Who we are: Our role in the UK manufacturing landscape
HVM Catapult is a strategic research and innovation hub for industry, supporting the UK’s national priorities.
Our role
At the junction of business, research, and government, we play a unique set of roles in the UK manufacturing sector:- Growing manufacturing businesses and the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the UK economy
- Investigating innovative technologies or scaling-up new products and processes to prove they have achieved manufacturing readiness
- Working with academic partners to build on research at universities and research establishments in the UK and beyond, and using our expertise to help shape and deliver UK manufacturing policy
- Working with UK Government and others to develop high quality training provision to meet industry standards
Three pillars of innovation
To successfully play out role in the UK economy, we focus on three pillars that support the commercialisation of new technologies.
Technology
Developing new technologies can transform a business, market, or economy. We can support your research and development, helping you to take advantage of new technologies and techniques.
Supply chain
Resilient and reliable supply chains are vital for any successful business. We can help you develop and optimise your supply chains to keep your production moving.
Workforce
We identify the skills needed for continuing economic development, working with UK government to build the systems to deliver them. We also train thousands of workers each year.
Our vision
We will be:
- delivering industrial foresight and transformation for the UK;
- operating at scale in a deep collaborative alliance; and
- growing the UK’s community of world-leading engineers and scientists.
This will allow us to rise to the nation’s grand industrial challenges to deliver lasting impact for the UK economy, society, and the environment.
manufacturing businesses supported since 2011
SME businesses transformed each year
of the UK's best engineers, scientists and technicians
More than 5,500 businesses come to HVM Catapult each year, seeking solutions to a particular problem, or looking for ideas on possible new products, processes or services which could make their firm more competitive.
Our centres provide access to world-class research, development facilities and expertise that would otherwise be out of reach for many businesses.
HVM Catapult centres
Working through our centres of industrial innovation, we cover development in areas from material formulation to advanced assembly.
Our People
Our leadership team with over 100 years of combined experience.
Frank Ludwig
Lauren Flanagan
Professor Sam Turner
Professor Ben Morgan
Chris Courtney
Related case studies
- MTC and NCC worked together to develop laser cutting for high-rate thick dry fibre preforms.
- MTC developed an AI driven sorting system for separating intermediate and low-level nuclear decommissioning waste.
- Alucast utilised WMG's Manufacturing Energy Toolkit, which was launched to help manufacturers identify practical ways to reduce energy usage and quickly got onboard.
- LISI AEROSPACE provisionally secured additional funding for two more production lines by 2027.
- Simulation revealed that by investing in new equipment, Aldomak could produce an extra 260kg of fudge per shift.
- The project has won Brandauer new clients that exclusively use reusable packaging.
