Abstract
The importance of materials R&D to a modern economy, which arises because of the global competition between manufacturers and the essential maturity of all manufacturing industries, is illustrated with direct examples from the semiconductor industry. One result of this R&D is that the consumption of materials per capita decreases as the wealth per capita increases. The development of the materials work at the UK National Physical Laboratory since its foundation is then briefly reviewed, together with its development to meet modern demands. The resulting sophistication in the R&D demanded is illustrated and the link to computer assisted modelling, together with the necessity for extreme precision of input data, is emphasised. The type of materials work most intimately connected with maintenance of standards and metrology is then demonstrated.