A
MARCH
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These actuation systems are vital in ensuring the
aircraft gets off the ground: they move the fl aps
at the rear of the wing assembly to provide
extra lift on take-off and landing.
The fact that two international superbrands
have set up shop in South Yorkshire
is no surprise. With Sheffi eld’s legacy of
steelmaking, manufacturing runs deep
across the region, and both McLaren
and Boeing were keen to tap into
nature to a lot of people.”
Input from the AMRC
Another key reason for
the opening of the two
factories is the presence
of the AMRC. Part
of the University of
Sheffi eld, the centre
is at the forefront
partners including
Rolls-Royce, BAE
Systems and Airbus,
as well as McLaren
and Boeing.
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