Laser Additive Solutions: Accelerating Advanced Manufacturing

Laser Additive Solutions Ltd (LAS) is a specialist advanced manufacturing company based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Established in 2015, the business provides end-to-end manufacturing solutions using advanced laser technologies, including advanced laser welding, metal additive manufacturing and laser cladding. Having built a strong reputation as a trusted manufacturing service provider, LAS has been exploring opportunities to diversify and develop its own innovative product range, creating new growth opportunities beyond its traditional business-to-business services.

Project and Challenge Summary

LAS engaged with the South Yorkshire Innovation Programme (SYIP) after hearing about the opportunity through the University of Sheffield. The business was looking to diversify its business model by moving from solely providing manufacturing services to also developing and launching its own products.

The company had already developed an initial concept for a mountain bike pedal using its advanced metal additive manufacturing technology but faced a significant challenge in bringing the product to market. While LAS possessed the technical expertise to manufacture the product, it lacked specialist knowledge of the mountain bike market and the sports engineering expertise needed to refine the design for end users and commercial success.

Through SYIP, LAS collaborated with Nick Hamilton, Principal Research Fellow in Sheffield Hallam University’s Sports Engineering Research Group (SERG), gaining specialist insight into performance, design and user requirements within the mountain biking sector. The partnership enabled the company to combine its manufacturing expertise with specialist sports engineering knowledge, helping to optimise the pedal's design, performance and functionality.

The project focused on developing a highly innovative mountain bike pedal that utilises metal additive manufacturing to create lightweight, complex geometries and enhanced grip textures that would be difficult to achieve using traditional manufacturing methods. Together, they refined and tested the pedal design, developing a final prototype tailored specifically for the mountain bike market. 

Impacts and Outcomes

The project delivered significant benefits for LAS, supporting both product innovation and business growth.

Working with Sheffield Hallam University enabled the company to refine and validate its design through expert feedback and testing, resulting in a final prototype ready for commercial launch. The development process also helped LAS improve its internal product development capabilities, including reducing post-processing times and enhancing manufacturing efficiency.

Perhaps most significantly, the project has enabled LAS to diversify beyond its traditional business-to-business service model and enter entirely new markets. The company is now positioned as both a manufacturer and product developer, with ambitions to expand its product range in the future.

The collaboration also demonstrated the value of accessing specialist university expertise, giving LAS greater confidence in working with academic partners to tackle niche technical challenges. Since the project began, the business has doubled in size, creating new jobs in South Yorkshire and supporting regional economic growth.

On their experience of working with SYIP, Heather Brown, Project Director of Laser Additive Solutions said, ‘The South Yorkshire Innovation Programme gave us access to specialist expertise that we simply wouldn’t have had otherwise. Working with Sheffield Hallam University's sports engineering team helped us transform an initial concept into a product tailored for the mountain bike market. It’s a fantastic scheme for SMEs looking to innovate, diversify and bring new products to market, and we would absolutely recommend it to other businesses.’

To find out more about SYIP and how we could help your organisation innovate, please contact innovation@shu.ac.uk.

The South Yorkshire Innovation Programme is being delivered by Sheffield Hallam University in partnership with The University of Sheffield and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and is part-funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.