Dr Clive Hickman, the leader of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), and Margot James, the executive chair at WMG, University of Warwick have made the West Midlands’ compelling case for a new battery technology Gigafactory which would support the heart of the UK’s auto industry.
The West Midlands is uniquely placed to host this vital manufacturing infrastructure, which will help ensure that the
Dr Clive Hickman, chief executive of the MTC, said: "A West Midlands Gigafactory would spark a resurgence of Britain’s proud automotive heritage, creating thousands of well-paid, high-skilled jobs to thousands of workers in the region, and provide a pipeline of demand and investment for local SMEs.
"Without this manufacturing infrastructure, the whole industry will be placed under threat - not just from devastating job losses at manufacturers, but from the wider impact of the collapse of businesses which are critical to the automotive supply chain."
He added: “Net zero can only be achieved by 2050 if the automotive industry is able successfully to shift away from internal combustion to electric vehicles.
"However, to execute this transition, and to protect the thousands of
"Failing to do this will put the whole sector at risk - and endanger the future of the
Margot James, executive chair, WMG, University of Warwick said: “For over a decade, WMG have been applying their battery expertise on a range of collaborative projects with the automotive industry.
"Together with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, we are playing an essential role in attracting and growing battery Gigafactories in the UK. We strongly support the need for a Gigafactory in the