£4bn investment in Somerset
As we reported yesterday, Tata have formally announced today they will set up a “gigafactory” in Somerset. The Indian company that owns Jaguar Landrover (JLR) will build an electric car battery factory.
As we reported yesterday, the factory will be sited at Gravity, the former Royal Ordnance site in Puriton near Bridgwater.
The investment of over £4 billion represents an historic moment for the UK’s electric vehicles industry. The new gigafactory will supply JLR’s future battery electric models including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, with the potential to also supply other car manufacturers. Production at the new gigafactory is due to start in 2026.
The new gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe. It will create up to 4,000 highly skilled jobs, as well as thousands of further jobs in the wider supply chain. It represents an enormous investment in the Somerset economy. It will also help the UK’s commitment to net zero.
Speaking about the investment Mr N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said:
“I am delighted to announce the Tata Group will be setting up one of Europe’s largest battery cell manufacturing facilities in the UK. Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to the country, helping to power the automotive sector’s transition to electric mobility, anchored by our own business, JLR.”
With this strategic investment, the Tata Group further strengthens its commitment to the UK, alongside our many companies operating here across technology, consumer, hospitality, steel, chemicals, and automotive.”
The investment has been welcomed across the political spectrum. However Somerset Council has remained silent on the subject.
Cllr Leigh Redman Leader of the Labour group on Somerset Council commented on hearing the announcement “Somerset Labour is over the moon following the announcement of the battery factory in the heart of our county, we fully support the proposed investment in Somerset and see it as a long term benefit for every corner of our community. This investment at Gravity will create a significant number of long term, high value well paid jobs for local people to access, at the same time helping continue the education opportunities that started with Hinkley Point C, giving local people of every age further opportunities”
Puriton. Not tan. TK
Where are the ‘10,000 finest workforce in the UK’ coming from (referred to by MP yesterday)?
The article omits to mention the £millions in government (Tax Payers) ‘sweeteners’ and incentives or that they will be relying on foreign government-owned electricity from new Hinkley C nuclear power station….
As usual it’s Corporate money-making off public money.
“If the ninetieth century was the age of the editorial chair, ours is the century of the psychiatrist’s couch”!
The erstwhile, Ian Liddell Grainger MP ‘pronounces’ Tata is the Indian owner of Jaguar Land Rover. The company has chosen the Gravity site for its new gigafactory. The MP revealed that Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak held secret talks in May with Natarajan Chandrasekaran of Tata.
An ‘extraordinaire’ accomplishment on the ‘face’ of it; the same Tata in the ‘renaissance’ of our ‘steel-industry?