Sunderland The UK s Automotive Hub
Sunderland is home to the UK s largest car plant of all time, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK), and an ever-expanding supply chain of component manufacturers. More than 42,000 people are employed in the automotive sector across Sunderland and the North East England region Located on the breathtaking coastline of the North Sea, along the banks of the River Wear, Sunderland has a clear vision of its future as a first-choice destination for automotive businesses. Investing in Sunderland is a low risk, high reward opportunity for any business; the city has a strong heritage of making things well, and a proven track record in attracting, supporting and nurturing successful enterprises from manufacturing to new technology, knowledge economy and R&D companies. Since the arrival of the Japanese car giant Nissan in 1984, Sunderland has continued to build upon its worldwide reputation as a centre for automotive manufacturing and is currently renowned as one of the fastest growing automotive cities in the UK. Automotive and advanced manufacturing plants here are among the most productive in the world, pointing to the role of process innovation in driving productivity gains. Efficient processes developed in Sunderland are being rolled-out to production facilities globally and are often identified as centres of excellence, trialling new systems and techniques. Sunderland, UK boasts a beautiful 13 kilometres long coastline 02
Sunderland has excellent access to the rest of the UK, minutes from principal north-south roads and rail, and less than 30 minutes by car from Newcastle International Airport offering direct flights to 85 worldwide destinations. The Port of Sunderland is ideally situated, with immediate access to open sea and three kilometres of river and dock berths. Owned by the City Council, the port continues to invest in its facilities and infrastructure, developing as an multimodal hub for sea, road and rail. The city is already home to over 87 global companies, employing almost 26,700 people. Sunderland has attracted 10,000 jobs and more than 1.1billion business investment in the past five years, more than any similar sized UK city. During these last 25 years, we have grown along with our strategic customers to a point where we now employ over one thousand, one hundred people in the North East of England, over nine hundred of which are based within our Sunderland operations. Yokinobu Kodama President of Vantec Corporation 03
Sunderland s automotive strength Sunderland s automotive sector is world-class, with a thriving top ranked global supply chain not only producing but researching and developing new products and technology in the city. While some suppliers are located adjacent to the Nissan plant, others are integrated onto the production line itself, interconnected by a Just-in-time system making full use of the excellent road networks and helping to maintain the plants high productivity reputation. The last five years have seen huge growth in the city s vehicle-making sector. Sunderland s automotive companies have created over 3,700 new jobs, 917 million of capital expenditure and built two million sq.ft. of new floorspace on 88 acres of land to support Nissan is doing great in Europe... and about to become the largest Asian brand in Europe. Part of this success is due to the fact that we were capable to develop in the UK an extremely competitive plant like Sunderland, with great people working in it. It allows us to grow our position in Europe. Carlos Ghosn Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Renault-Nissan Alliance In the last five years Sunderland s automotive companies have created over 3,700 new jobs, with 917million capital expenditure their UK operation and their increasingly thriving export trade. The consistent investment by automotive companies positions the city as a globally significant automotive hub for manufacturing and investment. Cluster excellence Sunderland is also the base of the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), the UK s largest automotive cluster. Launched in March 2015, the NEAA supports the sustainable economic growth and competitiveness of the North East automotive sector. The industry-led cluster has successfully created a number of thematic working groups where local automotive industrialists collaborate on issues that have an impact on their sector including business excellence (competitiveness), skills and innovation and technology. The alliance also provides member-tomember engagement, connects the supply chain to business opportunities, and enables members to work together to solve skills issues and share best practice. Nissan Sunderland is the UK s single most productive plant 04
Skills and training The city s thriving business sectors, college and university are set to grow further following Sunderland and South Tyneside s negotiation of a City Deal, which will bring world-class resources for advanced manufacturing with an International Advanced Manufacturing Park, (IAMP) and a new bridge across the River Wear linking business districts with the Port of Sunderland and city centre. The IAMP will help to create thousands of jobs and bring in an estimated 300million of private sector investment, building on the established success of Sunderland s car industry. And the education sector in Sunderland and South Tyneside is already gearing up to support it, with a skills partnership formed between the area s two colleges and the University of Sunderland, ensuring that more young engineers are supported into the world of work. Higher level skills are also a priority, and the university is working to develop leaders who can fill the middle management requirements of the growing number of businesses being attracted to the city. The city s highly skilled, willing and ambitious workforce is recognised as a further strength in the automotive sector. Gateshead and Sunderland colleges and the city s university work closely with automotive companies to develop tailormade training courses. Unipres UK Ltd has opened a training academy in 2017 to offer engineering apprentices valuable training in automotive components assembly at Washington, Sunderland something that is being supported by Sunderland College. Vantec and Hitachi Transport System have shown their commitment to the growth of the business within Sunderland and have invested almost 50 million into job security and job creation within the past five years. It shows the company s confidence in the North East, especially the Sunderland area, and provides stability and the ability to invest in future growth. Martin Kendall Vantec Europe Managing Director Gateshead College has developed the UK s first 10m Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation (SASMI) to train automotive apprentices at its Skills Academy for Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing and Logistics. The University of Sunderland is home to the Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP) and provides project consultancy, education, training and research. Companies in Sunderland often quote the culture of the local workforce as being highly flexible in responding to changing demands of the automotive sector, a main contributing factor in their success 05
