McLaren Automotive has announced plans to open a new carbon-fibre chassis factory in Sheffield, a £50 million deal that will employ 200 new workers.
The luxury sports car producer has announced the development of the manufacturing facility next to the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in a deal to create 200 jobs and boost the British economy by £100 million.
Developed with the support of Sheffield City Council, McLaren’s new Composites Technology Centre will develop and build advanced carbon-fibre chassis for McLaren Auto’s supercars, with a focus on developing its Monocell and Monocage carbon-fibre monocoque designs, as well as the building the chassis. Full production will begin at the site by 2020.
The Sheffield plant will make chassis that are currently built by a supplier in Austria. McLaren Automotive is expanding its consumer supercars production in the UK, focusing on British manufacturing to build the cars.
Mike Flewett, CEO at McLaren Automotive, said: "We chose Sheffield because of the local expertise and experience of working with new materials and advanced composites, plus the development facilities offered by the University of Sheffield and its AMRC facility. With other high-tech organisations, such a Boeing, Airbus, GKN and Rolls Royce alongside us at the AMRC, we are in very good company.”
McLaren Automotive’s sister company runs the McLaren Formula 1 team, it is currently investing millions to pioneer carbon-fibre lightweighting and auto-industry polymer technologies, hoping to develop a British rival to Ferrari. Engineers at the Composites Technology Centre will develop the next generation of McLaren's supercar models, which include the MP4-12C and the P1, which costs more than £1 million.
At the launch event on February 9th, Sir Nigel Knowles, Chair of Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "This is a truly important day for McLaren, the University of Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region.
"McLaren has chosen to open a purpose-built production facility here in the UK. And it is no accident that they have chosen to do so next to the world-leading Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre of the University of Sheffield at the heart of our city region."
The Government hailed McLaren’s announcement of its move to the AMRC, in Catcliffe, between Sheffield and Rotherham, as a major draw of investment into its ‘Northern Powerhouse’.
Liam Fox, Trade Secretary, said: “McLaren is a prime example of the UK’s continued world-leading role in technology, design and innovation. Establishing its new Composites Technology Centre in Sheffield shows McLaren’s confidence in the UK as a world-leader in research that will support local business and high-skilled jobs, while drawing international investment into the Northern Powerhouse.”
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McLaren 570s
McLaren 570s 2016 model, at Geneva Car Show
The supercar firm only started building its consumer models six years ago, at its site in Woking, Surrey. With global demand for luxury cars booming it is aiming to double its output to over 3,000 vehicles this year. 92 per cent of its cars are exported.