Inside the proving factory

Commercialising new technology is rarely straightforward. And finding an effective way to help fledgling engineering firms safely cross the so-called commercial “valley  of death” is a major obsession for industrial economies all over the world.

The UK is no exception. And while  initiatives such as the government’s catapult centres are helping, there are still major concerns over UK firms’ longer-term ability  to retain ownership of their technology and become a meaningful part of the supply chain.

It’s a problem that has been particularly acute in the UK’s automotive sector, where  a widely reported hollowing out of the supply chain has occurred over the past two decades and where a new initiative to help small firms scale up and industrialise innovative propulsion technologies is hoped to make a difference.

Launched last month by business secretary Vince Cable, The Proving Factory – which is jointly run by engineering consultancy Productiv and Tata Steel – has been set up to help small technology firms establish production processes and demonstrate to potential customers that not only do they have interesting technology, but they’ve also got what it takes to become part of the supply chain.