The new stg£6.8m Advanced Engineering Competence Centre in Belfast will focus on developing innovative solutions in the advanced engineering sector and aim to transform research into commercial success.
Based at the Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre (NIACE) on Airport Road, the centre is the latest in a series of new competence centres being funded by Invest NI, said Arlene Foster, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
“This new industry-led centre is about maximising the benefits of the engineering knowledge and skills that already exist in Northern Ireland, and enhancing those capabilities to ensure that we stay at the forefront of the global advanced engineering sector,” Foster said.
Through the centre, companies from industries such as aerospace, automotive and renewable energy will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast to help them design and manufacture high-quality composite products.
Financing for the centre consists of stg£5m of research and development assistance from Invest NI and a stg£1.8m investment from industry.
Woman engineering image via Shutterstock
