We had a busy year in 2023. To recap, we have listed 23 things which have made 2023 our most memorable year yet!

We have 1 vision at MSIP – to be a global reference for collaboration across innovation, manufacturing and skills development, in sustainable innovation – and this has never changed. Last year marked so much progress in making our vision a reality…

We welcomed 2 new members to the MSIP team – John started in March as our in-house electrician, and Isabelle joined in September as our Parc Facilitator. We’ve also now welcomed Grant to the team, as our Innovation Manager, in early 2024 – bringing our team total headcount to 20.

We opened not one, not two, but 3 new buildings at the Innovation Parc last year – The Skills Academy, Innovation Labs and Innovation Hub.

The 4th cohort of our successful Accelerator Programme was delivered, bringing the number of companies who have successfully participated in the MSIP Accelerator Programme to 41.

Silva Spoons Café officially opened in November 2023, located in our fully accessible Innovation Hub. You can get a soup and a sandwich for £5, a tasty deal if you ask us!

We launched on TikTok, meaning we are now growing our audience and brand presence across 6 different social media channels. In 2023 we shared 254 socials posts, and continue to engage with our audience in the best way we can.

The MSIP Innovation Hub launched at the end of the year, offering 7 bookable spaces for our audience to use – the Spark Suite (comprised of three adjoining workshop spaces), the Spark Chamber, and three meeting rooms.

Our three high-quality meeting rooms include interactive screens and hybrid meeting technology. The Rowan Room is our smallest meeting room and can accommodate up to 8 people at a time, for £100 per day.

Our Innovation Hub Events Space is a versatile option to run various styles of events. So far, we have delivered 9 different events in the events space, each with their own style. We love thinking creatively of how we can adapt this space to suit the needs of the event host!

10(00+) young learners attended the second annual Regional STEM Expo, hosted in The Skills Academy in September.

We experienced 11 storms in the UK last year, which did impact MSIP.  The changing weather patterns demonstrate why it is more important than ever that we continue our mission to tackle climate change and make a positive impact on the environment.

The Birch Room in the Innovation Hub can accommodate up to 12 people at a time and offers great views of the Parc entrance, all for £120 per day.

We kick started the launch of the Innovation Hub in November with a busy events programme, hosting 13 events within the first month of opening, welcoming 410 visitors to the space.

Our Innovation Labs have become a popular option for early-stage businesses or those looking for additional space for short term projects. We now have 14 flexible labs, that can be booked on a month-to-month basis, which include access to a dedicated meeting room and Makerspace.  

We love welcoming new visitors to the Parc, particularly in our creatively designed Innovation Hub Co-Working Space. With 33 hot desks, CozeBooths and quiet pods, this space has been designed to enable collaboration as well as a good day of work! So far, we’ve welcomed 15 guests to this space. Will you be our next?

The Pine Room is our largest meeting room in the Innovation Hub and can accommodate up to 16 people at a time, for £175 per day. With floor to ceiling glass, this room is a vibrant and engaging space to hold your next meeting!

We have an exciting mix of tenants currently located at the Innovation Parc. By the end of 2023, we had 17 companies based at MSIP – 14 permanent tenants and 3 short-term users in the Innovation Labs.

The outdoor space at the Innovation Parc is a big priority for us, now that our physical spaces are open and welcoming guests. As we get into 2024, we’ll be looking at this more. To kick start that, we planted 18 different species of plants around the Parc in 2023, to encourage diversity and resilience for our outdoor space throughout all seasons.

The Innovation Hub is now in full swing, with visitors using our co-working space, meeting rooms, event space and café. We had 19 bookings in November alone, and that number is quickly increasing in 2024. You can book a room or desk or enquire about an event space using the dedicated buttons on the home page of our website – www.msipdundee.com.

We have many high-quality industrial units at the Innovation Parc. We used the biggest space we have – our Telkes and Foote Units, which are 20 thousand square metres combined – to host our second Demonstrator and Showcase event last year. It was a great way to show the space to potential tenants.

