Support for the UK automotive sector extends to the highest echelons of British political life, insisted the country’s business minister, as he helped launch The Proving Factory supply chain initiative [today] at Tata Steel’s Brinsworth plant near Rotherham in northern England.
Moving the UK towards a more manufacturing-led base is a critical part of the country’s attempt to rebalance the economy, maintained business secretary, Vince Cable, who cited the support of the British chancellor of the exchequer (finance minister)and prime minister in backing his supply initiatives.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Speaking at Tata Steel and consultants’, Productiv’s launch of the grant-funded Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain’s (AMSCI) initiative, The Proving Factory, Cable outlined the coalition government’s support for similar partnerships.
“This is only the first stage of the so-called supply chain initiative,” Cable told just-auto. “We have a series of bidding rounds – we have found these a good way to put money into the [sector].
“The whole point about this industrial strategy we are developing with the automotive industry, is to try to do things on a long [term] basis, not just piecemeal. This is not just a one off – there has to be continuing support from the government.”
Today’s launch brings together a consortium of companies, including among others, Torotrak and Flybrid, with supply chain and process input from Unipart and Schaeffler, while the UK department of business, innovation and skills is also believed to have contributed around GBP12m to the project that should see manufacturing start somewhere around late 2015.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThere will be two facilities in Rotherham and the West Midlands, aiming to secure orders from OEMs and take the project to Job 1 production, with component manufacture consolidated into what the operation says will be as few machines as possible.
Cable – from the Liberal Democrat wing of the UK coalition with the Conservatives – has taken a keen interest in the British supply chain since he assumed office and insisted his paymaster and chief were full-square behind his auto initiatives – backed up with hard cash to boot.
“Osborne [chancellor] and David Cameron [prime minister], have been on [auto] industrial visits,” Cable added. “It is a success story and [we] should be building on it.
“Unlike Europe, where the car industry is in trouble, the British car industry is expanding.”
One of the founding partners, Torotrak, will use The Proving Factory to apply its ‘V-Charge’ technology, which allows single or dual stage variable boost to address the increasing needs of downsized engines.
The Proving Factory should allow capacity of up to 20,000 units of manufacturing capacity per year, with subsequent higher volumes targeted at licensed manufacturing arrangements.
