Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS)

Sector and market opportunity

With the presence of internationally renowned names, experts and major research centres, AMIDS offers unrivalled connectivity and access to a highly skilled regional workforce. AMIDS sits on a 52-hectare site with the potential for up to 160,000m2 commercial floor space and significant and flexible development opportunities.

Location

AMIDS is in greater Glasgow, a city with:

• a population of 1.8 million
• a highly skilled workforce of 1.2 million in life sciences, engineering, manufacturing and creative industries
• internationally acclaimed universities and research institutes
• 6 universities and 6 further education colleges
• world class institutions and centres of excellence such as Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities’ Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) specialising in engineering, physics, pharmaceuticals, synthetic biology and business

Connectivity

AMIDS is next door to Glasgow International Airport with daily one-hour flights to London and connections to over 100 worldwide destinations.

A motorway links the site to Glasgow city centre (15 minutes) and Edinburgh (60 minutes). Freight haulage locations are nearby at Hillington.

The proposed Glasgow Airport Access Project will link Glasgow Airport to Glasgow Central Station.

Local talent and skills

Renfrewshire offers a broad range of properties, sites and developments for businesses and is home to Scotland’s largest business park, Hillington Park.

It is also a hub to more than 4,000 businesses, from high-growth start-ups to international names such as Boeing, British Airways Maintenance Group, Doosan Babcock, Pernod Ricard, Peak Scientific, Terumo Aortic, Rolls Royce and Hewlett Packard.

Research and expertise

AMIDS will be anchored by the £65 million, 11,000m2 National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS), developed by the University of Strathclyde.

It will also have the £56 million, 10,000m2 Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre UK (MMIC), developed by CPI.

Both buildings are scheduled to be operational in 2022. The AFRC Light Weight Manufacturing Centre (LWC) and Boeing Research Centre are already operational in the area.

Further details

In comparison to the use of traditional gas boilers over the next 40 years, it is forecast the AMIDS district heat network will generate a carbon reduction of:

• 9720 tonnes (90% reduction) for initial phases (NMIS and MMIC)
• 56,679 tonnes (92% reduction) up to phase 4 of development
• 90,926 tonnes (93% reduction) assuming full AMIDS masterplan development

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) highlights

Low carbon solutions are at the heart of Renfrewshire Council’s campus environment aspirations.

Net zero goals inform every level of the proposed development, through infrastructure, building design and transport routes to the site. Renfrewshire council has already committed to delivering a district heat network (DHN) at AMIDS.

Promoters and partnerships

Renfrewshire council is in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish government.

Local and national government support

Scottish government, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International (SDI) are closely tied as partners to the project. Support for companies at AMIDS could be available through the partners, depending on eligibility criteria.