The University of Sheffield is to set up a branch of its Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing in the Republic of Korea.

Picture Caption: AMRC Executive Dean, Professor Keith Ridgway CBE, second left, pictured with representatives of the Korea institute of Carbon Convergence Technology (KCTECH), Jeonju University and Jeonju City, after signing the Memorandum of Understanding that will lead to the University of Sheffield establishing a Korean AMRC.

The new Korean AMRC (KAMRC) is being established following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the University, the Korea institute of Carbon Convergence Technology (KCTECH), Jeonju University and Jeonju City.

The agreement builds on an earlier MoU, signed in 2012 by the University, KCTECH and Jeonju City, which heralded the start of international collaboration between the organisations.

Since then several successful projects have been undertaken and KCTECH was officially recognised as an Associated Laboratory by the AMRC with Boeing early this year.

One project led to researchers from the AMRC, KCTECH and the SsangYong Motor Company winning the JEC Asia Award for innovation in automotive applications for their work on developing a complex composite acoustic cover for a car engine bay that could be cured in an industrial microwave.

The new MoU will lead to further collaboration on research, support Korean suppliers to AMRC partners and promote educational cooperation on the joint development of manufacturing courses and student exchanges.

The KAMRC will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Sheffield.

The MoU was signed during a visit to South Korea by AMRC executive dean, Prof Keith Ridgway, CBE; the head of the AMRC Composites Group, Richard Scaife, and Jounghwan Lee, who was involved in the research which led to the JEC Asia Award.