The UK Transforming the Foundation Industries Research and Innovation Hub (TransFIRe)

Transforming Foundation Industries Research and Innovation hub (TransFIRe) was developed in response to the UK Government Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund call to transform the Foundation Industries: Chemicals, Cement, Ceramics, Glass, Metals, and Paper. These industries produce 75% of all materials in the UK economy and are vital for the UK’s manufacturing and construction industries. Together, the Foundation Industries are worth £52 Bn to the UK economy and produce 28 Mt of materials per year, accounting for about 10% of the UK’s total CO2 emissions. TransFIRe is a consortium of 20 investigators from 12 institutions, more than 50 companies, and 14 NGO, and government organisations related to the sectors, with expertise across the FIs as well as material flows and energy mapping, life cycle sustainability, circular economy, industrial symbiosis, computer science, AI and digital manufacturing, management, social science, and technology transfer. This paper will introduce the Foundation Industries, present the three work streams through which transformative change will be enabled, and initial plans for including a diversity of stakeholders.