Will Searle, chairman of Axillium. Photo Credit: Axillium GKN Aerospace (Solihull, U.K.) announced in March that it is leading a new U.K. industry consortium called ASCEND (Aerospace and Automotive Supply Chain Enabled Development) to develop and accelerate composite manufacturing and processing of composites technologies for the next generation of energy-efficient aircraft and future mobility. The £39.6 million consortium is funded by a £20 million commitment from industry and a £19.6 million commitment from the UK Government via InnovateUK and the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). It will focus on greater adoption of composite technologies, the industrialization of new technologies through the acceleration of commercial aerospace production rates to meet future flexible high-volume requirements.