Struggling sector is given a £6.5m boost

The Government is investing £6.5m in 16 new research and development projects in an attempt to help boost the struggling manufacturing sector.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board are giving some of the grants to large companies, such as Airbus Operations, a subsidiary of Airbus, and Unilever. However, most are going to smaller companies.

The focus of the research and development will be on production technologies "that create high value through novel processes, advanced product manufacture, resource efficiency and production techniques", an EPSRC spokesman said.