The entrance to the planned Photocentric facility in Fengate.The entrance to the planned Photocentric facility in Fengate.
The entrance to the planned Photocentric facility in Fengate.

New images showcase scale of ambition of innovative Peterborough company

Exciting images have been released by a Peterborough company of planned R&D and manufacturing facilities representing a multi-million pound investment in the city.

3D printing specialists Photocentric, based in Oxney Road, is the power behind the new state-of-the-art developments across Peterborough.

More than 500 jobs are expected to be created once the pioneering hubs are completed at a total cost of about £18 million with much of the investment coming from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

The triple Queen’s Award winning company is looking to build a £1.8 million 3D printing Centre of Excellence in Titan Drive, in Fengate, which should be completed in November this year plus a research and development hub off Bishop’s Road which will be the second phase of Peterborough’s university.

Paul Holt, managing director, said: “Due to the rapid scaling of our business, it has become apparent that we needed to create a high-tech manufacturing facility that would become the world’s first centre to digitally mass manufacture parts.”

The 5,500sqm Centre of Excellence will feature 1,275sqm for three state-of-the-art print farms for industrial parts, dental aligners and ceramics plus 1,400sqm for 3D hardware production facility as well as a 25-desk sales and service office.

Mr Holt said: “No other facility like our Centre of Excellence exists in the world.

“Uniquely it will make the resins for printing, then make 3D printers, then make the 3D printed parts, recycling part of the plastic back in the process, all in one building in one line.

He said: “The university project is a year later and is a pure research facility but we aim to teach Peterborough University students as well.”

It will feature a top floor state-of-the-art 3,300sqm R&D facility focusing on 3D printing, battery hardware, software and materials.

The £16.47 million university R&D centre is a joint project with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

In addition, Photocentric has just acquired a 50,000sq ft building in Avondale, Arizona, America, to specialise in 3D and 2D printing.

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