National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

What National Manufacturing Institute Scotland does

National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a publicly-funded, industry-led advanced manufacturing research and skills organisation operated by the University of Strathclyde. It serves manufacturers across the UK — from SMEs to global OEMs — through a federated network of specialist centres: the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) for metal forming and forging; the Digital Factory for additive manufacturing, robotics, AI and digital twins; the Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) at Irvine for process industry digitisation; the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre for sustainable materials; the Manufacturing Skills Academy for workforce upskilling; the ReMake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) for circular economy innovation; and the National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre (NASPIC) — the UK's only open-access semiconductor packaging facility, co-developed with CSA Catapult. Combined annual public project commitments exceed £50m, and headline industry partners include Boeing (£11.8m AFRC R&D), Rolls-Royce, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems, Diageo, Bacardi, Siemens, ACT Blade and Malin Group.

NMIS's underlying technology portfolio spans high-pressure cold spray (HPCS) copper deposition for rocket nozzles, wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for large maritime components, superplastic forming for aerospace hollow fan blades, private 5G factory networking (97+ Mbps), digital-twin cyber-physical systems, and quadruped-robot-based inspection. The institution is part of the UK High Value Manufacturing Catapult, enabling cross-centre collaboration with AMRC, ORE Catapult, NCC and CSA Catapult, and sits at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) next to Glasgow Airport.

Revenue is generated through three streams: government grants and public funding (Scottish Government, Innovate UK, EPSRC, Scottish Enterprise, regional development agencies), tiered industry membership programmes (Tier One Partners and Tier Two Members at AFRC and other centres), and collaborative R&D contracts (typically co-funded with public grants), supplemented by fully-funded training such as ReMake. The customer mix spans aerospace and defence, automotive, renewables, maritime, process industries (spirits, food, beverage), semiconductors and electronics, and SMEs seeking circular economy and net-zero transition support.

Name

National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

Legal name

National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

Website

https://nmis.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NMIS is the publicly-funded, University of Strathclyde-operated national manufacturing R&D institute for Scotland, serving UK manufacturers across aerospace, defence, automotive, renewables, maritime, process and semiconductor sectors through a network of specialised centres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advanced Manufacturing R&D Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541), All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing (33999)

SIC

Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries (3990), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Operations & Shop Floor Systems (MPS, MES basics) (EDAOAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infrastructure, Networking & Systems Administration Training (BPAEANAJ), Process Mapping & Improvement (SIPOC, VSM, BPM) (EDABAKAG), Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Advanced manufacturing R&D
• Manufacturing skills training
• Additive manufacturing services
• Semiconductor packaging facility
• Circular economy manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Public Funding: NMIS is primarily funded through grants and public funding from Scottish Government, UK Government bodies including Innovate UK, EPSRC, Scottish Enterprise, and regional development agencies. This includes specific project funding for initiatives like the Wind Innovation Hub, semiconductor capabilities expansion, and skills programs.
2. Industry Membership Programs: NMIS operates tiered membership programs for the AFRC and other centres, with Tier Two Members and Tier One Partners providing membership fees in exchange for access to facilities, expertise, and collaborative R&D opportunities.
3. Collaborative R&D Projects: Industry-funded collaborative R&D projects with partners such as Boeing (£11.8m project), Rolls-Royce, and other manufacturers. Projects are often co-funded with public grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NMIS is a publicly-funded manufacturing research and skills institute that operates specialist centres providing collaborative R&D, advanced manufacturing facility access, workforce training, and innovation support to manufacturers across the UK. The institute works with companies of all sizes on digital transformation, advanced materials, sustainable manufacturing, and circular economy challenges through a network of interconnected centres.

