Skanska joins manufacturing research centre
11 January 2017
Skanska UK has joined the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), one of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing catapult research centres.
The MTC develops and proves innovative manufacturing processes and technologies. It employs a team of highly skilled engineers to create a high quality environment for the development and demonstration of new processes and technologies on an industrial scale.
Skanska UK’s membership will enable the further development of new technologies, some of which are already being trialled at the MTC. It will also support the opportunity to work in collaborative teams, with clients and supply chain partners.
Mike Putnam, president and CEO, Skanska UK, said, “Skanska UK’s membership of the MTC supports our aim to be a leader in the development of new technology, which can benefit the whole industry. We are committed to delivering the targets set in the Construction 2025 industrial strategy. This means that we all need to find smarter and more effective ways of working.
“Through the MTC, we will be able to develop new technologies, with the support of engineering experts and thinking from other leading global organisations.”
He said that as a member of the Construction Leadership Council, the company saw this as a big opportunity to collaborate with its clients and supply chain partners, to help upskill the whole industry.
“We have invested consistently in R&D and digital engineering over many years, and we’re fantastically excited about the opportunities that lie ahead,” he added.
Neil Rawlinson, strategic development director at the MTC, said, “The construction sector is primed to benefit from new technologies such as automation (robotics), virtual reality visualisation and additive manufacturing, which will enhance global players like Skanska through to SMEs in the supply chain.
“This partnership will be a significant game changer not only for the construction industry but also for the MTC as we are poised to launch a high-profile campaign within the construction and infrastructure sectors that will illustrate the range of technologies and the impact they can have.”