Our Innovation Campus is now open to the public. Did you know you can walk the perimeter of the campus area in around 21 minutes? That’s a nice lunchtime stroll white enjoying your soup and sandwich from Silva Spoons Café!

We have different spaces in the Innovation Hub that can be used to suit the different needs of our audience. One of our favourites is the auditorium staircase – with 22 stairs accompanied by 6 bleacher style stairs (with colourful cushions for comfort). You can usually find someone from Team MSIP hanging out in this part of the Hub.

It was a busy and productive 2023, all done under the watchful eye of our 23(plus 1) – ok yes, 24 hour – security! On your next visit say a quick hello to the amazing concierge team – Scott, Vince, Elliot, Derek, Steve and Rab!

What a busy year it was. We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings!

Making Scotland’s Future is a partnership designed to secure a strong, sustainable and successful future for Scotland’s manufacturing sector.

With one week to go until the Making Scotland’s Future Conference, we are reflecting on what this means to MSIP, and asking what does Making Scotland’s Future mean to you?

MSIP is a dynamic and creative home for innovators, manufacturers and skills leaders who are actively working towards reducing carbon emissions and fostering a cleaner, more sustainable future.

We understand the critical role we play in Making Scotland’s Future. That is why we are a sponsor of this years’ conference.

We are Making Scotland’s Future by enabling businesses working on new and emerging technology to thrive.

Okay, but how?

Our Innovation Labs offer short-term, flexible workshops that include a Makerspace, shared amenities and collaborative space. The idea of the Innovation Labs is to remove as many barriers for businesses to grow as possible. With nearly all of the Innovation Labs booked ahead of opening, we know there is a demand for this part of our offer.

We have also supported 31 companies through our successful MSIP Accelerator. In the past year, companies that have participated in this programme have secured £1.47m in innovation funding, £1.1m in equity investment and received product orders of over £2m. Those outputs, in part, reflect the impact of the MSIP Accelerator Programme.

We are Making Scotland’s Future by supporting Scottish manufacturing businesses to transition to net zero.

Okay, but how?

With available production units ranging from 80 sqms up to 10,000 sqms, we have enough space for businesses to grow and thrive. And that space is complimented with the supply of low carbon energy options, delivered from sustainable sources.

As well as being competitive with regards to cost and an attractive low carbon option, this also offers energy resilience at a time when future certainty is needed more than ever.

We are Making Scotland’s Future by meeting the skills needs of industry.

Okay, but how?

At MSIP we want to help industry continue to grow, thrive and lead with a competitive edge.

The Skills Academy, delivered in partnership with Dundee and Angus College and located at the Innovation Parc, is a national centre of excellence for skills development in renewable energy, sustainable mobility and decarbonisation.

As well as that direct skills and training provision, we can also enable a lower total cost of operation for businesses based at the Innovation Parc, by connecting them with free recruitment support.

We are Making Scotland’s Future by helping, supporting and guiding businesses.

Okay, but how?

Through our established network, we help businesses access funding and investment, to develop their products and technology further and quicker.

We have the tools to support businesses and help them get to the next level, including identifying investment, signposting research and development opportunities, and enabling collaboration.

We are Making Scotland’s Future by creating a place where collaboration can happen.

Okay, but how?

With active collaborative partnerships between universities, companies, investors and industry bodies, our Innovation Hub (scheduled to open in November) will be the place for innovators, manufacturers and academia to come together, to find new and exciting answers to today’s problems.

With hot desks, flexible meeting and events space, design labs, a digital suite, demonstration space and business support services, this will be the hub of all activity at the Innovation Parc.

Scotland has always been at the forefront of industrial evolution. This next chapter is a challenge. At MSIP, we are a core part of facing that challenge head on.

As Scotland’s Home for Innovation, we are Making Scotland’s Future.

Are you?

To join the discussion and attend the Making Scotland’s Future Conference, click here.