Product overview

National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a platform of interconnected research centres and training facilities operated by the University of Strathclyde. The core offering consists of multiple specialist centres: the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) for metal forming and forging research, the Digital Factory for Industry 4.0 technologies, the Digital Process Manufacturing Centre for process manufacturing digitalization, the Lightweight Manufacturing Centre for sustainable materials, the Manufacturing Skills Academy for workforce development, the Remake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) for circular economy solutions, and the National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre (NASPIC) for semiconductor development. Supporting these is the ReMake Training Series providing free workshops on circular manufacturing practices. Together, these centres provide end-to-end capabilities from research and development through to skills training and commercialization support for manufacturers across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReMake: Circular manufacturing and repair innovations training programme
• NMIS Group

Products and services

• Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) A globally-recognised centre of excellence in innovative manufacturing technologies, R&D, and metal forming and forging research. The founding NMIS centre operating as the only High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre in Scotland, serving aerospace, automotive, and defence manufacturers.
• Digital Factory
• Digital Process Manufacturing Centre Based at i3 in North Ayrshire, helps process manufacturers harness digital and intelligent technologies to drive efficiency, sustainability and future-ready growth. Includes private 5G network testbed capabilities for manufacturing environments.
• Lightweight Manufacturing Centre Explores the next generation of sustainable materials, products, and processes for a net-zero world with world-class engineers and researchers. Supports automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy manufacturers with lightweighting solutions.
• Manufacturing Skills Academy Empowering Scotland's workforce through upskilling and reskilling people at every level to meet industry demands and create a pipeline of highly skilled jobs. Offers advanced training, Graduate Apprenticeships, CPD products, and Industrial Doctorate programmes.
• Remake Value Retention Centre (RVRC) A £10 million collaboration helping high-integrity sectors such as energy and transport maximise product and material value through remanufacturing, repair, reuse and circular design, driving resilience, growth and the UK's green economy.
• National Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Integration Centre (NASPIC) The UK's only open-access semiconductor packaging and integration facility, developed by NMIS with CSA Catapult. Based within the Advanced Net Zero Innovation Centre, it supports next-generation electronics, photonics and AI-enabled technologies. Expected to support 300 new jobs and generate £800 million in additional revenue.
• ReMake Training Series Free training programme exploring digital tools and circular business models to drive a more circular, value-retaining future through workshops on circular business models, lifecycle analysis, and Design for Remanufacture. Held at venues across Glasgow.
• NMIS Membership Program Tiered membership programs (Tier One Partner, Tier Two Member) at AFRC and other centres providing prioritized access to facilities, expertise, and collaborative R&D opportunities for manufacturing companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27% reduction in SPF cycle time for Rolls-Royce fan blade manufacturing
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• University of StrathclydecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates NMIS on behalf of Scottish Government and partner agencies. Provides academic expertise, research capabilities, and student pipeline. NMIS is at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland.
• Scottish GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder and strategic driver of NMIS. Leads the initiative to position Scotland as a global leader in advanced manufacturing.
• Scottish EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey agency partner providing funding, business support, and industry connections. Collaborates on deep tech manufacturing support programmes.
• Skills Development ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports workforce development and skills programs. Co-develops training initiatives and apprenticeship programs through Manufacturing Skills Academy.
• High Value Manufacturing CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMIS is part of the UK's HVM Catapult network, enabling cross-centre collaboration with AMRC, NCC, and other Catapult centres across the UK.
• BoeingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoeing Scotland Alliance aims to double Boeing's Scottish supply chain worth tens of millions. £11.8m R&D project with AFRC for metallic component manufacturing. Boeing is one of the first strategic industrial partners for NMIS.
• Rolls-RoyceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of AFRC. Long-standing collaboration on superplastic forming and aerospace component manufacturing including 27% cycle time reduction.
• SiemensmajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner in digital twin whisky cask filling project. Provides instrumentation expertise for cyber-physical systems development.
• Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-Catapult collaboration partner on projects including ACT Blade wind turbine development. Shares expertise in lightweighting and composites.
• Offshore Renewable Energy CatapultmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-Catapult partner on offshore wind projects including ACT Blade blade testing and wind turbine blade recycling initiatives.
• National Composites CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-Catapult partner co-leading Wind Innovation Hub with ORE Catapult. Collaboration on advanced materials and composites.
• CSA CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompound Semiconductor Applications Catapult developed NASPIC semiconductor packaging centre with NMIS.
• KigtekmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProcess control system experts collaborating on whisky cask filling digital solution and other digital manufacturing projects.
• DiageomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-leading drinks company partner in digital whisky cask filling project achieving 99% fill consistency.
• Niche Vehicle NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent network of niche vehicle manufacturers co-funding hydroforming technology development with PAB Coventry.
• ORE CatapultmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffshore Renewable Energy Catapult provided blade testing facilities for ACT Blade prototype validation.
• ReMake Value Retention CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner£10m collaboration led by NMIS with Universities of Strathclyde, Exeter and Sheffield for remanufacturing, repair, reuse and circular design.
• MerckmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPharmaceutical company partner in private 5G network trial at Digital Process Manufacturing Centre in Irvine.
• North Ayrshire CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partner in Ayrshire 5G Innovation Region programme funding private 5G manufacturing trials.
• Folk ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner in private 5G network trial simulating industrial conditions for manufacturing environments.
• BacardimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpirits company testing Boston Dynamics Spot robot dogs for ethanol leak detection in whisky warehouses at Dewar maturation facility.
• Scotch Whisky Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute supporting Bacardi robot dog trial for whisky warehouse innovation.
• University of StrathclydecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed £5m FENDER research programme for electromagnetic non-destructive evaluation. NMIS provides industry support and deployment expertise.
• TransvalormajorTechnology or IntegrationFirst Tier One Partner for FutureForge facility. Provides FORGE and DIGIMU simulation software for metal forming processes.
• Highlands and Islands EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner supporting NMIS operations and regional economic development.
• South of Scotland EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner supporting NMIS operations and southern Scotland economic development.
• Renfrewshire CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority developing AMIDS site where NMIS headquarters is located. Co-funding enabling infrastructure through Glasgow City Region City Deal.
• HLM ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead design team for NMIS flagship facility design with sustainability focus.
• Morrison ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner£42m construction contract for flagship NMIS facility, committed to BREEAM outstanding sustainability certification.
• InformajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership agreement delivering smart manufacturing capabilities to the sector through NMIS collaboration.
• Aerospace InstrumentationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Deep Tech Supercluster initiative supporting quantum, photonics, robotics, and advanced materials companies.

