Textile businesses get £6m funding
mardi, 22 septembre 2009
Yorkshire's advanced textile manufacturers specialising in woven aircraft components and anti-counterfeiting for the fashion industry are to benefit from a £6 million investment programme.
The European Regional Development Fund and Yorkshire Forward have invested in a Textile Innovation Programme to help businesses and university researchers develop new high-value products.
A series of feasibility studies earlier in the year suggested delivering the programme through the Textile Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield.
Bill Macbeth, the centre's managing director, said: "The value of the technical textiles market, which covers a wide range of sectors including medical, engineering, construction, automotive and aerospace has grown to an estimated £30 billion.
"New technologies, coupled with increasing environmental concerns, are opening up major opportunities for companies that can create lighter, stronger components, and materials that can sense and adjust to their environment."
According to the programme's feasibility studies, woven carbon fibre components can be stronger than titanium and aluminium, creating vast potential opportunities for their use.
The new 787 jumbo jet, currently in development by Boeing, will use a significant proportion of advanced textiles in its construction.
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