On the 26th and 27th of April 2023, I had the opportunity to complete my Sixth Form College’s mandatory work experience at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP), Dundee. Over the course of the two days I experienced a range of activities in the Innovation Parc.

First, I visited MVV Baldovie: an incinerator just outside MSIP which will supply the entirety of the Innovation Parc with heat, using waste heat from the burning of waste. This is a great way to reduce the waste heat coming out of the incinerator by using it for something useful, highlighting that the entire Innovation Parc is built around the concept of sustainability.

Next, I was taken on a tour of SolarisKit, one of the tenants, an innovative company who are developing a device that can harness solar energy to heat up water, without using electricity- reducing costs of using water whilst also lowering carbon emissions. I will admit I had almost no grasp on how these “solar collectors” actually worked, but I was blown away by the results: on a day when the Sun is shining, the solar collector can heat up water to 50 degrees Celsius. When I asked why SolarisKit located at MSIP, they talked about the collaborative environment of the Innovation Parc, and that different companies are encouraged to share ideas and work on projects together.

Finally, I had a tour around the entire site with Greig Coull, the CEO. After getting the tour I realised just how much MSIP pushes collaboration between companies, breeding more innovative ideas. We first visited the under-construction Innovation Hub. The Hub will contain many facilities to help new companies gain funding from investors. My favourite area of the Hub was the large showcase floor, where companies can show off their innovative products to try and secure funds from investors. The Innovation Hub is due for completion at the end of this Autumn, and I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of the finished building. We also visited the new Innovation Lab. The Innovation Lab is a sort of open plan lab split into lots of different segments for different companies wanting to develop new products. The open plan nature of the Labs work brilliantly to further drive collaboration in the Innovation Parc as companies can see all the different products being researched around them and work together to create new and exciting things.

Though my time at MSIP was brief, I experienced a wide range of activities that made me get a feel for working life. I think the words that came out of my mouth the most while here was “that’s amazing”- because it is. All of the aspects of the Innovation Parc I saw over the last two days were fascinating and I know many great things will come out of this place. MSIP is absolutely ideal for small companies with big ideas as the ethos of the Innovation Parc is centered around working together to achieve greater heights. I would like to thank everyone involved in making my time here as enjoyable as it was- I had an absolute blast! If actual working life is as fun as it is here, maybe it won’t be too bad!

Hello! My name is Amy and I joined the team at MSIP as the marketing intern back in June, having just finished my fourth year at Abertay University studying Business Management. This post will be a summary of my time at MSIP so far, and some of my highlights!

But before that, here is a little bit about me: I’m 22 years old, originally from Kelso (Scottish Borders) but have lived in Dundee for the past 4 years while at university. You would think that I would be familiar with the East Coast slang by now but since working at the office, I’ve been guilty of regularly Googling Dundee slang after conversations – my most recent search was baffies (which are slippers if you’re like me and were unsure).

When I’m not at work I enjoy playing hockey, and currently play for one of the local clubs called Monarchs.

I was made aware of the internship by one of my university module leaders, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to gain some experience within an area of business I’ve never worked in before.

Now that I have been at MSIP for a few months I can safely say that it has been! I’ve had the chance to be part of the planning process for numerous events, my favourite so far being the first regional STEM Expo. We had approximately 440 pupils from 15 Dundee and Angus schools visit the new Skills Academy, to participate in a wide variety of interactive activities organised by the exhibitors, and after the end of the second day it was great to hear all the positive feedback from pupils, teachers and the exhibitors! I’m also really looking forward to helping organise the MSIP Showcase Event in March having heard how highly everyone speaks of the previous one, which was hosted last November.

In addition to events, I have been able to see the thought process behind marketing campaigns and social media posts, which is a lot more intense than people might think!

It’s also fair to say I’m now an expert in building/dismantling QUICKBLOCK, which we use for furniture and to build our stage for events.

