UK-Saudi deal to make 'miracle material' at scale

Graphene has been described as the world's first two-dimensional material.

A deal has been struck for the world's first commercial production of carbon fibre enriched with graphene in a new project led by a UK company in Saudi Arabia.

Manchester firm Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM) has agreed to construct a factory in the Gulf state to manufacture the advanced "wonder" material for use in the kingdom's huge plans to build futurist eco-cities in the desert.

About £250m could be invested in building a research and innovation hub in Greater Manchester as part of the deal and more than 1,000 jobs could be created.

Dr Vivek Koncherry, GIM chief executive, said producing the material at scale had the potential "to change every aspect of our lives".

The factory will be built in Saudi Arabia with the backing of investors

Scientists describe graphene as a nanomaterial that is effectively two-dimensional, because the hexagonal lattice structure that makes it up is only one atom thick.

About 200 time stronger than steel, it has been praised for its "amazing properties" and excitement built over its future use when it was discovered by scientists at the University of Manchester in 2004.

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The deal between GIM and Saudi-based investors Organized Chaos to build the factory and see investment return to the UK was heralded by UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer on a trip to the Gulf State on Sunday.

Dr Vivek Koncherry said the advanced material would be produced at scale

The first machine constructing the material is already operational, with the factory expected to be up and running by the end of 2025, Dr Koncherry said.

He studied graphene as a student at the University of Manchester and was supported to set up his company by the university's Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre.

Dr Koncherry said the material could "change the world" by enabling new building techniques, lighter materials for aviation and space explorations.

"My idea is to rapidly develop products that can solve global problems like climate change, water shortage, plastic pollution, because the world is facing so many challenges, we can't wait anymore."

His company plans to build the first factory producing graphene enriched carbon fibre in the UK by 2026, he said.

Professor James Baker at the university's Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, said the deal was a "significant development".

He said the accelerated commercialisation of the material was evidence of a "tipping of new products and applications being developed for the market".