Transport Technologies Sector

Significant Companies Programme

Introduction

Birmingham has a strong industrial and skilled workforce. Combined with the availability of large and high-quality industrial units and an established support base for companies in manufacuring and engineering industries, this means that manufacturers continue to invest and reinvest in Birmingham.

Locate in Birmingham, the city's investment agency, is committed to supporting traditional manufacturing firms. Manufacturers, alongside other sectors, benefit from regular contact with the agency through its Significant Companies Programme.

Senior business relationship manager for Locate in Birmingham, Phil Roocroft manages the city's Significant Companies Programme:

"This initiative provides an opportunity for major companies in Birmingham, such as LDV (profiled below) to develop a regular dialogue with the Council. We are looking to secure positive investment outcomes from such liaison and, in an informal and confidential two-way dialogue, to create understanding of issues affecting a company's successful operation in Birmingham."

Work in Practice: From Poland to Birmingham

Specialist light commercial vehicle manufacturer LDV is committed to manufacturing in Birmingham.

A new £90m investment package will allow LDV to complete the development of Gemini, a new range of light commercial vehicles, install a new manufacturing facility at its Washwood Heath site in Birmingham and launch the new range by the end of 2004.

In 2003 LDV transported £125m of Gemini tooling and intellectual property assets, which it had acquired from its joint venture with Daewoo, from Poland and Korea to LDV's Drews Lane factory in Birmingham. In a major operation, 6,250 tonnes of tooling and assets were moved across the world to the city using over 300 lorries over a six-week period.

LDV expects to grow its workforce to over 1,500 over the next five years as the Gemini vehicle takes off. In December the company secured £45m growth funding from an equity syndicate led by venture capital leader 3i, with European Acquisition Capital and Baring English Growth Fund, that will complete the total funding raised of £90m.

"We have invested over £100m in plant, machinery, and manufacturing processes over the past ten years, including  a £30m state-of-the-art paint plant, " says LDV Chief executive Allan Amey (pictured). "We plan to invest a further £90m over the next two years as we bring our new range of light commercial vehicles to market.

"We have a highly skilled, loyal and flexible workforce at LDV and we are now actively recruiting for new positions associated with our new model programme. By the end of this year we will have increased the size of our workforce from 1,000 to 1.200 as we move into the next phase of our long-term growth strategy. This is a real commitment to develop and grow our business in Birmingham and the West Midlands."

Phil Roocroft at Locate in Birmingham, who works closely with major companies in the city including LDV, says: "The strength of the company is its committed management and skilled local workforce. Locate in Birmingham will continue to work closely with LDV to ensure that new investment is secured. The company certainly is a success for Birmingham and an excellent example of continued investment in high-quality manufacturing in the UK."

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