Although I am primarily involved with marketing there have been numerous opportunities for me to grow and develop other skills, such as basic accountancy. I have been able to help process invoices and purchase orders coming into the business with the expert guidance from the finance department. I’m also currently participating in a Climate Solutions Course through work, and I’m looking to use this to be able to review current processes at the Parc and see where we can improve in terms of sustainability.

Overall, I have learned so much already having only worked at MSIP for a short period of time and been able to put knowledge from university into practise during work. I’m very grateful for everyone passing on their expertise and making me feel like part of the team from my first day!

On a daily basis we all hear news of forest fires, melting sea ice, droughts, flooding and other extreme events, with many of these being attributed to climate change. With the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest report, we can see further evidence of how human activities have warmed Earth’s atmosphere, land and oceans.

The report shows global temperatures rising more quickly than expected, due to the increasing levels of CO2 in the air and that these will continue to increase until at least 2050 under all of the scenarios studied. This is the first in a series of published reports which will inform and influence inter-governmental discussions at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference and the resulting actions agreed to mitigate further temperature increases.

With global temperatures rising more rapidly than previously thought and the potential longevity of changes in our oceans, ice sheets and atmosphere we now need to deliver urgent actions that address this. The need to reduce CO2, CH4 and other greenhouse gas emissions is not new, yet current government statements will not deliver the required reductions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. These statements need to be supplemented by progressively more challenging increases in the scale and ambition of emissions reductions beyond 2030.

Taking the diesel generator market as an example, the lack of grid infrastructure in remote locations and increasing industrialisation in developing countries are just two factors that are driving the growth of the diesel generator market globally. With every litre of diesel fuel generating 2.6kg of CO2, the decarbonisation of this sector alone has the potential to impact these emissions significantly and globally.

We know our Innovation Challenge is well timed and well directed. Aimed at decarbonising small-scale off-grid, mobile or temporary energy provision, successful projects have the potential to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to addressing the challenging climate change targets we all need to deliver.

We want to support a range of projects that deliver or demonstrate the viability of zero emission alternatives for small scale off-grid, mobile or temporary energy provision. These can include early stage opportunity or feasibility studies which will allow companies to develop a platform for future product and process development projects.

All information including Frequently Asked Questions, Application Form and Terms and Conditions can be found on our website with applications open until 11am on 20 August.

Sarah Petrie, Innovation Director, MSIP

Following several delays, the UK Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan was published on 14 July. It covers all forms of domestic transport including road, rail, shipping and aviation, and aims to align all travel and logistics with the UK 2050 net-zero target.

The plan features a number of headline-grabbing commitments including a ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol heavy goods vehicles and buses by 2040; the removal of all diesel-only trains by 2040; the launch of a “Jet Zero” consultation; and the aim to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector “as early as is feasible”. Transport Scotland’s Mission Zero strategy goes even further on some of the same modes of transport. Examples include the decarbonisation of rail, and the phasing out of diesel heavy good vehicles by 2035, and the phasing out of diesel buses by 2024, significantly ahead of the UK government targets.

This all sounds great, but some sectors have a much more challenging journey ahead and will require significantly greater innovation, investment, policy statements and associated regulatory changes. The exciting things is that these ambitious plans backed up by policies and investment could stimulate significant innovations in the near future.

Transport Scotland recently announced a fund of £50m for zero emission buses which is “designed in a way that maximises opportunities to attract sustainable financing and encourage innovative ways of doing so”. This recognises the need for additional innovation in both the financial and non-financial models and incentives which are required to deliver the stated net-zero ambitions of both UK and Scottish governments.

Different energy vectors can also play a role in supporting the transport sector to transition to net-zero. Scotland is particularly well placed to develop and deploy green hydrogen-based solutions. For heavy vehicles, biomethane could also perform a function in reducing emissions in the near-term whilst the introduction of green hydrogen builds. Each new energy vector will need significant investment in scale up, deployment, skills and innovation.

Unprecedented co-operation between the transport and energy networks will also be critical to the delivery of the most efficient and effective solutions. This is why we have launched our first ever MSIP Innovation Challenge . We are looking to support a range of projects that deliver or demonstrate the viability of zero emission alternatives for small scale off-grid, mobile or temporary energy provision. These can include early stage opportunity or feasibility studies which will allow companies to develop a platform for future product and process development projects.

