The National Composites Centre (NCC) has officially confirmed the location of the UK’s first open-access Carbon Fibre Development Facility, set to be established in Northwich, Cheshire West. Announced on 25th June 2025, the initiative aligns with the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, aiming to bolster national capabilities in carbon fibre innovation and production.

Backed by funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the facility will be hosted at the site of NCC’s technology partner, Cygnet Texkimp. It will feature two digitally enabled carbon fibre development lines, designed to accelerate R&D and scale-up of advanced material manufacturing in the UK.

Positioned at the intersection of the North West’s chemical and materials cluster and the West of England’s advanced engineering leadership, the centre is set to become a strategic innovation hub. Businesses engaging with the facility will gain access to world-class expertise in materials science, advanced manufacturing infrastructure, and collaborative opportunities across the national carbon fibre value chain.

This marks a critical investment in the UK’s ambition to lead globally in high-performance, sustainable carbon fibre manufacturing.

Next steps? 

Initial testing at the facility is scheduled to start in Autumn 2025, before it becomes fully operational in Spring 2026. NCC helps companies to capitalise on innovations to deliver more at every stage of their journey, across the entire product lifecycle from early concept to end-of-life. We invite industry, supply chain organisations, and RTOs interested in accessing the facility to get in touch to discuss how we can support you.