08 April 2025
NCC is leading technology creation and supply chain development within the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS), a collaboration between the Rochdale Development Agency and research and technology organisations including: Henry Royce Institute, University of Manchester, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, NCC, CPI and National Physical Laboratory.
Innovate UK has announced an additional £30 million in funding to extend its highly successful Innovation Accelerator (IA) pilot programme through to 2026 - further strengthening the UK’s global position in research and development. Among the pioneering projects continuing under this investment is CEAMS, a dynamic collaboration driving growth across Greater Manchester and the UK through sustainable materials innovation.
CEAMS acts as a vital bridge between academic research, industrial application, and commercial scale-up - supporting companies to overcome complex challenges, adopt and invent new materials, and contribute to a greener economy.
Developing a circular economy for carbon fibre
NCC's work within CEAMS has already driven advances in sustainable materials development, including a collaborative project led by NCC to establish new digital quality assurance and validation capabilities for recycled carbon fibre, significantly reducing barriers to the creation of more circular supply chains.
The ambition of the CEAMS consortium to develop circular supply chains for carbon fibre complements NCC’s own commitment to building new carbon fibre development lines. This unique, open-access facility will revitalise UK carbon fibre innovation and will enable the development of more sustainable fibres.
Paul Ormerod, Chair of the Rochdale Development Agency, said:
“CEAMS simplifies access to world-class materials expertise, connecting businesses to a thriving ecosystem of advanced sustainable material innovators. Our aim is to empower companies to create better, more efficient products that drive growth, increase employment, and improve competitiveness.”
Jack Alcock, CEAMS Technology Creation Lead, NCC, said:
“NCC is committed to building a sustainable and circular materials economy to enable viable, high-performance and cost-effective solutions for industry. This extension will allow NCC and the CEAMS consortium to develop technologies for industrial adoption and supply chain creation, aligned with national strategies around advanced materials.”
