Rolls-Royce has announced a £19.3 million investment in its highly specialised Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) in Rotherham, supported by a £2 million grant from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).
The combined £21.3 million investment will enhance the facility’s capability and productivity. ABCF manufactures some of the world’s most advanced turbine blades for Rolls-Royce jet engines powering long-haul aircraft. Additional specialist machinery funded through the programme will double output at the facility by 2030.
ABCF casts, machines and inspects intermediate and high-pressure turbine blades for the Trent XWB-84, which powers the Airbus A350-900, and the Trent 1000 TEN, which powers the Boeing 787. Each high-pressure turbine blade generates power comparable to that of a Formula 1 car, with between 60 and 90 blades in each engine providing the thrust required to propel some of the largest and most efficient aircraft.
Opened in 2015, the facility employs more than 300 people, largely from the local area. It forms part of Rolls-Royce’s world-class UK advanced manufacturing capability and is supported by a complex global supply chain. (£1.00 = US$1.34 at time of publication).