Scale indicators27 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC): Sister UK HVM Catapult centre based in Ansty Park, Coventry. Like NMIS it provides collaborative R&D, advanced manufacturing skills, and digital factory services to manufacturers across aerospace, automotive, and rail. Direct peer in the same Catapult network with the same funding/governance model.
• Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC): University of Sheffield's HVM Catapult centre in Sheffield. Collaborates with NMIS on ACT Blade and composites lightweighting. The closest analogue in scale, aerospace focus, and university-operated Catapult model.
• National Composites Centre (NCC): HVM Catapult composites centre co-leading Wind Innovation Hub with NMIS. Comparable operating model: open-access R&D for manufacturers, public funding, and industry membership fees.
• CSA Catapult: Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult co-developed NASPIC with NMIS. Sister Catapult with the same UK-backed open-access R&D model and government funding flow.
• Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult): HVM Catapult partner providing blade testing for ACT Blade and collaborating on offshore wind/skills. Shared Catapult governance and direct project collaboration with NMIS.
• The Welding Institute (TWI): UK-based R&D membership organisation for joining and materials integrity. NMIS Research Director Chris Dungey came from TWI. Closely comparable mission (industrial member-funded applied research, training, and standards work).

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's leading applied research network with 76 institutes covering advanced manufacturing, materials, and production technology. Same applied-research-for-industry model, much larger scale and longer history, also publicly co-funded.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish state-owned applied research organisation with deep manufacturing, materials, and digital industry programmes. Similar Nordic-comparable national-research mandate and public funding model.
• Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI): Taiwan's leading applied R&D organisation operating across advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and materials. Analogous publicly-funded mission but globally scaled and semiconductor-deep.

Emerging players

• Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS): UK digital twin and high-performance computing services company spun out of the University of Bristol. Comparable niche focus on simulation and digital engineering for manufacturers but much smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nmis_group
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmIuHlg1shWPBVSEJziNtkw
• Facebookfacebook.com/NMISGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationalmanufacturinginstitutescotland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Manufacturing Institute Scotland