New company formed to drive forward £400m Derby advanced tech park

A company has been formed to drive forward the development of a ground-breaking £400 million advanced technology park in Derby.

The company, known as INFINITY, aims to create highly specialised capability for the research, development and manufacture of essential parts at a 200-acre site at Infinity Park Derby.

According to INFINITY, the project will help create 17,500 jobs and support the creation of more than 4,000 new homes.

A joint venture agreement has now been signed by Infinity Technology Group Ltd, the University of Derby, Manufacturing Technology Centre and Loughborough University.

The agreement sees Professor Gary Jones, Gregg Smith, Professor Dan Parsons and Susan Ambler each appointed as directors of Infinity Technology Group Ltd, with trades as INFINITY.

Susan Ambler, who is chief financial and infrastructure officer at the University of Derby, said: “The University of Derby is delighted to be part of this exciting partnership, which will strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, enhance skills development, and support research and innovation in new and emerging technologies, essential to the advancement of the advanced manufacturing and clean energy sector.”

INFINITY says it will deliver the UK capability and capacity needed by strategic programmes to power, defend and mobilise the nation.

Its technologies will be of “international significance”, placing the UK at the forefront of advanced component manufacturing.

Situated within the East Midlands Investment Zone, planned infrastructure links will service development of a host of buildings onsite. All will be situated close to the existing Nuclear Skills Academy.

INFINITY claims it will support over 2,500 skilled jobs, more than 15,000 indirect jobs, and see over 1,500 trainees per year go through its ‘Infinity Skills Pillar’.

It is also strategically linked to wider development of more than 4,000 new homes, a new school and an improved A50 junction.

With the joint venture agreement signed, INFINITY now moves forward to raising investment required to fund a project estimated to ultimately cost around £400 million.

It has already announced its first major partner in the form of UK Fusion Energy.

The organisation, which is responsible for delivering the UK’s first prototype fusion power plant, has agreed a strategic partnership with INFINITY to develop manufacturing capabilities needed for the STEP Fusion programme.

STEP is being developed at West Burton, in Nottinghamshire, creating a direct link between the major energy project and plans for a 200-acre advanced manufacturing site at Infinity Park Derby.

INFINITY chief executive Prof Gary Jones said: “A key objective of INFINITY is to bring sovereign manufacturing of advanced components to the UK, and this agreement will help to achieve that.

“STEP Fusion is shaping the future of UK energy supply and is a fitting first partner for the transformational technology capability we are developing through INFINITY.”