Spirit AeroSystems has joined the University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing to help increase its R&D footprint in Europe.

Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Ltd is joining the AMRC with Boeing as a Tier One member. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world's largest non-OEM designers and manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial aircraft. Its European division produces wing components for a host of customers, including Airbus.

Membership gives Spirit access to the AMRC's world-leading capabilities in high-performance machining, assembly and composites R&D, and a seat on the management board. The company also gains access to the wider resources of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a consortium of seven established manufacturing and process research centres, backed by the Technology Strategy Board. Spirit is also joining the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, another part of the Catapult.

Neil McManus, vice president and managing director of Spirit AeroSystems (Europe), said: "Technological advancements in modelling, simulation, composite fabrication, automation and robotics have pushed the traditional boundaries of aerostructures design and manufacturing, as well as considerably shortening the whole aerostructures product development cycle. This progression requires significant commitments by OEMs and their supplier collaborators, such as Spirit AeroSystems, to undertake the complex, multi-collaborative, highly-integrated and technology-reach development programmes.

"Having a research and development laboratory such as the HVM Catapult centres, built to an industrial scale with all the associated engineering and technological knowledge in the same place, opens up a number of interesting avenues for Spirit's technology strategy.

"We are thrilled by the scale of the opportunity associated with the HVM Catapult, specifically for our business needs and for the UK high value manufacturing industry. From a Spirit perspective it is anticipated that within the AMRC environment we will be able to lower the risk of high value capital equipment business investments, exploit technologies onto real scale aerostructures products, and successfully demonstrate Technology Readiness Level maturity to our customers prior to transitioning solutions into aerostructures assembly.

"From a UK aerospace industry perspective this allows Spirit to contribute to the government-industry initiatives to bolster high value manufacturing, enhance business competitiveness and nurture a culture of innovation and skills growth within the entire aerospace supply chain."

The agreement was signed at the Farnborough International Airshow, and witnessed by Mark Prisk MP, minister for business and enterprise (pictured centre, with Neil McManus and Adrian Allen, commercial director of the AMRC with Boeing).

This collaboration is an integral part of Spirit's Research and Development Technology strategy aimed at developing technologies and product solutions capable of meeting future customer requirements and market demand.

Marcello Grassi, head of technology at Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) commented: "We anticipate that product and technology innovation, as well as business synergies, will be further accelerated within the AMRC and MTC Catapult centres. Both of the centres have an established track record on applied industrial research and acute business focus on return of investment."

Professor Keith Ridgway CBE, research director of the AMRC with Boeing, added, "Collaborations like this are essential to developing the technology required to support Spirit AeroSystems as a supplier of choice in the aerospace market. We are delighted to welcome them as a valued member of the AMRC."

For more information, see www.spiritaero.com