Why materials innovation matters
Materials innovation plays a vital role in supporting the UK’s economic resilience, industrial capability and transition to net zero.
New and improved materials can help make products lighter, stronger, more durable, more efficient and more sustainable. They are essential to many of the UK’s priority sectors, including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, aerospace, defence, automotive, health technologies, infrastructure and the circular economy.
The UK materials sector contributes an estimated £49 billion to the economy and directly employs up to 635,000 people nationwide. This activity supports businesses, supply chains and high-value jobs in every part of the country.
Supporting national priorities
The Materials Map builds on the evidence base developed through the Royce-led National Materials Innovation Strategy.
The strategy was developed through extensive engagement with industry, academia and government, setting out a unified call to action to help the UK unlock the full potential of advanced materials.
The Materials Map supports this agenda by providing a clearer picture of existing regional capability and future opportunity. It can help inform conversations about investment, skills, infrastructure, industrial strategy and the development of stronger innovation pathways from discovery through to deployment.
Download the Materials Map
About the Report
Download the Materials Map to explore the UK’s regional strengths in materials innovation.
The map provides an accessible overview of materials activity across the nine English regions and the UK’s Devolved Administrations, bringing together data on materials businesses, employment, estimated economic contribution and sector specialisms. It also highlights examples of companies and organisations contributing to materials innovation across areas including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, aerospace, defence, automotive, construction, healthcare, packaging and the circular economy.
The Materials Map is intended as a starting point for understanding the scale and distribution of materials capability across the UK, and for supporting further discussion between policymakers, industry, researchers and regional partners.
From clean energy and defence to healthcare and infrastructure, new and improved materials are the underpinning solution to the most pressing challenges we face. Through the Materials Map, Royce is highlighting existing regional strengths across the materials sector, providing a starting point to assist in capability development and help inform discussions around materials investments.
Professor David Knowles, Royce CEO
Engage with Royce
The Materials Map is intended as a starting point for discussion about the UK’s regional materials strengths, industrial capability and future opportunities.
If you would like to discuss materials innovation activity in your region, share examples of relevant capability, or find out more about how Royce supports collaboration between research and industry, please contact us.
