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 centres help businesses transform the products they sell, the way they make them and the skills of their workforce to remain competitive in a global marketplace.
We work with industry and government to deliver cross-sector technology at the scale required to create a more sustainable and prosperous society.
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
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Three pillars of innovation
To successfully play our 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.
See more about manufacturing technology development
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.
See more about manufacturing supply chain development
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.
See more about manufacturing workforce developmentOur vision
We will be:
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- 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
Industrial Operations, Strategy & Programme Delivery Director, Jaguar Land Rover
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Lauren Flanagan
Executive Director Corporate Affairs, High Value Manufacturing Catapult
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Professor Sam Turner
Net Zero Champion, HVM Catapult; Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC);
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Professor Ben Morgan
Interim Chief Executive Officer, The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC)
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Chris Courtney
Chief Executive Officer, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)
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Related case studies
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CASE STUDY
Leading the Ventilator Challenge
On the 16th of March 2020, the Government asked UK industry to support the NHS in its fight against COVID-19. The VentilatorChallengeUK (VCUK) Consortium, led by the HVM Catapult’s outgoing CEO Dick Elsy and made up of more than 33 businesses from the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors, came together at speed to build medical ventilators.
3 February 2022
CASE STUDY
Developing the skills system for emerging technologies
HVM Catapult is leading work to create a better technical skills system for manufacturing and many other key sectors in the UK
6 February 2023
CASE STUDY
Attracting global firms to Renfrewshire
Forging new relationships with both industrial leaders and local communities alike, HVM Catapult’s presence in Renfrewshire is bringing tangible benefits to the region and Scotland as a whole.
3 February 2022
CASE STUDY
Saving the Great British cuppa
Many manufacturers and distributors struggled to meet this demand, with basic products like toilet rolls, tea and pasta disappearing from shelves. Big brand firms were not immune from the difficulties, even household names like Tetley Tea, owned by Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL).
3 February 2022
CASE STUDY
Quantum leap in data security in UK first
Quantum key distribution (QKD) has been identified as one of the solutions to maintaining this security, using principles from quantum mechanics to keep data encrypted and reliably detect eavesdropping attempts.
3 February 2022
CASE STUDY
Battery of the future powering South Yorkshire investment
The AMRC helped to bring the Ultimate Battery Company to South Yorkshire, along with future economic benefits to the region and a positive environmental contribution to global net zero targets
6 February 2023
