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National Composites Centre hosts Sir Keir Starmer’s New Year Speech

04 January 2024

National Composites Centre is honoured to have hosted Sir Keir Starmer MP's New Year speech on Thursday 4 January 2024.

In his speech, Sir Keir spoke to the importance of being 'mission-driven'. The NCC's mission is to bring together the best people and the best technologies to address some of the world's most complex engineering challenges. This includes driving industrial decarbonisation and wider transformation across a diverse range of sectors (from aerospace to energy and space) through our strengths in composite technologies, digital engineering and sustainability leadership. 
 
Industrial transformation can deliver economic and social impact locally, nationally and internationally. However, we will only be able to reap the full benefits of this through strong partnerships and collaborative working. This includes between universities and research organisations, innovation-driven delivery organisations, business and industry. We were delighted to have had the opportunity to explore how to super-charge this collaborative effort with Sir Keir Starmer, alongside Katherine Bennett CBE (High Value Manufacturing Catapult) and Evelyn Welch (University of Bristol). Together, and through our wider partners, we believe the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, University of Bristol and National Composites Centre can accelerate the UK's path to transforming our industrial and energy landscape.

Keir Starmer, Leader of The Labour Party, said:

“The National Composites Centre is doing outstanding work to drive decarbonisation in a range of industries and sectors, from aerospace to automobiles. Their work, in close partnership with local universities and research organisations, is a badge of honour for the Bristol region.

“Meeting the technicians and senior staff who are at the forefront of this pioneering work, their sense of driving purpose was clear to see. That mission-driven attitude will be at the epicentre of an incoming Labour government, which will work hand in glove with business to generate growth in our economy.

"Delivering the highest sustained growth in the G7 is the central plank of my five missions, and it will only be done by developing the technology of the future, the kind that was on display here today.

“I look forward to meeting the NCC team again in future to see the latest developments in the engineering work of the future."

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