Over 500 automotive manufacturers are already based in England’s East Midlands, making the region’s automotive supply chain one of the strongest in Europe. The world’s leading car manufacturer, Toyota, produces almost 300,000 vehicles here annually, and the region is also home to smaller niche manufacturers such as Bowler Off Road, Noble, Triumph and Norton Motorcycles.
The region is also home to significant Motorsport activity and two F1 teams.
Automotive Industry
Major global names
Many of the world’s key automotive suppliers are based in England’s East Midlands, including Toyota Tsusho, Futaba, Trelleborg, ZF, Cosworth, Force India and Mercedes HPE. The region also has an extremely diverse base in manufacturing parts and supplies for motor vehicles, along with companies operating in niche parts of the industry. This includes businesses such as Mercedes Benz High Performance Engines, Metzeler, Triumph Motorcycles and Bowler Off-Road.
Niche companies
Many small and innovative businesses such as Axon Automotive, Flybrid Systems and Intelligent Energy are focused on opportunities within the low carbon and fuel cell market. Plus, the region is home to Cenex, responsible for managing the national Low Carbon Vehicle procurement programme.
Toyota
Supported by a fully integrated supply chain, Toyota produces almost 300,000 vehicles a year at its facility in Burnaston, Derbyshire. The plant produces the class-leading Avensis and Auris, successor to the Corolla, the biggest-selling car of all time.
Burnaston will also be Toyota’s European centre for its new petrol/electric hybrid Auris, making it the first UK factory to produce hybrid models. Key suppliers to Toyota are continually being attracted to the East Midlands, including Japanese company Futaba. Their 2005 investment into a new plant at Dove Valley Park, five miles from Toyota, was the largest first-time green-field manufacturing project into the UK in five years.
Toyota training academy
As an additional commitment to the region, Toyota has also established a new training academy here, in which they were supported by England’s East Midlands and other local public sector partners. The new academy will further develop the region’s manufacturing sector and skills base, focusing on all aspects of Toyota’s business – from pre-apprenticeships to foundation degrees in retail and manufacturing and production.
Toyota is partnered with local Castle College, who manage the centre and provide the majority of the training delivery and assessment to Toyota standards.
