By Scott Wright

A NEW Boeing research and development facility has officially opened in Renfrew, near Glasgow Airport.

The facility has been developed by the aircraft manufacturer in partnership with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), and is located within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District at Westway Park.

Spanning more than 60,000 square feet, the centre will focus on the delivery of Boeing’s £11.8 million R&D programme in partnership with the University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre, which is part of the NMIS Group.

Technical teams from Boeing and NMIS will explore novel manufacturing technologies for metallic components, with the aims of reducing materials waste and cutting the environmental impact of aircraft.

Keith Ridgway, executive chair of NMIS, said: “This a huge development for Scotland, cementing our dedication to advanced manufacturing innovation on a global scale and the benefits that this can bring to our economy.

"We’re excited about what the future holds for this new facility, the groundbreaking R&D taking place there, and how we can build on our manufacturing expertise to support Boeing on its journey towards net-zero.”

Sir Martin Donnelly, president of Boeing Europe and managing director of Boeing in the UK and Ireland said:  “This opening is significant because it’s a sign of the commitment Boeing and Scottish Enterprise made when we announced the Boeing Scotland Alliance and this R&D programme.

“The NMIS and Boeing teams have worked tremendously hard through a global pandemic to bring us to this point, and we all know that so much more is still to come from this agreement for the future of manufacturing and aerospace.”