Rolls-Royce is investing £300 million in its UK manufacturing and engineering facilities to expand production capacity and strengthen its industrial base for future civil aerospace and defence programmes. The investment covers facilities in Derby, Bristol, Glasgow, Rotherham, and Ansty, with projects focused on advanced manufacturing, engineering, aftermarket support, and defence propulsion.
The largest allocation is in Derby, where more than £140 million will be invested in new engineering and manufacturing services facilities. The site is the company’s UK hub for the design, engineering, programme management, and advanced manufacturing activities supporting its Trent large commercial aircraft engine programmes. The work is expected to be completed in 2028.
In Bristol, more than £90 million will fund a major facility upgrade programme supporting military power and propulsion activities. The investment will provide new collaborative workspaces and enhanced IT infrastructure while increasing Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul capability. The site employs more than 3,500 people and supports programmes including the Eurofighter Typhoon EJ200 and the next-generation Global Combat Air Programme.
The programme also includes £43 million at Inchinnan, Glasgow, where new machinery will enable the manufacture of additional engine components. In Rotherham, £19 million will be invested in the Advanced Blade Casting Facility, supported by a further £2 million from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. The combined investment is expected to double the facility’s advanced turbine-blade output by 2030.
The Rotherham facility manufactures and machines intermediate- and high-pressure turbine blades for engines including the Trent XWB-84 and Trent 1000 XE. It also carries out inspection of the components. The blades are produced using advanced casting processes designed for the severe thermal and mechanical conditions inside modern jet engines.
The manufacturing expansion also has relevance to Rolls-Royce’s wider advanced-materials and composite manufacturing activities. The company has previously established a UK centre for composite fan system technology development, alongside manufacturing facilities using advanced processes to improve aerospace component production.
At Ansty, Warwickshire, a further £5 million will fund machinery upgrades aimed at improving manufacturing capability and efficiency. Together, the investments are intended to increase production capacity while providing the infrastructure required for future aerospace programmes and sovereign defence applications.
Rolls-Royce said it has invested more than £3 billion in the UK since the beginning of its transformation programme in 2023. The company also spent more than £2.8 billion with UK-based suppliers in 2025, supporting a network of engineering partners, component manufacturers, and small and medium-sized enterprises involved in its aerospace and defence supply chain.
The new investment therefore combines engine manufacturing, precision component production, turbine-blade casting, MRO, and advanced engineering infrastructure across multiple UK sites. The expansion is intended to provide additional capacity for current programmes while preparing the manufacturing network for future civil aerospace and defence requirements.
Source: Rolls-Royce | News
