Advanced Manufacturing Park

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The Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) is a 100 acre manufacturing technology park on the Rotherham/Sheffield border at Waverley in South Yorkshire, facing the Sheffield Business Park across the Parkway. Technologies on the AMP centre on materials and structures, covering metallic and composite materials, typically used in precision industries including; aerospace, automotive, sport, environmental and energy, oil and gas, defence and construction. Organisations currently located on the AMP include; the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Castings Technology International (Cti) and TWI.

The vision for the AMP emerged from the decline that South Yorkshire had seen in its traditional industries of coal and steel over the last twenty years. Despite this decline the region had retained established skills and expertise in the areas of advanced manufacturing, backed by materials research expertise within the two Sheffield universities, and other independent research organisations. Yorkshire Forward and UK Coal created a joint venture to reclaim land on the former opencast colliery at Waverley, Rotherham and to develop the AMP. Monies from the European Union's European Regional Development Fund have also supported the project.

The latest development on the AMP was announced in August 2006. A "Factory of the Future" is to be built as part of the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The Factory will be purpose built to house the latest manufacturing equipment and production capabilities. Information Communications Technology (ICT) and 'virtual' manufacturing will be key components of the new facility, as will alternative manufacturing methods, such as additive manufacturing processes which grow 3-dimensional parts; considerably reducing material waste and increasing design flexibility. Construction began in late 2006 and is due for completion by the end of 2007.