The London Taxi Co (LTC) has inaugurated its new £300m vehicle plant in Ansty, Coventry, becoming the UK’s first dedicated electric vehicle manufacturing facility in the process. Investment and expansion in the new site and the next-generation London taxi has helped create more than 1000 new jobs, including 200 engineers and 30 apprenticeships. When at full capacity, the plant will be able to build more than 20,000 vehicles per year. The taxi vehicle is using Volvo Car electric powertrain system technologies and components comprising a new EV lightweight platform.
For further information
www.london-taxis.co.uk

A planning application has been submitted for the development of a 21,527 sqft fabrication and prototyping facility at Innovation Birmingham Campus. Maker Wharf will benefit from a digital prototyping facility and equipment to promote the development of innovative commercial technical and creative products; with flexible office space and additional commercial digital fabrication and manufacturing space arranged over the remaining three floors. The four-storey building will be located adjacent to the campus’ flagship 42,149 sqftiCentrum building.
For further information
www.innovationbham.com

The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) is teaming up with the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) to deliver a one-day masterclass focusing on the supply chain and automation within the UK automotive sector. The event will be held on 6 April at Nissan Sport and Leisure in Sunderland. The Government’s recent Industrial Strategy green paper highlighted that the UK makes less use
of robotics and automation than most other countries in Western Europe. The event is free
to attend for MTA and NEAA members, and
£95 + VAT for non-members.
For further information www.mta.org.uk

600 UK has strengthened its market penetration in Scotland by appointing Tayside Machinery as its sales and service representative for the company’s portfolio of Colchester lathes, Harrison lathes and Pratt Burnerd chucking solutions. Effective immediately, the move follows on from Tayside Machinery’s success in selling and supporting 600 UK’s Clausing brand of turning machines since February 2016.
“Tayside have done very well with Clausing, which convinced us they were the right solution for our other machine tool brands,” explains Paul Rushworh, 600 UK’s sales director. “Scotland presents a significant market opportunity and we should be doing more business there. We are hopeful that the proactive approach of Tayside will help us achieve greater penetration across the subcontracting arena.”
Roy Taylor, managing director at Tayside Machinery, adds: “Despite the recent downturn in oil and gas, we’ve had reasonable success with Clausing, which indicates we can do the same for Colchester, Harrison and Pratt Burnerd. We offer focussed sales representation supported by over 30 years of trading. Today, we are the largest stockist of new and used machine tools in Scotland. Furthermore, we think the decline in oil and gas has bottomed-out, with some potential green shoots of recovery appearing in the opening months of 2017.”
For further information www.600.uk.com
www.taysidemachinery.co.uk

A global move towards low- or zero-emission bus and coaches has helped a Birmingham manufacturer add £3m to its turnover in 2016. Grayson Thermal Systems, which employs 270 people across four sites in the West Midlands and a US operation in Indiana, says that interest in the firm’s innovations has come from across the world, with customers secured in Europe, North America and, increasingly, the Middle East.
“The next 12 months look equally exciting and we are expecting to grow 15%, creating jobs across a range of engineering and manufacturing positions in the process,” says managing director Stuart Hateley. “There are a lot of opportunities opening up in the previously untapped markets of the Middle and Far East. If we can make inroads into these territories then 2017 will definitely be one to remember.”
For further information www.graysonts.com