New innovation centre for Rochdale represents “a BIG BANG for regional economic prosperity”

Posted by on 6 Mar 2024

Plans for a new innovation centre set to turbo charge the local economy and bring millions of pounds of investment to Rochdale and the wider region were revealed to North West business leaders at a launch event at Rochdale Town Hall (6th March 2024).

Located on the Atom Valley site, which is already slated to bring 20,000 new highly skilled roles within world-class businesses, the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) will focus on providing state-of-the-art green manufacturing solutions. Advanced materials are designed to cut down on waste and increase sustainability, making them crucial for business and the environment.

Speaking at the event, advanced materials were described by the Chief Executive of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Katherine Bennett as: “Once the stuff of science fiction.” Going on to say: “the development and use of advanced materials has already opened up a world of possibilities.”

The new Centre will also be central to ensuring a growing and prosperous local economy in the North West: “CEAMS represents a big bang for regional economic prosperity” according to Rochdale Borough Council Leader, Neil Emmott, who opened the launch event. He went on to highlight: “CEAMS is a once in a lifetime project that will secure the future and change the face of not just Rochdale but of the North West.”

The North West of England remains the biggest manufacturing area in the UK, worth £28.2bn and employing over 300,000 people.

CEAMS is part of a wider strategy to cement the regions reputation as the hub of manufacturing in the UK and is also a key component of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) Innovation Accelerator programme.

It is hoped that in its initial phase around 50 companies will come and work to develop and scale up their materials technologies at CEAMS.

Neil Emmott, Leader Rochdale Council said: Rochdale is embracing new technology and innovation.  Our vision is to create well paid jobs based on the industries of the future for the residents of the Borough.

Innovative companies pay well at all levels of skills.  This is why we are working closely with our neighbouring boroughs of Bury and Oldham, along with the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to develop Atom Valley, a visionary project to level up within Greater Manchester.  It will be a big bang for regional economic prosperity. It is a once in a lifetime project, that will secure the future and change the face of not just Rochdale but the North West.

Led by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, the pilot Innovation Accelerator programme is investing £100m in 26 transformative R&D projects to accelerate the growth of three high-potential innovation clusters – Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester and West Midlands.

CEAMS is led by a consortium of expert partners, including: Rochdale Development Agency (RDA), Henry Royce Institute, National Physical Laboratory (NPL), High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVM Catapult) and its centres: Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), National Composites Centre (NCC),  Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Manufacturing Technology Centre(MTC).