WMG was pleased to host a visit by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood.

Meeting with Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Sir Jeremy was keen to hear about the breadth of work that the Group undertakes as well as to understand how WMG develops partnerships with industry and the significant economic benefits of such partnerships.

Sir Jeremy, along with members of the Cabinet Office Will Cavendish, Executive Director Implementation Group and Kathy Hall, Deputy Director, Growth Implementation Group, had a tour of WMG’s impressive R&D facilities to then see first-hand the collaborative research the Group is involved in.

Led by Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, the tour included just two of WMG’s centres the International Manufacturing Centre and the International Automotive Research Centre. Professor Paul Jennings detailed research in energy storage, particularly the new Energy Innovation Centre. Professor Mark Williams showcased measuring and metrology capabilities, with Professor Robert Harrison demonstrating how companies can effectively automate systems. Dr Geraint Williams highlighted composite and lightweighting research. Dr Ben Wood discussed the impact of WMG’s programmes on small and medium sized enterprises. Finally, Dr Claire Dancer introduced the new International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing, which is due to open in the Spring, which will focus on the effective manufacture of nanocomposites by adopting a holistic approach.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said:

We were delighted to host Sir Jeremy Heywood and to show him what university and industry collaborations are really about. The impact that we have had on industry, over the last 34 years, has been phenomenal. The current projects we are working on, such as the National Automotive Innovation Campus, show our continued commitment to providing academic excellence with industrial relevance.“