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R&D initiative to deliver £1.7bn boost to Greater Manchester manufacturing

After opening a new office in Manchester, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult has agreed to help the city region attract foreign investment and improve the productivity of manufacturers through R&D.


After opening a new office in Manchester, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult has agreed to help the city region attract foreign investment and improve the productivity of manufacturers through R&D.

The HVM Catapult was established in 2011 by the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK, to put academic research and development to real-world use in the manufacturing sector.

In August 2022, the Catapult opened a new office in Manchester to support Greater Manchester in delivering its technology and innovation plans.  

The Greater Manchester region is currently in the bottom 20 per cent for public sector spending on R&D and in the bottom third of peers for how many tech-enabled firm headquarters there are with specialisms in key manufacturing and industry sectors.

The HVM Catapult has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the city region to attract outside investment into critical sectors such as pharma, materials, agri-food and med-tech. Leaders hope the collaboration could double the size of these sectors in Greater Manchester and provide 15,000 jobs over the next decade – generating a £1.7 billion boost to the local economy.

Mayor Andy Burnham said:

“This new agreement between Greater Manchester and HVM Catapult is a fantastic boost for our city region’s manufacturing businesses. Greater Manchester has a proud manufacturing heritage and we can ensure this continues well into the future by helping our businesses scale up and develop new technologies.”

Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK and board member of Innovation Greater Manchester, added:

“We look forward to working with the HVM Catapult to find opportunities for Greater Manchester’s manufacturing businesses to improve their productivity, efficiency and competitiveness.

“Through Innovation Greater Manchester we’re developing a world-class innovation ecosystem that will put the city region at the centre of the fourth industrial revolution. Our approach can stimulate economic growth and investment to deliver high quality jobs that are accessible to all, setting an example for other regions to follow.”

To find out more about the HVM Catapult’s support, visit hvm.catapult.org.uk

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