All information including Frequently Asked Questions, Application Form and Terms and Conditions can be found on our website with applications open until 11am on 20 August.

Sarah Petrie, Innovation Director, MSIP

This week marks 26 weeks to COP26. That got us thinking…

We set our team a challenge to list 26 facts about MSIP, everything from the useful, interesting and wonderful.

  1. We are currently transforming what was a tyre factory into an Innovation Parc focused on sustainable mobility and decarbonisation.
  2. The Innovation Parc will comprise of two key parts – industrial space and an Innovation Campus.
  3. We have a team of 17 – a great bunch of people making our ambition a reality.
  4. Our Innovation Campus will have an Innovation Hub, Innovation Labs and the Fulhame Building offering light industrial units, as well as open, outdoor space for collaboration, relaxing and creating the ideas for the future.
  5. Our Skills Academy will launch later this year, bringing our first learners to MSIP. We can’t wait to welcome them!
  6. Our tenant companies are some of the most innovative companies out there  –  SolarisKit, MEP Technologies, Arcola and Swarco. You should check them out!
  7. MSIP will be home to LOCATE, a drivetrain testing facility to support the development of zero emission heavy and niche vehicle platforms.
  8. The entire space at MSIP covers 32 hectares – that’s the equivalent of 49 football pitches and adds up to around 11,088 steps when walked.
  9. Our largest building – Foote and Telkes – is 20,000 m2 (just less than four football pitches).
  10. MSIP is located in Dundee, Scotland’s sunniest City – a true fact backed up by scientific data that shows Dundee records more sunshine than anywhere else in Scotland…
  11. …and our Foote and Telkes Building has the capacity to have solar panels fitted across the roof, giving the potential to generate a lot of solar energy in Scotland’s sunniest City!
  12. We have two wind turbines at MSIP, owned and run by Ecotricity and they are each 85m high – that’s 4.5 V&A Dundee’s piled up on top of each other!
  13. These two wind turbines can each generate enough energy in a year to make 350 million cups of tea.
  14. The power generated from the two turbines means those located at MSIP can access off grid electricity, developed from a natural green source – the wind – which on the East Coast of Scotland is something we have plenty of!
  15. One side of MSIP is neighboured by the Dighty Burn, a stream that is 12 miles in length that flows through the north and east of Dundee.
  16. The other side of MSIP is neighboured by the Fithie Burn, a stream that flows 2 miles west southwest of Tealing in Angus, then east and southeast for 7 miles before joining the Dighty Water at Baldovie.
  17. Dundee has one of the highest concentrations of electric vehicles (EVs) and offers one of the most connected EV charging environments, across the whole of the UK.
  18. We have Electric Vehicle charge points already at MSIP that are free to use, with plans to install more as we welcome more companies and visitors.  
  19. MSIP is home to a variety of wildlife – this week alone we have spotted a family of deer, rabbits, pheasants and a Kestrel. However, studies have yet to reveal any variety of protected species, and/or bats.
  20. The RRS Discovery, located in Dundee and just a ten-minute drive from MSIP, undertook the world’s first climate change research, something that is still used as the benchmark for climate change scientists to this day…
  21. …and just next door to the RRS Discovery is the V&A Dundee Museum of Design, the first Victoria and Albert Museum in the world located outside of London.
  22. MSIP is built on the site of an old farm and orchard, and the remains of an icehouse still resides on the land at MSIP.
  23. The MSIP site had a bleaching works in the 19th/early 20th century, linked to the Dundee textile industry.
  24. MSIP is at the direct opposite point to Papatowai, Otago, New Zealand.
  25. If you Google MSIP, you get about 2,770,000 results.
  26. We have launched our plans to hold a large Demonstrator and Showcase Event on 11 and 12 November 2021 and would love for you to be a part of that. You can find more information out here.

