HBJ Gateley Wareing wins Chinese auto work
Midlands-based corporate lawyers at HBJ Gateley Wareing will be advising China’s third-largest car-maker after the it opened a research and development facility in the region.
Changan Automobile announced in June that it would be creating up to 200 new jobs when it opened its UK Research and Development Centre in Nottingham.
And the corporate and real estate teams at HBJ – which includes a number of lawyers working out of Birmingham – won the contract to advise the company in the UK.
Leicester-based corporate partner Gareth John led the bid to win the contract with Changan.
He said: "We are delighted that Changan has chosen to bring its UK research and development facilities to Nottingham. This is a welcome shot in the arm for the local economy and will be bringing highly-skilled jobs to the city while underlining the importance of high-technology R&D investment in the region. We look forward to helping the company to launch its new facilities in the UK and to continue working with them to achieve their exciting growth plans in the coming years.
"The depth of our corporate expertise across the Midlands was an essential part of what we could offer this client and they have very much appreciated our ability to deliver locally."
The Changan centre is set to focus on powertrain and transmission technologies, as well as looking to develop electric and hybrid vehiles.
It is one of a number of centres opened around the world as the company looks to grow its international presence.
It has invested £30 million into the centre at Nottingham Science Park, where it has taken more than 2,000 sq ft of space.
The Birmingham corporate division of HBJ has been one of the most active at the firm.
Last month it advised 300-year-old family healthcare firm Salts Healthcare on the acquisition of an Oxfordshire-based company.
The deal helped Salts expand its dispensary network further around the country.
Just a few weeks before, the department completed the sale of Oldbury-based Mayfair Fire Protection, a firm which inspects and maintains fire-fighting equipment and provides safety training in the workplace.
The legal team which acted on the fire sale was led by Birmingham-based corporate partner Chris Reed and included solicitors Martin Jahreiss, Darren Ormsby and Alistair Brennan.
