The project will start in January 2014 and will investigate engineering-driven sustainable supply networks in four industries of national importance - Aerospace, Automotive, Pharmaceutical and Food Processing. The unit of analysis will be specific product categories in both discrete (automotive and aerospace) and process (pharmaceuticals, food processing) industries located in the UK and India and reflects the Centre's unique expertise in supply chain analysis and configuration.

Qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be used to explore the optimal usage of key resources including energy, materials, water and other inputs, while minimising the generation of waste. Outputs are designed to support trade-off analysis between sustainability practices, whilst simultaneously meeting the cost, quality and responsiveness-related requirements.

The project, Engineering Driven Sustainable Supply Networks - A UK/India Collaborative Study, is in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Ropar and Indian Institute of Management Lucknow. Dr Devi Singh, Director of IIM Lucknow, visited the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) to announce the award which he said provides an opportunity to establish close research collaboration with Cambridge University. Professor Sir Mike Gregory, Director of the IfM, added that the award is another milestone in IfM's growing links with India.

The Cambridge research team includes: CIM Centre Head Dr Jag Srai, Project Co-ordinators Dr Mukesh Kumar and Dr Tomás Harrington, and IfM Director Professor Sir Mike Gregory. The grant also provides an international platform for further cooperation between the participating institutes and other research groups exploring industrial sustainability.