JULY/AUGUST 2020 ROUND-UP
Did you hear... The best soundbites from around the industry
“We want this structure to stand as a beautiful testament to the local culture,
our greener future, and the country’s world-class expertise in battery R&D.”
Orral Nadjari, CEO and founder of Britishvolt, comments as the UK’s first battery gigafactory
announces a collaboration with legendary design house, Pininfarina, during its constuction.
“If the US is serious about a trade deal with UK, they would remove
all punitive tariff action as a show of good will.”
Jude Brimble, GMB National Secretary, has called on the government to protect UK jobs
from US tariffs as fears grow for new tariffs will be slapped on a range of industries
Lotus announces
double investment
Legendary sportscar
manufacturer, Lotus
has announced a
dedicated and
specialist advanced
technology centre,
which will also
become home to a
new headquarters for
the company’s
engineering
consultancy (artist’s
impression below).
Located on the
University of Warwick’s
Wellesbourne Campus,
the new facility is
established in
partnership with WMG
at the University of
Warwick. The
substantial facility
consists of offices,
workshops and
laboratory space with
ample opportunity for
expansion.
Initially, 130
engineers will move in,
complementing the
500-strong team at the
home of Lotus Cars in
Hethel, Norfolk.
The company has
also announced that
its steel fabrication and
lightweight structures
businesses will be
brought together into
a new, 12,300m2
facility in Norwich,
which will create up
to 125 new jobs.
Pic of the month BAE Systems
BAE Systems is applying the latest in digital technologies at a new, first-of-its-kind Industry
4.0-ready factory at its site in Wharton, Lancashire. The factory, which is the result of a
multi-million pound investment and collaboration with more than 40 companies and
academic institutions, will focus on cutting-edge manufacturing techniques for the
company’s Tempest fighter jet programme. Intelligent machines and off-the-shelf robotic
technology originally used in the automotive industry have been modified to operate at
the precise tolerances required for military aircraft, which in some cases are less than a
third the width of a human hair. Meanwhile, BAE Systems Naval Ships has awarded a further
five contracts, worth over £100 million, to UK-based suppliers as part of its Type 26 frigate
project. More than £1 billion has been invested into the programme’s supply chain to date,
with over 4,000 jobs supported across the country.
Let manufacturers lead recovery, PM urged
A cross-party group of MPs
and business leaders has
written a letter calling on the
Prime Minister to back the
manufacturing sector to lead the
UK’s post-COVID recovery.
They want major contracts
to be awarded to British firms
to help stave off the threat of
widespread unemployment.
The letter’s 20 signatories
argue that Brexit will enable
Whitehall to target procurement
spending on UK-based firms.
Government currently awards
– either directly or indirectly –
almost a quarter of large public
contracts to non-UK suppliers.
Post-Brexit, business leaders
argue, ministers will have
much greater freedom to award
contracts to British firms, free
from EU red tape.
In March, Chancellor Rishi
Sunak announced plans to spend
some £600 billion on major
infrastructure projects over the
next five years.
The letter calls on the
government to direct the lion’s
share of this spending to British
manufacturers.
David Millar, MD of Heap
& Partners and a signatory
of the letter, said: “A major
contraction of British
manufacturing output is a
development the government
can ill-afford if it is to secure
the UK’s economic recovery.
“Manufacturing pays
more tax and provides
more high-skilled jobs than
virtually any other sector.
“I call on the
Prime Minister to set
manufacturers free to lead
Britain’s economic recovery.”
Lotus
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk 7
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