04 October 2011
£30m boost to Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus
The Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus in Cheshire stands
to benefit to the tune of £30m from new government funding aimed at
boosting the development of high-powered 'supercomputers'.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts was in
Daresbury, near Warrington, yesterday to brief campus tenants on
how they will benefit from their slice of the £145m national
scheme, announced in Manchester by Chancellor George Osborne this
week.
Mr Willetts said the money would be used to develop systems
which have applications in the industrial and manufacturing
sectors, for example for creating virtual models of cars or planes
before they go into production.
He called Daresbury, which is home to more than 100 companies,
'one of the world's leading centres of excellence' in the field,
adding: "This announcement is a great vote of confidence in this
area.
"This high-powered computing is needed for handling large
amounts of data, which have a host of business applications.
"At Daresbury I have been shown a complete 3D model of a Bentley
car, which can be used for everything from analysing the
performance of an engine to allowing a potential buyer to
experience a car fitted out to their own bespoke
specifications.
"The capacity to handle large amounts of data is as important as
motorways and rail."
He added: "It has the potential to significantly improve the
design and manufacturing process, encouraging innovation across a
whole range of sectors."
The investment is designed to support software development,
investment in computer power, faster networks and data storage and
skilled workers.
Mr Willetts said the government was also talking to private
investors, including IBM and Intel, to invest in the project, and
that he expected it to have a 'very positive impact' on employment
in the area.
The investment is expected to begin early next year.
Graham Evans, MP for Weaver Vale, said: "This is exactly the
type of investment that we want in the north west and it will
create wealth and high-value, highly-skilled jobs.
"The graduates of the future have good reason to stay in the
north west."