Manufacturing hub can revive West Midlands production, says chairman
Dec 4 2010 By Graeme Brown
The chairman of a £40 million manufacturing hub in the West Midlands believes the Government has given the region an opportunity to put itself at the centre of advanced production.
Against a backdrop of unprecedented spending cuts, the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), in Warwickshire, has been shielded because of its key position as a potential driver of wealth.
Former Land Rover managing director Terry Morgan, who has been named chairman of the centre, said the Government had indicated it would back manufacturing and technology, rather than continuing a fascination with professional services.
Mr Morgan laughed off reports the new centre would compete with the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), founded by former tutor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, but said both had an opportunity to help make the region a hub for manufacturing excellence.
He said: “I took two things from the comprehensive spending review. Everyone talks about the cuts but I am really pleased that the Government made decisions that it would continue to invest in infrastructure.
“It also created an emphasis on the importance of technology and if we are going to create an economy with growth potential we are going to need a larger reach than financial services.”
He added: “I want the Midlands to be a catalyst so if someone in Scotland has a problem they come to Ansty to see what can be done and develop solutions. That is what Sheffield has been able to do and it’s an opportunity for the Midlands.”
The MTC, based at Ansty Park, aims to be a world-class facility offering a collaboration between academia, research organisations and industry.
The centre was deemed oo key to plans for the region that it was one of six projects ring-fenced from Government-enforced cuts to the Advantage West Midlands budget.
Mr Morgan, who is also chairman of £15 billion initiative Crossrail – the biggest transport infrastructure scheme in the UK since the Channel Tunnel rail link – said the 1.5 million sq ft MTC was in demand from firms in the region.
He said: “Manufacturers for many years have talked about a lack of investment and links with unversities developing very good ideas.
“People often talk about other economies which are seen as doing this.
“There is going to be a very big facility but the big question is ‘are we going to be big and brave enough to make this a benchmark for advanced manufacturing and the linkage between the world of academia and manufacturing excellence.
“I would say the Government has given the West Midlands an opportunity and we need to make something of it.”
Airbus, AEC and Rolls-Royce and a list of more than 80 firms have expressed an interest in being involved with the centre, along with universities in Birmingham, Loughbrough, Nottingham.
Meanwhile, Midland car giant Jaguar Land Rover’s owner Tata Motors has signed up to spend £100 million on research at the International Digital Laboratory, which is part of WMG.
That move had led to the MTC being described as a “white elephant” but Mr Morgan said there had been a lot of demand for the centre, and the two centres are not in competition.
