The alliance positions Sheffield at the centre of global research and development with Walsin Lihwa, a $6 billion multinational corporation. Special Melted Products (SMP), acting as Walsin’s UK industrial hub, will play a central role in driving high-value innovation supported by a newly created virtual research centre that will undertake multi-million-pound collaborative research projects.
A trilateral framework for global innovation
Signed at the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Factory 2050, the agreement was formalised during a visit by a senior delegation led by Walsin Chairman Yu-Lon Chiao.
The landmark MOU was officially signed by: Professor Koen Lamberts (President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield), Andy Richardson (CEO of Special Melted Products), and Professor Mao-Hsiung Chiang (Dean of the College of Engineering at National Taiwan University).
The agreement formalises collaboration across three vital pillars:
- Joint research and innovation: Collaborative projects in advanced alloys, functional materials, precision and digital manufacturing, smart production systems, and low-carbon technologies
- Equipment and facility sharing: Reciprocal access to research infrastructure and advanced equipment across partner institutions
- Personnel exchange: Exchange programmes for researchers, engineers, and students to build capacity, transfer knowledge, and train the next generation of engineers and scientists.
Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “This landmark partnership with Walsin Lihwa Group is an exciting new chapter for the University of Sheffield. By combining our world-leading expertise in materials science and advanced manufacturing with Walsin’s industry leadership, we are driving cutting-edge innovation in high-performance alloys for the metals industry.
“This collaboration not only reinforces Sheffield’s position at the global forefront of engineering, but demonstrates how strategic, academic-industry partnerships can accelerate research, nurture talent, and deliver tangible economic impact.
“We are pleased to be supporting Walsin’s growing footprint in South Yorkshire, which highlights the strength of our regional innovation ecosystem.
“Working alongside global industrial leaders like this allows us to translate our world-class research into real-world applications while creating valuable opportunities for our city, our researchers and our students.”
Andy Richardson, Chief Executive Officer of Special Melted Products Ltd, said:"This collaboration between Special Melted Products, on behalf of the Walsin Lihwa group, the University of Sheffield and National Taiwan University represents a landmark partnership that brings together world-leading industrial capability with internationally recognised academic excellence.
"As the Group’s lead industrial partner in this programme, SMP is proud to be spearheading this initiative, creating a platform where industry and academia can work together to accelerate innovation in advanced materials and manufacturing technologies."
"As part of Project Vulcan, SMP is establishing a dedicated research and development facility in close proximity to the University of Sheffield, creating an innovation ecosystem that will enable researchers, engineers and industry experts from the UK and Taiwan to collaborate on the development of next-generation speciality metals, advanced manufacturing processes and future technologies.
Sheffield earned its global reputation through innovation in steelmaking and engineering. Through this collaboration, we have an exciting opportunity to build on that legacy, strengthening the city's position as a global centre of excellence for advanced materials and advanced manufacturing, creating highly skilled jobs, attracting international research and investment, and ensuring the technologies of tomorrow are developed and manufactured here in Sheffield."
The Virtual Walsin Centre for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
A centerpiece of the agreement is the establishment of the virtual Walsin Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, jointly hosted by the University of Sheffield and National Taiwan University. The centre will act as an international engine for collaborative research and innovation, cutting-edge joint experiments, and skills development. To support this global initiative regionally, SMP will establish a dedicated 25-person R&D centre in Sheffield, located close to the University of Sheffield campus. A key technical focus will be strengthening manufacturing capabilities in nickel-based superalloys, enabling SMP to deepen its role as a key supply chain partner for global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
The partnership at the University of Sheffield is led by Professor Ash Tiwari alongside academic leads Professor Martin Jackson and Professor Kathy Christofidou (Sheffield Royce Institute).
Professor Ash Tiwari, Deputy Vice President for Innovation at the University of Sheffield, said: "We are excited to launch this strategic collaboration with Walsin Lihwa Group and National Taiwan University, which has an ambitious commitment to set up a Walsin Centre for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing at the University of Sheffield."
"The partnership builds on our world-class research and innovation expertise, provided by the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Sheffield and our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), in advanced alloys, manufacturing technologies and energy-efficient production."
"This initiative will support economic growth and manufacturing scale-up in the region by working with Sheffield-based manufacturer, Special Melted Products (SMP) - a subsidiary of Walsin, in its ambitious innovation-led growth plan based on supplying world-class industrial products.”
