University welcomes Minister for 3D printing visit

Business Minister Lee Rowley toured Manchester Metropolitan’s PrintCity in January to see first-hand how it helps SME manufacturers to unlock innovation and creativity through 3D printing.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Industry was taken on a tour of the PrintCity facilities as part of a visit organised by Made Smarter - which has just celebrated its third anniversary and 200 businesses supported to-date.

The Minister met with manufacturing experts, designers and engineers to learn about how the £3.2 million PrintCity Network has been helping SMEs to not only continue operating through the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to build back better by developing innovative ideas and prototyping new products.

Mark Chester, Product Development Specialist at Manchester Met, with Lee Rowley MP at PrintCity. Credit: Manchester Metropolitan University

PrintCity has been supporting SMEs since its inception in 2018 in partnership with other business support programmes, including GC Business Growth Hub. The programme offers a range of commercial services to businesses, from research and development, to mould making and small-scale production. 

Commenting on the tour, Lee Rowley MP said:

“It has been great to see the work being done at Manchester Metropolitan University’s PrintCity, with students from many disciplines bringing their innovation and creativity to manufacturing through 3D printing.

“Businesses of all sizes can benefit from their technical know-how by engaging with PrintCity and government-backed programmes, such as Made Smarter. These students can help them embed the critical digital skills needed to succeed in the economy of the future.”

To find out more about the services available, visit the PrintCity website.