AMRC Cymru and Wrexham Leadership Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate manufacturing innovation and attract new investment to North Wales. The partnership combines AMRC’s research and development expertise with the Alliance’s network of regional businesses and community organisations.
The collaboration directly supports the ambitions of the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone — a £160 million government-backed scheme expected to generate £1 billion of private investment and 6,000 jobs over the next decade. The zone has been positioned as a catalyst for advanced manufacturing growth across North Wales, with a focus on high-value, low-carbon industries.
AMRC Cymru, part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre network, operates from its Broughton base to deliver industrial research, development, and innovation partnerships between business, academia, and government. Its work underpins the UK’s transition to net zero manufacturing, helping companies commercialise low-carbon technologies and improve productivity.
Andy Silcox, interim chief technology officer at the AMRC, said the partnership would act as “a catalyst for a resilient, inclusive and high-growth industrial ecosystem.” He added: “Working seamlessly with the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone, we will actively deploy our world-class research and technology expertise to unlock and sustain significant growth opportunities for our regional manufacturers.”
Founded three years ago, the Wrexham Leadership Alliance brings together major local employers and community groups to advocate for economic development across Wrexham County. Craig Weeks, operations director at JCB Transmissions and founder of the Alliance, said the collaboration would “combine the Alliance’s local business strength and community ambitions with AMRC’s expertise in world-leading innovation and engineering.”
The partnership also received backing from Alliance chair Caroline Platt, managing director at Platts Agriculture, who said it would “improve technology, skills, and productivity in the region for the benefit of our local communities and businesses.” Ben Spruce, chief financial officer at Kronospan and Alliance board member, described the agreement as “the start of a new and exciting chapter for skills and businesses in Wrexham and the surrounding area.”
As the partnership develops, AMRC Cymru and the Wrexham Leadership Alliance will work jointly to advance skills, drive innovation-led productivity, and strengthen the industrial base across North Wales — reinforcing the region’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing investment.