Last year we made the decision to rename the buildings at the Innovation Parc. We’ve chosen to name them after people who made significant progress or discoveries in fields relating to sustainable mobility and decarbonisation.

McAdam Building

John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish civil engineer and road-builder who invented ‘macadamisation’, deemed to be the single greatest advance in road construction since the Roman Empire. Its development paved the way for much of the modern world as we know it today.

Johnston Building

George Johnston was a Scottish engineer who spent the early part of his career as a locomotive engineer before designing and constructing Scotland’s first automobile, the Mo-Car.

Ayrton Building

Hertha Ayrton was a pioneering English physicist, and suffragette. Her work and inventions contributed to major scientific advancements at the turn of the 20th century, specifically in the field of electricity.

Cavendish Building

Henry Cavendish was an English scientist, and an important experimental and theoretical chemist and physicist, known for discovering hydrogen, which he termed ‘inflammable air’.

Volta Building

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta was an Italian physicist, chemist, and pioneer of electricity and power who is credited as the inventor of the first electric battery. The volt, the standard unit of electric potential, was named in his honour.

Fulhame Building

Elizabeth Fulhame was a Scottish chemist who invented the concept of catalysis, the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst, a major step in the history of chemistry.

Foote Building

Eunice Newton Foote was an American scientist, inventor and woman’s rights campaigner. She is known for being the first scientist to make the connection between the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and climate change in 1856. She discovered the warming properties of carbon dioxide and the greenhouse effect and went on to theorise that changing the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would change its temperature.

Telkes Building

Maria Telkes was a Hungarian biophysicist, scientist and inventor who worked on solar energy technologies, best known for her invention of the solar distiller and the first solar-powered heating system designed for residences. She is considered one of the founders of solar thermal storage systems, earning her the nickname “the Sun Queen”.

Bolton Building

Ogden Bolton Jr. was an American inventor known for being granted the first patent for a battery powered bicycle, making him an early pioneer for the e-bikes we have today.

Parker Building

Thomas Parker was an English electrical engineer and inventor who is known for creating one of the first practical electrical cars in around 1884. He patented improvements in lead-acid batteries and dynamos and was a pioneer of manufacturing equipment that powered electric tramways and electric lighting.

de Rivaz Building

Francois Isaac de Rivaz was a Franco-Swiss inventor best known for inventing the hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine with electric ignition in 1807. A year later, Isaac built an early automobile for his new engine to power “the world’s first internal combustion powered automobile” – a hydrogen car.

McCall Building

Thomas McCall was a Scottish inventor who is best known for being the first man to achieve rear-wheel drive on a bicycle and also producing the first rod-driven two-wheeled, bicycle called the Treadle Bicycle in 1869.

Blyth Building

James Blyth was a Scottish electrical engineer, who was a pioneer in the field of electricity generation through wind power. Built in 1887, his wind turbine was the world’s first- known structure by which electricity was generated from wind power. He patented his design and later developed an improved model.

You can view our full site map here.

Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc was formed to create a greener future, for people, place and planet.

In 2021, with the world still battling a global pandemic and planning for an economic recovery, progress is challenging. But it must not stop.

Our mission remains – build a dynamic and creative home for innovators, manufacturers and skills leaders to collaborate, and nurture growth and advances in sustainable mobility and decarbonisation.

As part of delivering our mission and preparing for our participation in COP26, we are currently building our net zero plan. We want to share with our audience how we intend to respond to climate change in clear, tangible ways. In doing so, we look to our partners, stakeholders, customers and community to learn from. Best practice is what it is all about!

Last week we were excited to find out more about our founding partner Michelin’s vision for a more sustainable future.

Despite the global health and economic crisis in 2020, Michelin’s determination to achieve sustainable growth remains. It has stepped up its commitment and set a big challenge – for all of Michelin tyres to be made entirely from renewable, recycled, biosourced or otherwise sustainable materials, by 2050.

