Work has started on the construction of a £10m facility that aims to give a multi-million-pound business greater reach in the specialist metals and 3D printing markets.
Representatives of Liberty Power Metals, Atomising Systems Ltd (ASL) and Stockton-based K-Home International joined Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen to celebrate the start of work at the Materials Processing Institute research and innovation campus in Middlesbrough.
An initial £10m is being invested to set up the Liberty Powder Metals business, including a state-of-the-art vacuum induction inert gas atomiser at its core.
The facility is designed to achieve the highest-quality stainless steel and superalloy powders, helping Liberty to enhance its status in a global market estimated to be worth £8bn a year.
Alongside the atomiser, there are plans to install a range of sieving, blending, packaging and analytical equipment.
Dr Simon Pike, general manager for Liberty Powder Metals, said: “We are grateful to our partners for the work they have done to reach this stage.
“Finance from Tees Valley Combined Authority has been critical in making the project a reality and I look forward to continuing all our partnerships to make Teesside a global-leading centre of expertise for powder metal production.”
The atomiser will allow Liberty to develop a new generation of powdered steels that can overcome the traditional barriers to 3D printing and enhance Liberty’s position for precision steel components in the aerospace, automotive, energy and specialist industrial equipment sectors.
Atomising Systems Ltd and Consarc Engineering have designed the equipment while K-Home International, a globally experienced engineering specialist which is based in Thornaby, is managing the installation at the Materials Processing Institute.
Being CPI campus will give Liberty Powder Metals access to both state-of-the-art research facilities and other expertise based there.
Mr Houchen said: “The start of construction of Liberty Powder Metals’ new Teesside facility is a significant milestone in a project that will put our region at the forefront of a revolutionary new industry.
“We invested £4.6m in this ground-breaking project because we could see just how important the high-grade metal powders Liberty will produce will be. By investing in new technologies, we’re staying ahead of the curve and creating the jobs for future industries.”
Chris McDonald, chief executive officer for the Materials Processing Institute, said: “We are glad to see construction now starting. Advanced materials development is a core area of research at the Institute and this investment by Liberty Powder Metals is an example of the benefits of partnerships and collaborations between industry and the Institute.”
