Materials Processing Institute awarded £1.86m to extend PRISM programme
Press Release issued 27/10/25
The Materials Processing Institute (MPI) has been awarded £1.86 million in funding from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to continue leading the PRISM programme – a flagship national initiative driving innovation, productivity, and decarbonisation across the UK’s steel and metals sector.
Since launching in March 2020, the £18 million PRISM programme of research and Innovation has enabled high-impact research and development focused on decarbonisation, digital technologies, and the circular economy. It has delivered investment in new research centres and equipment at MPI which are supporting the commercialisation of new technologies and supported projects that enhance industrial competitiveness and productivity.
The additional £1.86m funding will enable Teesside-based MPI to continue to lead a diverse portfolio of projects that deliver measurable carbon reductions, cost savings, and innovation-led growth. These include:
• Strengthening steelmaking capabilities through the further development of MPI’s seven-tonne Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), supporting the UK’s transition to low-carbon electric steelmaking
• Developing low-carbon cement formulations to replace Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS) with more sustainable alternatives
• Applying AI and machine learning to leverage over 80 years of industrial data, optimising processes across the metals sector
• Advancing critical materials recovery to help secure a sovereign UK supply of minerals vital to the green energy transition
MPI’s leadership of PRISM is already delivering significant innovation through projects such as:
• Hydrogen-based steel decarbonisation: Establishing a hydrogen demonstration facility to test clean energy applications across steel and allied industries
• Digital transformation: Deploying Industry 4.0 technologies at MPI’s Normanton Steel Plant – including digital twins, smart process controls, data analytics, and remote monitoring – to improve plant performance and efficiency
• Sustainable cement innovation: Using MPI’s advanced laboratories to explore the reuse of industrial by-products as alternatives to traditional clinker-based binders
• Powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing: Supporting the development of next-generation materials and circular economy solutions through cutting-edge powder metallurgy techniques
Chris Oswin, Chief Executive Officer at MPI, said: “This new round of funding enables the UK metals sector to continue delivering innovation to help shape its future. Investment in research, development and innovation means that we are uniquely positioned to lead on breakthrough technologies to improve materials, raise productivity, and develop new production routes, while supporting environmental sustainability and decarbonisation.”
ENDS
For more information or to discuss a potential project contact info@mpiuk.com
29 October 2025
