Our Centres of Excellence
As the world strives to make better use of limited resources, the demands on our materials, and on our materials science capabilities, are rapidly increasing. Morgan’s highly experienced scientists and application engineers actively engage with our customers to find new solutions for complex and technologically demanding problems.
As part of our R&D commitment we established our four Centres of Excellence (CoEs), which are dedicated to driving materials development. Through our CoEs, our materials are developed to exacting customer specifications and deliver ever-greater performance through materials and production process innovation. We are producing materials that can work at higher temperatures, and higher pressures, in more corrosive and abrasive applications, at more precise tolerances and in smaller form factors, than ever before.
Our four global materials CoEs are focused on:
The global business units ensure the CoEs prioritise their efforts, and retain a strong commercial direction. This in turn enhances the R&D capability of the business by delivering core materials science platforms that the manufacturing sites transform into products.
The Insulating Fibre Centre of Excellence in Bromborough, UK, is focused on the continued development of the Group’s fibre product range. Morgan’s market-leading low bio-persistent Superwool® fibre technology and product range continue to be developed with patented materials science. Morgan is now extending the operational temperature range, allowing it to provide customers with superior insulation performance, improved fire protection and weight-saving opportunities in more applications. There has been particular success across a range of end-markets such as iron and steel, aluminium processing, automotive and passive fire protection.
The Structural Ceramics Centre of Excellence in Stourport, UK, oversees the major advanced ceramic science developments for the Group. The facility concentrates on ceramic materials developments to support both current and new markets. Initial focus has been on opportunities in the medical, aerospace and environmental sectors, whilst a focus on new emerging markets and technologies also ensures that the Group stays at the forefront of materials science. As part of this focus the CoE includes the R&D programme for Morgan’s additive manufacturing of ceramic materials.
The Carbon Science Centre of Excellence supports both the Electrical Carbon and Seals and Bearings businesses and is located in the Innovation Park at Penn State University, Pennsylvania, US. The partnership with Penn State combines resources and experience, creating a synergy which will enable significant progress in the development of carbon materials for a range of sectors and applications.
The Metals and Joining Centre of Excellence is located in Hayward, California, US. The CoE supports the Technical Ceramics businesses which are involved in providing metallic joining solutions and joining ceramic and metal to metals to form hermetic seals. Hayward is Morgan’s largest facility utilising this technology and hence this CoE benefits from close proximity to the business, production processes and customers.
These four CoEs consolidate the Group’s R&D efforts around its core technologies, and provide the opportunity to create critical mass to increase the effectiveness of our R&D spend and accelerate key projects. Increasing technical differentiation. The CoEs focus on the strategic priorities of the global business units and the Group.