Britishvolt has announced that it will set up its headquarters in the West Midlands, despite choosing Wales for its first Gigafactory.
The selection of a site at the Mira Technology Park Campus near Coventry in the West Midlands isn’t entirely surprising. Britishvolt has already signalled its intention to act as a supplier of battery packs for the car industry, and many of the UK’s car companies are situated in the area. It wants its headquarters to be near those car companies to ensure they can not only work with those firms, but also to leverage the talent pool that currently feeds into those companies.
The new 5,000 sqm facility is set to be fully operational by 2022, although it may not be the only office in the region for long. Developments are also being considered which could see Britishvolt expand the site, opening up the opportunity to bring highly-skilled and specialist jobs to the West Midlands.
Orral Nadjari, Britishvolt CEO, commented, “A new global headquarters in the West Midlands marks a crucial step for Britishvolt, especially coming so soon after last week’s announcement regarding the new 2030 deadline. The battery industry is constantly evolving and it’s important that we stay ahead to position the UK at the forefront of the global battery industry. With further development being planned it is in the right place to take advantage of world-class talent. We intend to produce world-class batteries, which are strategically important both for the future of the UK automotive industry and the future strength of the entire UK economy. We are hoping to start working closely with local government to help make our additional plans for future development a certainty.”
Isobel Sheldon, Britishvolt chief strategy officer, added, “World-leading talent in the right place is essential if Britishvolt is to stay ahead of the battery technology curve. We are working hard to ensure that we are perfectly placed to take advantage of the leading skills that we have in the UK.”