By Professor Ben Morgan, interim chief executive officer at the University of Sheffield AMRC 

Article featured in the latest issue of the AMRC Journal.

This is a critical moment for the UK. The geopolitical context is at fever pitch. The need for regional economic growth with investment and jobs is ever growing. And the opportunity of technology abounds. This is a complex and uncertain time. 

The government has listened and put in place an ambitious Industrial Strategy with a very welcome emphasis on advanced manufacturing, defence, digitalisation and clean energy alongside a small number of other sectors. The value of a resilient, innovative and future-ready manufacturing sector has been fully acknowledged as has the need for big bets to build sovereign capability whether in defence, offshore wind or small modular reactors. 

The growth mindset

For the AMRC, the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, universities and wider knowledge creation ecosystem, our role is to play as national catalysts for derisking investment in capabilities, capacity and skills. Standing still is not an option, we need to move forward, together with our partners and collaborators, focused on delivering impact.

The AMRC has a great track record. The potent transformation at Orgreave, bringing high value investment on the back of innovation and workforce development has not happened by chance, but the excellent delivery of innovation work that has de-risked investment and brought growth. Our partnerships with global giants like Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Airbus, Boeing and Leonardo are not just collaborations — they are monuments to what is possible when academia, industry, and government gather around a shared vision and mobilise.

Take our work with Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors, where we are helping to shape the future of how we manufacture nuclear power generation in the UK for a global market. Or consider Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) and our collaboration with Boeing, which is redefining the manufacturing methodology for the aerostructures of future passenger planes. 

These pathfinder innovation projects are not isolated project wins, nor are they business-as-usual — they are blueprints for silo busting, harmonising technology disciplines, high-value industrial programmes that the UK must scale and replicate elsewhere.  It is these projects that over the years to come will help to change the weather of UK manufacturing.

The AMRC’s evolving mission

Since starting this role at the beginning of 2025, I have been clear that growth is a vital part of our agenda. It is not our own balance sheet growth that drives me, but how we grow our impact for the manufacturing sector and the economy.  

Our focus is threefold:

• Sectoral focus
• Delivering the economic dividend across the whole ecosystem
• Workforce 

Let me explain how we are approaching each of these imperatives.

Sectors

In aerospace, defence and nuclear energy I see the greatest potential for us to deliver impact.

Aerospace: This is about the next generation aerostructures and single aisle engines. The UK has long held comparative strengths in these areas.  The national pursuit is to take a significant global market share of next generation developments for future single aisle platforms. 

Defence: We are supporting the government’s ambition to build sovereign capability.  As is often said, the manufacturing base of the UK is a vital part of our country’s national security and whether it is the creation of a future combat aircraft, the new munitions factories announced by the PM or future at sea capabilities, innovation and the wider manufacturing supply chain will be part of how we meet the political ambition and deliver a strong economic dividend for the UK. 

Nuclear energy: the recent announcement by Great British Energy - Nuclear was a strong endorsement of bringing small modular reactors and their role in delivering clean energy to our homes and factories. And critically a substantial demand signal to the UK’s manufacturing sector which can support the UK’s capture of a growing global market.  We have been supporting the most advanced protagonist - Rolls Royce SMR - in this area for nearly a decade and look forward to continuing being its strategic R&D partner for the long term. Our focus will also be to support the longstanding work on how we decommission nuclear power stations at the end of their lifecycle.

Delivering the economic dividend across the whole ecosystem

Innovation is the lifeblood of manufacturing competitiveness. Yet, too often, innovation is siloed—confined to large OEMs or elite research labs. We must democratise innovation, making it accessible to SMEs, regional clusters and emerging sectors. This is not just about national security — it’s about economic sovereignty. It’s about ensuring that UK manufacturers can compete on quality, speed and innovation — not just cost.

The AMRC is uniquely positioned to do this. With our world-class facilities, cross-sector expertise, and deep industry networks, we are a national innovation engine — translating cutting-edge research into real-world impact.  Our collaboration with the University of Sheffield aligns their academic excellence with industrial relevance. Together, we are creating a seamless pipeline from discovery to deployment.

And it is about enabling new entrants to the manufacturing sector.  We are actively working with hardtech start ups and scaling enterprises to build their capabilities, verify their technical ideas and de-risk investment.  Equally important is building their visibility with our Industrial Partners and wider manufacturing relationships.

Workforce

None of this is possible without people. The UK’s manufacturing future depends on a skilled, diverse and adaptable workforce. Yet, we face a growing skills gap.

At the AMRC, we are committed to closing this gap. With an annual intake of over 200 people, the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre is a national model for industry-led education — offering apprenticeships, degree programmes and training opportunities that are directly aligned with employer needs.

We are also working to inspire the next generation. Through STEM and schools outreach, partnerships and inclusive recruitment, we are making manufacturing an ambition for young people from all backgrounds.

But we must think bigger to meet the growing workforce demands, both from within our sectors of focus and the economy more generally.

Looking ahead

My message is clear: if we are to deliver on the ambition we need to move beyond usual. The AMRC was founded on a simple but powerful idea: that collaboration drives innovation. That idea is more relevant today than ever before.

As interim CEO, I am proud of our legacy, but I am even more excited about our future. We will continue to push boundaries, challenge conventions and deliver solutions that matter.

Let’s seize this moment.