The London Taxi Company has announced it will resume production of the iconic black cab in Coventry next week, almost a year after Manganese Bronze went into administration.
The London Taxi Company has been formed in the wake of the collapse of Manganese Bronze which used to make black cabs at the Holyhead Road factory in Coventry.
The new manufacturing enterprise was formed after Geely Automotive Holdings, a Chinese automotive manufacturer, which also owns Volvo, intervened in the administration processes for Manganese earlier this year. It bought the manufacturer for £11m.
Production of the London balck cab will resume in Coventry from September 10.
Much of the workforce at the London Taxi Compnay is to be formed by previous employees of Manganese Bronze who were made redundant when the company failed. The inauguration of the new line will be celebrated with a visit from Li Shufu, chairman of Geely and Business Secretary Vince Cable.
On the following day, the Business Secretary is due to hold a conference in the Midlands to review progress on the government’s industrial strategy which was launched in September last year.
Geely has firm plans to grow operations at the London Taxi Company. It aims to chase more export orders and to develop new models, including an electric hybrid car.
A prototype of the new hybrid taxi was on display at the low carbon vehicle exhibition, Cenex LCV2013, which took place at the Milbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire this week.