Low Carbon Hub Sunderland and the North East of England became the UK s first Low Carbon Economic Area specialising in ultra-low carbon vehicles in 2009, and already has an international reputation in the field of Low Carbon Vehicle Development, with Nissan and other companies such as Hyperdrive Innovation, pioneering game changing technology in the use of low carbon and electric vehicles and energy storage. Nissan also started production of the LEAF in 2013, the world s first affordable mass produced zero emission car and lithium-ion batteries for electrical vehicles, the largest facility of its type in Europe (now owned by GSR Captial). automotive zone, providing access to the full range of low carbon fuelling technologies including electric vehicle charge points, induction charging and hydrogen refuelling stations. Hyperdrive Innovation have successfully incorporated new and used battery modules in their new intelligent battery systems for deployment to power electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as providing energy storage for off-grid and back-up utility supply. Sunderland Low Carbon Enterprise Zone, comprising 25.95 hectares across two sites, offers a number of benefits and incentives, and is a primary location for automotive, low carbon vehicles, advanced manufacturing and advanced engineering sectors. The region is now home to the UK s most comprehensive regional electric vehicle recharging network. Zero Carbon Futures has built a dedicated Future Technology Centre at the heart of Sunderland s 06
International Advance Manufacturing Park (IAMP) With 25hectates of the site benefiting from Enterprise Zone Status (100% Capital Allowances) from 2018, the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, a partnership between Sunderland and South Tyneside Councils, will be a world-class location from which automotive supply chain, international advanced manufacturing and R&D companies will thrive. The 100hectare business park located adjacent to the Nissan (NMUK) plant will be built over three phases with room for more than 260,000m² of industrial floor space. The site will also be situated close to major trunk roads including the A19 and is expected to create more than 5,200 jobs, and bring in more than 300million of private sector investment. Planning for the site is well advanced, and the UK Government has designated IAMP as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. As part of recent announcements in line with the Government s development of an Industrial Strategy, over 42million of funding was announced for IAMP s infrastructure of new roads, utilities and environmental management. The park will have the size and impact to boost the growth of the UK s high-tech automotive and advanced manufacturing industries, and help to position the UK as a global player in these fast growing sectors. Commitment to world-class space for advanced manufacturing companies at the IAMP is poised to take Sunderland s global reputation in the automotive sector to another level. The project will cost more than 91million in total, with support coming from Sunderland and South Tyneside Councils, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) and UK Government. 07
Sunderland Regeneration The City Council has created a joint venture company with private sector companies to transform major sites within the city. The new company, Siglion, is now working towards fulfilling its five priorities which are: to improve concentration of new economic activity in the city centre: create a city centre that supports higher value job creation: bring dormant areas back into use: offer a wider choice of housing to the market and to position Sunderland as a place to invest. Its focused work is delivering long-term regeneration, spearheading a step-change in the Sunderland economy. Investing in our city A programme of investment in infrastructure and technology means that Sunderland is now a wellestablished software and digital tech hub, recognised on a national and international stage. Underpinning this hard infrastructure is excellent connectivity. Recent investment in soft infrastructure such as wall-to-wall superfast broadband means it really is a city that is embracing technology in a big way. Almost 15 years ago the City Council made a major commitment to stimulating the growth of the software sector and Sunderland is now home two dedicated software hubs Evolve Business Centre, in Rainton Bridge, and Sunderland Software Centre, at the heart of the city between them home to a range of highly successful software, digital and tech companies many of which are collaborating on projects within the automotive and advanced manufacturing supply chain sector. The city s digital tech businesses grew by 101% between 2011 and 2015 - the second fastest rate of growth in the UK outside London - and supports over 5,700 jobs. Almost 1.3 billion is committed over the next four years to build new developments and infrastructure projects which will transform Sunderland and create a strong platform for long-term growth With a well-serviced municipally owned port, immediate access to the open sea and a highly skilled engineering workforce, Sunderland is ideally located for access by sea, road and rail; and is set to play a leading role in the UK s growing offshore and renewable sectors. Major infrastructure works at the port have paved the way for a new wave of projects to come into the city. Two cranes, one a heavy-lift crane, now have a presence at the port, and a significant increase in hardstanding means the port is more than capable of handling bulk cargo. Connectivity into and out of the port is the best it has been, with new direct rail links plugging it in to the national network. And just five minutes from open sea, access 24/7 and a flexible and accommodating team, Port of Sunderland has grown its reputation as a highly accessible, welcoming port. The New Wear Crossing will also connect it to the region s major trunk roads, the A19 and A1, meaning it will be easier than ever for cargo to move freely into and out of the city. 08
Support and assistance The strong support offered by Sunderland City Council has been an important aspect of the continuing success of companies located in the city. The City Council works in partnership with companies key decision makers, and offers an extensive strategic aftercare programme, fostering effective working relationships with local plant managers to help them operate efficiently. It also provides practical assistance in taking forward their growth plans. We re here to help to support your business: business development advice funding and guidance specialist land and property search service connections to industry networks and Government bodies Contact the Business Investment Team E info@makeitsunderland.com T +44(0)191 561 1194 W makeitsunderland.com 09
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FLIGHT TIMES London Heathrow - 1hr 10mins Amsterdam - 1hr 20mins Paris - 1hr 50mins Dublin - 1hr 5mins Aberdeen - 55mins Find out more about what Sunderland could offer your business. E info@makeitsunderland.com T +44(0)191 561 1194 W makeitsunderland.com @MAKEitSund oce19981