Its commitment is to deliver safer, smarter, more sustainable mobility, that fits with its values and corporate identity. And it has set a clear roadmap to deliver this commitment.

Michelin’s ambition is to ensure that while an integration of sustainable materials into tyres is key to a sustainable future for mobility, it will not be done in a way that is detrimental to the environment. Michelin is also working to ensure that these new technologies do not degrade, but instead actually improve the life cycle of its tyres.

Michelin has the ability to show real projects that can be deployed quickly and on a large scale, with clear short-term plans in place that will demonstrate results.

As well as its ambitious plans for sustainable tyre manufacture, Michelin is continually investing in new technologies that will shape the future of sustainable mobility and decarbonisation, and is working with industry to promote the recycling of end-of-life tyres.

Michelin’s extremely promising advances go far beyond tyres, bringing together a very diverse range of technologies and initiatives.

MSIP will continue to deliver its own mission for net zero with clarity and transparency that fits with our values and culture, drawing inspiration from our key partners.

Philippa is the Managing Director of CNC Robotics Ltd, a leading robotic integration company based in the Liverpool City Region. She started her career studying a Masters in Chemistry with a year in industry at the University of Sheffield and has worked in manufacturing ever since. Philippa is responsible for the strategic development of the business and its people. She is a member of the Institute of Directors and sits on several advisory boards, including MAKE UK Regional Advisory Board and the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Manufacturing Made Smarter Advisory Board. In 2019 Philippa featured in Insiders 42 under 42 NW list celebrating the strength of the region’s brightest business talent to form the next generation of successful business leaders and business owners. She is passionate about working closely with the broader manufacturing community to address critical challenges that will shape our future.
 
1. What got you interested in engineering?
 
Manufacturing covers a wide range of industries, and it’s difficult not to get excited about the opportunities that manufacturing and engineering presents. My career has spanned sectors, including some of the most interesting such as FMCG, food technology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and high tech industries and across a diverse range of roles. What got me interested in manufacturing and engineering is how diverse it is. No two days are the same, and likewise, for CNC Robotics, no two clients are the same. Not everyone gets excited about what you do for a living, but people genuinely want to listen when you support manufacturers to do what they do best but smarter.
 
2. What is the most interesting engineering project you have been involved in, and why was it interesting?
 
Working in manufacturing and engineering is incredibly exciting. It is fundamental to our economy, and digital technologies such as robotics and automation will play a key role in continuing to put UK manufacturing on the map driving growth and opportunities for all. Every project that I get involved in is interesting in its own right. I enjoy working strategically with the manufacturing community to help manufacturers understand the positive role robotics and automation play in building a more resilient and sustainable future, creating a blueprint for the future of UK manufacturing.
 
3. Why should more females take up a career in engineering?
 
The UK has the lowest number of female engineers in Europe; this is pretty shocking and not something we should be proud of; however, as a woman working in manufacturing and engineering, I could not think of a better sector to work in. Working in manufacturing and engineering is a great place to be, and it is essential that we showcase the fantastic opportunities available and nurture and grow future talent. Opportunities really are available to all, and you can be a force for change.
 
4. Why do you think sustainable mobility is such an important field?
 
Sustainable mobility is not just about today. It’s about making the right decisions for tomorrow. Sustainable mobility is about just that. Ensuring that we reduce our environmental impact when moving both people and goods. As a mum of two, my kids regularly encourage me not to drive places and instead walk, cycle or catch the bus. Sustainable mobility is about them and ensuring that we continue to innovate to protect our planet. A key area of focus is sustainable raw materials. These will power sustainable mobility. I see first hand some of the changes afoot as we work closely with several leading companies working within the field.

 
5. Do you have any advice for any young female engineers?
 
As a woman working in robotics, sometimes you may be the only woman in the room whilst some may see this as a challenge, there are significant opportunities for growth and mindful progression. It’s an exciting time to work in robotics, with significant opportunities for growth. For those looking to get into the sector, it is important to surround yourself with individuals who empower you to grow and reach your potential.