NEW NETWORK HELPS SMES ACCESS NEW COMPOSITES
13 December 2004 - DTI Globalwatch

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt has announced the establishment of a National Composites Network to help UK organisations capitalise on the country’s world-leading research into composite materials, at a time when lighter, stronger composite technologies are increasingly being used in many sectors.

Backed by £30m funding from the DTI, regional development agencies and related industry, the Network will bring composite materials experts together, share knowledge between industries and companies and enable smaller companies to source R&D and access state-of-the-art technology. Launched on 30 November in London, the four regional centres, based in the Isle of Wight, the South West, Wales and Yorkshire, will concentrate on automated manufacture, and technologies for large structures, non-destructive testing technology and machining and joining, and will enable companies to obtain hands-on experience.

'The composites network will be an invaluable tool for companies working across sectors, from aerospace to construction. We have some of the best manufacturers in the world here, and the Government is committed to supporting innovative technologies in the UK, to maintain their success,' said Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women.

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