Assembly’s Committee for the Economy visits Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 07 October 2026

Reference: CfE 01/26

The Committee for the Economy held its meeting this week at the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) in Newtownabbey.

Committee Members accepted an invitation from Queen's University to meet at the centre the day after its official opening event, making it the first of the University’s three Belfast City Region Deal innovations centres to formally launch.  

The £98m investment includes funding from the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive through the Belfast Region City Deal, and from Queen's University, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Ulster University.

Described as the 'Factory of the Future', the 10,000m² centre has been designed to bring together manufacturing and technology businesses, researchers and innovators to develop new products, improve productivity and enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector.

Following the meeting, Members toured the facility as part of its two-day launch programme.

Economy Committee Chairperson Phillip Brett, MLA, said:
"The Committee was delighted to accept Queen's University Belfast's invitation to hold our meeting at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre and to see first-hand the opportunities this impressive facility will provide. As part of our scrutiny role, it is important that we understand how strategic investments such as AMIC support innovation, productivity and economic growth. Facilities like this have the potential to create high-quality employment opportunities, attract investment and help strengthen Northern Ireland's position as a leader in advanced manufacturing."

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Maureen Heaney, Communications Office, Northern Ireland Assembly. Email: maureen.heaney@niassembly.gov.uk or phone: 074 8349 0870.

Notes to editors