AMS partners with UK Ministry of Defence for sustainable supply chain
Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. (AMS), located in Burscough, Lancashire, UK, has announced a collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA), under which it will research the technical feasibility of recovering critical materials from surplus defence assets. The partnership marks the first phase of a project aimed to empower the MOD with enhanced knowledge of, and control over, current and future material sourcing strategies.
Rob Higham, AMS Director & CEO, remarked, “AMS has tirelessly built momentum and expertise within the additive powder market, with a sharp focus on providing recycled feedstocks. This agreement represents the next phase in our mission to commercialise recycled materials within the Additive Manufacturing feedstock market. It stands as a crowning achievement in AMS’ history. Supporting the MOD in addressing critical mineral accessibility and capability is an honour and a testament to the efforts of the entire AMS team.”
DESA’s Submarine Recycling, Sustainability & Innovation Programme Manager, Thomas Powell, commented, “This innovative technical feasibility study – to be delivered by Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd – is another confident step forwards on MOD’s sustainability and circular economy journey. It is a delight to be able to partner with Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. and UK Strategic Command Defence Support to advance the MOD’s understanding as to whether redundant and surplus defence assets can be upcycled into new capabilities, thereby reducing costs, increasing resiliency, maximising operational availability and enabling MOD to capitalise on and exploit new and emerging technologies for maximum operational advantage.”
The first phase of this collaboration includes a thorough capability assessment for the MOD. This will involve trials of atomisation, assessments of Additive Manufacturing feasibility, and the exploration of future materials. AMS plans to demonstrate geometry using recycled feedstocks, in collaboration with a significant MOD supplier. This outcome will set the stage for the next phases, which will focus on material qualification and industrialisation.
The initiative as a whole aims to directly influence the supply of vital minerals, including titanium, to the UK market, a project which promotes a high-value circular economy approach to feedstock sourcing, hopefully placing the MOD at the heart of future supply dynamics. This partnership is the initial phase of a project aiming to equip the MOD with improved knowledge and control over present and potential material sourcing strategies whilst highlighted AMS’ dedication to sustainability.
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