WMG drives green growth with new £13m EPSRC research hub
Thursday 19 June 2025
WMG drives green growth with new £13m EPSRC research hub
From developing greener materials and processes to growing more sustainable supply chains, a new £13.6 million research hub, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will help researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick, tackle some of the UK’s biggest manufacturing challenges.
The new Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP) will be led by WMG’s Professor of Polymer Processes, Ton Peijs.
Researchers from WMG will work, over the next seven years, alongside the University of Manchester and UCL to improve the way durable plastics – commonly used in cars, buildings, and electronics – are created, reused, and recycled. Researchers aim to reduce waste, support greener manufacturing practices, and advance the circular economy, with support from over 60 industry partners, including JLR, Polestar, Siemens, BEKO, Bellway, and Biffa, to turn research into real-world solutions.
By focusing on practical needs, the Hub will help move the UK toward a circular economy—where products are reused instead of thrown away. The work will support businesses in cutting waste and reducing their environmental impact while staying competitive. It will also strengthen local supply chains and help shape future policies that promote innovation and sustainability in UK manufacturing.
Professor Ton Peijs, Project Lead, EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics, said: “We’re incredibly proud to lead this vital initiative. Until now, most sustainability efforts in plastics have focused on single-use items and packaging. Yet engineering plastics - essential to modern life - present equally complex sustainability challenges that have, until now, largely been overlooked.
“This Hub unites researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to fundamentally rethink how engineering plastic parts are designed, reused, repaired and recycled. We’re focused on real-world impact: using greener materials, smarter manufacturing and recycling systems, and more sustainable supply chains.
“This grant underscores the urgent need for innovation in this space, and we’re excited to drive meaningful, lasting change.”
The Hub is one of four, backed by a total of £44 million through the EPSRC the new Manufacturing Research Hubs for a Sustainable Future will bring together world-class researchers with over 180 industry and civic partners to drive practical, sustainable innovation across the UK.
Each hub will focus on a different critical area of manufacturing, from creating net-zero supply chains and resilient production systems to transforming waste and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, said: “These hubs will play a vital role in reshaping manufacturing to help the UK achieve green growth. By combining deep research expertise with real-world partnerships, they will develop the technologies, tools and systems we need for clean, competitive and resilient industries.”
Find out more about WMG’s plastics and composites research here: Centre for Polymers and Composites (CPC) | WMGLink opens in a new window