National Composites Centre

The NCC mission is to accelerate the growth of UK industrial output by enabling design and manufacturing enterprises to deliver winning solutions in the application of composites. Context In November 2009 the Government launched the UK Composites Strategy. This highlights the importance of composites to the future of UK manufacturing and the Government's plans for ensuring that the UK has the means to succeed in intensely competitive global markets. The NCC is one of seven centres that form the High Value Manufacturing Catapult A key part of this strategy was the establishment of the National Composites Centre (NCC), which brings together dynamic companies and enterprising academics to develop new technologies for the design and rapid manufacture of high-quality composite products. The combination of academic and business strengths speed progress from laboratory to design to factory and into products. Key Objectives Provide manufacturing facilities at an industrial scale and rapid manufacturing processes capable of building prototypes to validate design concepts Be the hub of the UK's effort to develop and implement rapid composite manufacturing technologies and systems. Lead the co-ordination of a strengthened network of regional centres of composites excellence Provide direction and focus for fundamental research and collaborative links with UK universities Help to develop and co-ordinate training to support the skills base necessary for applying advanced and specialist composite technologies