Mirus Aircraft Seating has received grant approval to build the “largest commercially available” aircraft seating test facility in the UK.

The approval was  given by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership Growing Business Fund.

The brand-new 407m² facility, which will be an extension to Mirus’ current 2,500m² head office site in Norfolk, will feature the latest in aircraft testing technology and claims to have the largest capacity currently in the market. Construction of the new site will begin in September 2021, with the official opening scheduled for July 2022.

Mirus CEO, Ben McGuire, said: “The addition of our very own in-house testing facility is a momentous milestone for Mirus and a significant investment in the local economy. This will improve our capabilities right across the business, by reducing programme lead times, increasing our technical knowledge, and strengthening our overall competence.

“This will be the newest dynamic seat testing facility in the UK and will rival some of the very best facilities across Europe. It will give us the ability to develop new technologies at a much faster pace, allowing us to innovate and meet the specific needs of our discerning airline clients.”

The facility will feature a state-of-the-art, dynamic test sled, which is a bespoke device used for destructive or non-destructive crash test replication. Designed for high-impact testing of automotive, aerospace, motorsport and rail vehicles, the 30m-long device is the most technologically advanced available.

Representing an investment of over £4 million in the Norfolk economy, Mirus has also started a recruitment drive for numerous highly skilled jobs based at its Norfolk HQ.

Mirus currently works with Airbus, TUI Group, and Air Asia, with over 120,000 of its flagship Hawk seats ordered and flying on aircraft all over the world. The company is looking to expand its client base with the opening of the new facility.