The Sustainable Engineering Manufacturing Plastics Research Hub is a £13.6m investment by the EPSRC to engage academics from across the UK to reduce waste, support greener manufacturing practices, and advance the circular economy.
The Challenge
The manufacturing industry urgently needs to adopt circular economy principles. While packaging has received attention, the diverse and widespread use of plastic components in engineering applications presents unresolved sustainability challenges. engineering plastics are esssential to meeting performance, eocnomic, and low-carbon targets across sectors including:
Engineering plastics are essential to meeting performance, economic, and low-carbon targets across sectors including:
- Automotive
- Construction
- Electrical goods
However, they pose significant and conflicting challenges for us sustainably and circularity. Legislation is increasingly demanding:
- Product reuse
- Material recycling
- Minimum recycled content in new products
The Hub will address these demands through five targeted research challenges and three Scale-up & Integration themes.
Research
Promote a step change in composites manufacturing science and technologies
Technology
Create a pipeline of next generation technologies addressing future industrial needs and developing the national composite strategy
Training
Provide doctoral training for the next generation of composite manufacturing engineers
Partnerships
Build and grow the national and international composites communities
Hub News
Job Opportunities
We are recruiting two Research Fellows to join the EPSRC-funded Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP) Hub at the University of Warwick. For further details and to apply, please see the following…
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Growing Our Team: Welcome Shuning Shi
As part of our continued growth, we are pleased to welcome Shuning Shi to our team as Research Fellow at WMG, University of Warwick. Shuning joins us with experience in…
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Michael Shaver Gives Plenary Talk at BPF Members Day
Michael Shaver, Principal Investigator at the University of Manchester, gave the plenary talk at the BPF Members Day on 30th June 2026 in Nottingham. The event, which is exclusive to…
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EPSRC SEP Hub Exhibted at Interplas 2026
The EPSRC SEP Hub recently attended Interplas 2026, one of the UK’s leading plastics industry events. During the exhibition the team engaged with experts and explored the latest developments in…
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