CAMMELL Laird's plans to enter the nuclear industry have taken a step forward with the opening of a manufacturing research centre that will create hundreds of jobs at the Birkenhead shipyard.

The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre facility, which opened today, will allow engineers to design and produce component parts for possible installation at the country's new generation of nuclear power stations. 

It is the start of a research collaboration led by Cammell Laird to develop modular manufacturing techniques to support the UK's nuclear new build programme.

The new facility expands the Nuclear AMRC's capabilities into modular manufacturing.

Modular manufacturing involves the off-site assembly of large-scale complex systems, which are then transported to site for final installation.

Andrew Storer, managing director of the Nuclear AMRC, said: "Our new Birkenhead facility extends our capabilities into an area of huge interest and importance to the nuclear industry.

"Modularisation reduces risk in manufacturing and construction, and will help developers build new power stations on schedule and on budget, meeting our national targets for secure, cost-effective, low-carbon electricity generation.

"The manufacturing techniques we will develop at the new facility can also help improve production efficiency and costs in other parts of the nuclear market, for example in the manufacture of large numbers of standardised waste boxes for the decommissioning programme.

"Our Birkenhead facility is the first of a new network of regional supply chain hubs, which will help us provide on-the-ground support to companies of all sizes across the UK.

"Birkenhead is ideally placed for the established nuclear cluster in North West England as well as the Wylfa new build site in North Wales.

"We want to help companies based in this region to become Fit For Nuclear and win work in the nuclear sector at home and worldwide."

Jonathan Brown, managing director of Cammell Laird's energy division, said: "Modularisation is widely applied on shipbuilding, civil construction and a number of other sectors where it is demonstrated to bring significant benefits in terms of cost reductions and improved schedule performance.

"We are confident that when applied correctly within the nuclear sector we will see similar benefits."