Backed by £44 million through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), their work will cut carbon, create high-value jobs and boost regional economies.
The new Manufacturing Research Hubs for a Sustainable Future will bring together world-class researchers with over 180 industry and civic partners to drive practical, sustainable innovation across the UK.
The four hubs have attracted a total of £38.8 million in direct and indirect contributions from partners.
A focus on delivering impact
Each hub will focus on a critical area of manufacturing, from creating net zero supply chains and resilient production systems to transforming waste and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Their work will support businesses of all sizes, deliver impact in regional economies and provide workers with new skills in areas including:
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- sustainability
- engineering biology
A greener manufacturing solution
One of the four newly funded hubs, the Indigenous Green-steel for Net-zero Innovation, Technology and Enterprise (IGNITE) Hub, builds on the success of the SUSTAIN Future Manufacturing Research Hub.
SUSTAIN is a £35 million, seven-year initiative supported by £10 million from EPSRC and co-funded by:
- universities
- trade bodies
- research and technology rganisations
- businesses
IGNITE will continue this work, helping the UK steel industry develop greener, more sustainable manufacturing solutions to secure its long-term future.
Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, said:
These hubs will play a vital role in reshaping manufacturing to help the UK achieve green growth. By combining deep research expertise with real-world partnerships, they will develop the technologies, tools and systems we need for clean, competitive and resilient industries.
The four newly funded hubs
The IGNITE Hub, £11 million
Led by Professor Cameron Pleydell-Pearce at Swansea University, this hub aims to deliver environmental and economic resilience for key areas of the UK manufacturing economy including defence, transport and energy.
With the UK’s growing green steel demand outpacing domestic supply, IGNITE aims to boost domestic steel production, cut emissions and support low-carbon business models.
It will develop smarter ways to manage, track and recycle the UK’s abundant supply of high-quality scrap whilst reshaping steel design and use to maintain quality and extend product life.
Over 30 partners are involved in the hub, including:
- scrap processors
- steelmakers
- Network Rail
- Nissan
- Rolls Royce
- government departments
The Co-AIMS: Research Hub on Collaborative AI for Manufacturing Sustainability, £11 million
This hub aims to transform UK manufacturing by pioneering regenerative, AI-powered, people-centric manufacturing ecosystems that eliminate waste, empower workers and enhance autonomy.
Led by Professor Niels Lohse of the University of Birmingham, it will bring together leading experts from:
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- University of Nottingham
- University Oxford
- University of Sheffield
- Cranfield University
- Manufacturing Technology Centre
- University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre
The hub team will deliver safe, ethical and inclusive technologies for sectors, including automotive, aerospace, clean energy, and food and drink, through strategic collaborations with:
- manufacturers
- technology providers
- innovation centres
- business associations
- regional authorities
The EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics, £11 million
This hub will be led by Professor Ton Peijs of Warwick Manufacturing Group at The University of Warwick.
Collaborating with researchers from The University of Manchester and University College London, this hub will improve the way durable plastics, commonly used in cars, buildings and electronics, are created, reused and recycled.
It aims to reduce waste, support greener manufacturing practices, and advance the circular economy with support from over 60 industry partners to turn research into real-world solutions, including:
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Polestar
- Siemens
- BEKO
- Bellway
- Biffa
The Carbon-Loop Hub, £11 million
This hub will be led by Professor Stephen Wallace of The University of Edinburgh. It will develop engineered microbes capable of converting industrial waste into high-value, sustainable chemicals and materials.
The hub will also launch the UK’s first ‘BioFactory’, a national platform for scaling up bioprocessing innovations that cut emissions, reduce landfill and help build a fossil-free manufacturing base.
Over 45 partners, including UK and global companies from across seven industry sectors are involved in the hub.
EPSRC’s investment will enable these hubs to work with partners across industry, academia, local government and the public, creating new supply chains, upskilling the UK workforce, and supporting job creation in high-value industrial sectors.
The future of sustainable manufacturing
In addition to the four hubs, EPSRC is funding an additional six projects, to the tune of nearly £7.5 million.
The projects will focus on the evolution of manufacturing technologies and processes, to grow and transform manufacturing sectors in areas where the UK can lead and be more productive.
Co-created with businesses, academics will focus on increasing the sustainability of manufacturing processes, which is a UK academic area of strength.
This investment builds on a total of £79 million invested in 2024 and 2025, through previous iterations of this opportunity.
Further information
The additional six projects
Sustainable Separation Membranes for Green Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Andrew Livingston, Queen Mary University of London
Reconfigurable, Robotic & Responsive Reactors for Processes through Intensified Development, Richard Bourne, University of Leeds
Superconductor Prototyping for Critical Technologies, Martin Weides, University of Glasgow
Advanced nanoengineered treatment of textiles: PFAS-free amphiphobicity, Manish Tiwari, University College London
Ultra-Precision Machining for Optical Substrates and Technologies, James Gates, University of Southampton
Development of next generation disruptive mega-casting technologies for green and sustainable transportation vehicles (MegaCast), Shouxun Ji, Brunel University of London