AMP - Advanced Manufacturing Park

An international company providing technical support for manufacturers is bringing its world-leading operation to the Yorkshire Forward-funded Advanced Manufacturing Park in South Yorkshire.

It brings an eclectic mix of applications to the Park – from paint used to restore old masters to Formula 1 engines.

Materials testing specialist Struers is moving its UK operation from the West Midlands to a new world-class facility at Evolution @ the AMP in Rotherham so that it can better service its customers, many of them based in the UK's materials and metals heartland.

Struers has been inventing revolutionary products since 1875, and continues to research leading edge technology for the future. It works in the automotive, aerospace and steel industries with companies including Rolls-Royce, Nissan, Boeing, Thyssen and Kobe Steel.

Established in 19 countries worldwide, Struers has a 42 per cent share of the market for equipment and consumables for materialographic surface preparation of solid materials. Its machines are used by engineers to test the quality and reliability of an increasing range of materials – as well as the paint for old masters, they include composites used to manufacture components for aircraft and Formula 1 engines.

Its latest range of hardness testers is fuelling growth in both laboratory and high volume production area installations, and despite the downturn, the company hopes to increase its £3m annual turnover and 11-strong workforce at its new laboratory at the AMP.

Struers managing director Dr Lee Cobb, himself a qualified metallurgist, described the AMP as a “phenomenal opportunity” for his highly regarded UK team of specialists.

“Advanced manufacturing is our core business so it makes perfect sense for us to move to the AMP, which is leading the world in terms of innovation and research in the sector. Our collaborative approach to doing business sits well with the AMP's culture of sharing knowledge to benefit UK companies supplying world leading organisations, and we already work with companies on the Park including TWI, Cti and Dormer Tools.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of support we provide for the manufacturing sector in the UK. Our expertise and the quality of our machines mean we can make a real difference, helping customers improve their processes, so they can get answers to their problems faster. The AMP community offers this country's manufacturers an unbeatable level of support and we are looking forward to becoming an integral part of the team.”

Strategic letting agents Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) and commercial lawyers hlw arranged the deal on the 3,641 sq ft unit on behalf of Evolution @ the AMP owners UK Strategic Partnership, a joint venture between UK Coal and Strategic Partnerships.

Ed Norris, Industrial and Logistics Agents at LSH's Sheffield office, said: “This latest deal demonstrates that, despite the ongoing challenging economic conditions, world leading manufacturing companies are recognising the benefits that Evolution @ AMP has to offer more so than ever before.

“This is not only testament to the high-tech, flexible accommodation on offer, but also the collaborative working ethos of the businesses already located on the park, which provides a major competitive advantage over other non-manufacturing specific developments.”

Richard Smith, who led the team at hlw, commented: “It's great to see such a market-leading company join the growing number of businesses benefiting from the unique opportunities provided by Evolution @ the AMP. It's also encouraging to see such a robust property deal taking place in South Yorkshire.”

The AMP is in Rotherham's Waverley area, just off the M1's Junction 33. Its development opportunities range from small office, workshop and lab space, through medium-sized hybrid and light industrial units to larger custom-built design and build options.