In the first half of 2019 GKN Aerospace broke ground on a 10,000 square metre UK Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Bristol and has secured 25 collaboration partners for the new Centre. The new GTC - funded by a £17m commitment from GKN Aerospace and £15m commitment from the UK Government, through the ATI Programme – is expected to open in 2020. It is GKN Aerospace's largest UK technology investment to date, announced in December 2018 as part of a record annual technology spend of £75m for GKN Aerospace and alongside the UK government's Aerospace Sector Deal.

The concept of an inclusive environment to foster innovation and technical skills development, is proving to be successful, with universities, the UK's CATAPULT network, GKN Aerospace's UK supply chain, start-ups as well as large industrial companies joining GKN Aerospace prior to the actual opening. The centre will focus on additive manufacturing (AM), advanced composites, assembly and industry 4.0 processes to enable the high rate production of aircraft structures. The GTC will maintain GKN Aerospace's position at the forefront of technology development for the next generation of energy efficient aircraft. The facility will serve as a base for GKN Aerospace's technology partnership in the Airbus' "Wing of Tomorrow" technology programme as well as new additive manufacturing industrialisation programmes.

Commenting CEO of GKN Aerospace ASEA, John Pritchard said:

"We are proud to have taken the next step in the UK GTC development with our groundbreaking in April and we are excited that so many partners have joined us. Our GTC is designed to support GKN Aerospace's UK workforce and close collaboration with the world-class UK aerospace ecosystem, building on joint expertise, talent and infrastructure. A great example of the UK's industrial strategy approach, the GTC will take aerospace innovation to the next level and ensure that UK Aerospace industry will continue to operate at the forefront of global aerospace."

GTC ecosystem

In addition to GKN Aerospace and Aerospace Technology Institute, the collaboration partners at the GTC now include: the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Additive Industries B.V., ANSYS UK Limited, ATS Applied Tech Systems Limited, Axillium Research, Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd,Centre for Modelling & Simulation, Digital Catapult, Exechon Enterprises L.L.C., Frazer-Nash Consultancy Limited, KUKA Industries UK Limited, Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Materialise UK Limited, National Composites Centre (NCC), PXL Realm Limited, Renishaw plc, Siemens Industry Software Limited, Thales UK Limited, Theta Technologies Ltd.,TriMas Aerospace, University of Bath, University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, University of Sheffield and University of the West of England.