Wirral Council has launched a new campaign aimed at securing major, global investment into the borough from two growing sectors.
The campaign, “Wirral – Ready, Now”, is targeting key businesses within the supply chains of the automotive and offshore wind and renewable energy sectors.
The automotive industry in the UK is booming, and is the only European automotive market which is actually growing. 1.6 million Vehicles and 2.5 million engines will be built here by 2017, more than ever before. Given its position of being less than 3 hours away from 95% of all UK car production, Wirral is perfectly placed to take advantage of this growth and offer manufacturers unrivalled supply chain opportunities.
Similarly with Offshore Wind, Wirral has CORE status, meaning that it has been designated a ‘Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering’. This is one of only six such areas in England and the only one on the west coast, giving Wirral a unique competitive advantage in terms of markets on the west coast of England and Scotland.
Planned expansions in Wind Farms will deliver up to 1,000 additional turbines at the Rhiannon wind farm over the next four years. Global organisations such as Cammell Laird are already established within these markets and further work is being done to strengthen the supply chain offer through the development of modern industrial units in the proximity of Cammell Laird.
Cllr Phil Davies, Leader of Wirral Council , said: “This campaign will see Wirral at the forefront of investment decisions across the Globe within the automotive and renewable markets. We are working with intermediaries throughout the world, particularly within Germany and China, to make sure the people making investment decisions know exactly what our borough has to offer.
“Only last week, during an International Festival for Business engineering conference held in Wirral” , a director at General Motors told over 100 manufacturing companies just how keen they were to source more parts locally at the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall Plant.
“Our lifestyle, skills base, infrastructure and transport links – combined with the unparalleled financial incentives we can offer through the Enterprise Zone in Birkenhead, make a uniquely compelling case. For anyone in, or trying to get into the supply chain for automotive and renewable energy markets, Wirral is one of very few places in the UK which ticks every box.”
Wirral is now ensuring the borough enjoys a high profile presence at key events and conferences throughout the world in the two target industries, through working with intermediaries at agencies such as UKTI and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.