AIRTO member Lucideon has tabled a £500 milion proposal to create state-of-the-art ceramic matrix composite manufacturing capability (CMC) in the UK, to build resilience across critical sectors in the supply chain. The international technology company has created a blueprint centred around the development of secure, sovereign manufacturing capability in the manufacture and supply of advanced materials, which are needed by the UK’s strategic aerospace, defence, and nuclear industries to stay competitive in global markets.
New companies, ‘Oxide Ceramic Systems Limited’ and ‘Non-Oxide Ceramic Systems Limited’ have been incorporated to take the activity forward, and a site at Staffordshire’s Keele University Science Park is earmarked to house the facility, supporting industry in the regions and providing a strategic geographical location for supply and inward investment.
CMCs feature ceramic fibres embedded in a ceramics matrix to deliver exceptional performance in a lightweight format, capable of withstanding ultra-high temperature environments, as well as the ability to withstand thermal and mechanical shock. As a result, they are rapidly becoming a highly sought after material of the future across the globe, but there is currently a lack of capability in the UK to deliver their secure supply.
The image depicts an artist’s impression of the site at Keele University, where Lucideon proposes to build its ceramic matrix composite facility. Image credit: Rudlin & Co
