THE new Innovation Factory for Scotland’s construction industry will be officially launched next month.
The £3 million facility in Hamilton, which will be run by Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), will provide a platform for those involved in the sector to test and develop new products and solutions.
The factory will feature 30,000 sq. ft. of workshop space filled with production and prototyping equipment and technology. It will be open to construction firms of all sizes, who can go along and use the equipment to test things out, from early stage ideas through to full commercialisation.
The launch event, which takes place on Monday September 11, will include a series of speakers, interactive workshops and demonstrations. Keynote speakers include Andrew Wolstenholme OBE, CEO of Crossrail and co-chair UK Construction Leadership Council, and Tom Bloxham MBE, chairman and co-founder of Urban Splash.
Delegates can also attend a series of “hack workshops”, exploring a range of topics such as “What if construction adopted a more entrepreneurial mindset?” and “What if schools taught the skills your workforce needs?” Workshop leaders will include Jim Duffy MBE, co-founder of Entrepreneurial Spark and author of Create Special.
Stephen Good, chief executive of Construction Scotland Innovation Centre said, “The Innovation Factory is something that the team here at CSIC has been working towards since we launched in October 2014. It will provide a dynamic environment, away from the conventional building site, where the Scottish construction industry can innovate, take risks, explore and learn in a safe and supported environment.
“We have seen a steady increase in construction innovation over the past few years, and I hope that this new facility will inspire even more people within the industry to think outside the box. The calibre of speakers at our launch event is testament to the importance of the Innovation Factory in accelerating innovation within the industry.”
The launch event is free to attend. Anyone wishing to attend should register at www.cs-ic.org/events
