Metrology centre opens at Silverstone Park

Britain’s first dedicated sub-contract inspection metrology centre has been officially opened at Silverstone Park’s Innovation Centre by Daventry MP Chris Heaton-Harris who has called it a “global-leading” facility.

The 3000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility is a joint venture between Silverstone Park developer MEPC and Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence – the world leader in the science of metrology.

Silverstone Park Metrology Facility managed by Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence will provide the UK’s start-up businesses and SMEs operating in high-tech engineering with vital access to cutting-edge equipment, support, training, and networking opportunities.

The ability to verify and validate predefined standards for accuracy, reliability and precision is a real coup for SMEs and start-ups – often they are unable to achieve this due to financial restraints and restrictions.

The MEPC/Hexagon facility will change that for them by giving them the metrology training they need to perform their own inspection of components and prototypes.

MEPC’s Roz Bird, Commercial Director of Silverstone Park, commented: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the team at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence to launch this fantastic new facility, which will provide SMEs with unique access to a wealth of support and specialist expertise.  

“The launch of the metrology facility is a key element of our overall vision for Silverstone Park which is to create a global destination for engineering, innovation and business development.

“It is also a key facility for the Silverstone Technology Cluster which aims to support the exceptional engineering skills of the companies in the region and attract investment to enable companies to grow.”

John Drover, Sales Manager for Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, enthused: “We are absolutely thrilled to have launched this specialist facility within the iconic Silverstone Park and are hugely excited about the real, tangible difference this will make to not only SME and start-up businesses, but to industry as a whole. 

“Our team of engineers and application metrology specialists are able to deliver inspection, validation, and quality control of components through the use of Hexagon systems which are capable of measuring to the sub-micron level, enabling our customers to achieve high performance and accuracy each and every time.

“Through this new facility, we are opening up exclusive access to both the equipment and the support to enable tier two, three and four suppliers across the UK to achieve first-rate provable standards. By also offering dedicated training programmes, along with networking opportunities, this new facility will help to both facilitate growth and development across the SME sector and raise standards industry-wide.”

Following the unveiling Chris Heaton-Harris, MP for Daventry, said: “The facility is extraordinary and it is obviously not just a nation-leading but a global-leading facility in the heart of Silverstone which is a hub that is on fire for engineering and precision engineering. The future seems exceptionally bright and exceptionally global for the businesses around here.

“When you get businesses like this in the heart of a thriving engineering community you become the centre of the global chatter around it. If you are a start-up or someone investing you will want to be near it or part of it. For Silverstone – for this region – this is exceptionally good news.

“Some of the work we are seeing here being done by computer aided design (CAD), robots and lasers means the facility looks like an operating theatre! Metrology has obviously moved on massively and I think this facility takes metrology to a whole new level.”