An expanded automotive business zone in Whitley, near Coventry, is set to become home to nearly 3,000 highly-skilled engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs, following £35m in government investment, Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark has announced today.
The 24-hectare Whitley South Infrastructure Project is expected to open up new growth opportunities for local manufacturers and businesses in the supply chain, creating highly-skilled engineering jobs.
The site is being developed with support from Coventry and Warwickshire LEP (CWLEP), Warwick District Council and Coventry City Council, who have secured further local contributions of £10m to secure the project.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark commented: “Our world-class auto sector is leading the way and this new development will create thousands more skilled engineering jobs.
It shows how private and public sector can work together to make a difference to the economy. That’s why every member of my ministerial team has been appointed as a local growth champion, to work with local enterprise partnerships like CWLEP to support key opportunities and increase prosperity.”
The new funding is also expected to help improve local industrial transport links, connecting the site up with the A45, and constructing a new bridge to join the new development with an existing Jaguar Land Rover engineering centre.
To coincide with the announcement, CWLEP has also said that it will publish its refreshed Strategic Economic Plan today, which includes Unlocking our Growth Potential and Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering as its core priorities, as well as underlining the importance of funding the Whitley South Infrastructure Project.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Coventry-based advanced manufacturing company AMT Expert, Business Minister Margot James noted: “The resurgence of advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry in the West Midlands is a real success story.
“It’s vital we maintain this momentum and keep creating high-skilled engineering jobs and don’t let any opportunity slip through our fingers. Today’s £35m investment unlocks land that will help to cement the region as a leading destination for investment.”
Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), added: “This is very good news for Coventry and Warwickshire and allows us to further build on the success that has been achieved by our advanced manufacturing sector.
“This announcement is another major step in helping drive forward our economy and again will help stimulate development and growth in key areas.”
TMMX Awards 2016
To view those companies shortlisted for this year’s TMMX Awards, click here.
The awards programme will culminate at The Manufacturer MX Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on November, at The Vox in Birmingham, where the winners will be crowned and celebrated by their industry peers.
This is the biggest annual celebration in the industry’s calendar and this year places are limited to 850.
TM Live
TMMX Awards is part of TM Live, a series of events taking place from November 1-3, including the launch of The Manufacturer Top 100, The Manufacturer’s Annual Leaders Conference,and The Manufacturer Smart Factory Expo.
TMMX Awards 2016 are supported by headline sponsor NatWest, and co-sponsor Meggitt; category sponsors Autodesk; EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Through-life Engineering Services; Grant Thornton, ILX Skills, Industry Forum; Siemens, Warwick Manufacturing Group; University of Warwick, judging sponsor University of Birmingham, and partner Durham University Business School.
The awards are organised and run by the Hennik Group, publishers of The Manufacturer, in collaboration and with the support of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
