Morgan Invests in Global Materials Centre of Excellence
13/02/2014
The Global Materials Centre of Excellence concept is tried and tested and builds upon the success of the Group’s now well established Global Fibre Research & Development (R&D) centre in Bromborough, Merseyside. Stourport was selected by Morgan from a shortlist of six international manufacturing locations, due in part to support from local MP Mark Garnier and Chancellor George Osborne, and will lead the Group’s development of structural ceramics materials and applications
Mark Robertshaw, CEO of Morgan Advanced Materials explained: “Since it was established in 2008, Morgan’s state-of-the-art R&D centre in Bromborough has led to world-leading developments in high temperature fibre thanks to its comprehensive analytical laboratories staffed by more than 25 dedicated scientists. Morgan believes that by building on this model and founding a new Global Materials Centre of Excellence for structural ceramics, we can better serve our global customers by developing new, differentiated materials technologies for structural ceramics applications.
“The Global Centre of Excellence will take the lead on innovation in new formulations and processes, serve as a hub for academic collaboration on structural ceramics with key university faculties worldwide, and act as a focal point for R&D with raw material suppliers. It will allow Morgan to focus on both idea generation and execution in one integrated facility, with the ultimate aim of maximising the performance of our customers’ applications and processes”.
Ahead of the announcement, Morgan CEO Mark Robertshaw welcomed Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier to the Stourport facility to discuss the goals of establishing a Global Materials Centre of Excellence and the potential benefits to customers. Mr Garnier commented: “It was a real pleasure to visit the Morgan Advanced Materials Technical Ceramics facility which has been in Stourport for a number of years and is a key employer in the district. It is incredibly exciting to know that it has been chosen as a location for a Global Materials Centre of Excellence. Aside from the very welcome creation of new jobs locally, the opportunity that this brings to Wyre Forest is enormously symbolic.
“Wyre Forest needs companies like Morgan. It needs innovative companies that provide high value manufacturing, innovation, and quality training for its staff. For Morgan to locate a Global Materials Centre of Excellence in Stourport will hopefully create the nucleus of a hub for excellence and high value advanced manufacturing in the district.”
The Stourport Global Materials Centre of Excellence is expected to become operational later this year.