The University of Manchester’s recently completed £60m Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) has agreed the first in a series of industrial partnerships to accelerate the commercialisation of graphene in Manchester.
First Graphene Ltd, Haydale Graphene Industries, and Versarien PLC have each agreed to partner with the GEIC in order to exploit opportunities to develop and commercialise graphene products and applications. The GEIC, which is housed in the Masdar building near Manchester city centre, was recently handed over to University ownership from contractors ahead of an official opening later this year.
Along with the National Graphene Institute (NGI) and the Henry Royce Institute (set to be completed in 2019) the GEIC will be crucial in maintaining the UK’s world leading position in advanced materials.
James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester said: “The GEIC is a key component of the University’s strategy for Graphene@Manchester. Our aim is to accelerate the commercialisation of real-world applications and transition graphene and other 2D materials from the lab to the marketplace. The GEIC will bring in an additional 30 staff in addition to academics to grow community to over 300 graphene-related staff at the University.
“First Graphene, Haydale and Versarien are the first companies to sign-up with the GEIC as a ‘Tier One’ partners. We anticipate that Tier One partners are likely to be larger SMEs and multinationals with interests that span multiple application domains.”
Tier One partnership benefits include access to world-leading expertise and experience along with specialist equipment within the GEIC to aid projects which will accelerate product and process development and market entry.
The GEIC will focus on industry-led application development in partnership with academics. It will fill a critical gap in the graphene and 2D materials ecosystem by providing facilities which focus on pilot production, characterisation, together with application development in composites, energy, solution formulations and coatings, electronics and membranes.