News £2.7M MOVE BY SMTC STRENGTHENS MG’S LONGBRIDGE BASE 03.03.09 MG
Motor UK Limited and the SAIC Motor UK Technical Centre (SMTC UK) are
now sharing the Longbridge site as the engineering and R&D company
has completed a move from its Leamington offices into new premises, on
the site of the MG factory on Lowhill Lane. The move was an
obvious, sensible and inevitable rationalisation of SAIC group
companies within the UK, according to SMTC UK’s Director of Business
Development, Ian Horton, who said, “We are delighted to have moved to
Longbridge to be closer to the product and to the HQ functions of MG
UK. We were already working closely with MG and the new geographical
proximity of the companies can only be of benefit to the group and the
MG brand. We now have a Technical Centre platform from which to grow
the future of the Group’s engineering in the UK.” SMTC UK works
on a wide range of engineering and research and development projects
for the SAIC Motor group, including new models destined for the
Longbridge line. Much of the work is commercially confidential but one
of SMTC UK’s first projects for MG is likely to be a remodelling of the
existing TF, following the successful launch of the MGTF LE500 earlier
in 2008, into a limited edition derivative to mark MG’s 85th
anniversary in 2009.Over 250 people have made the 25 mile move
from Leamington to Longbridge following planning that had been progress
since last year. The move has benefited both MG UK and SMTC UK, with
over £1m spent on an IT upgrade for the whole Longbridge site and
larger technical centre offices and workshops for SMTC UK engineers. Leader
of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, said: “Today’s announcement is
encouraging news for the city, particularly in the current economic
climate, and I am delighted to see jobs being brought into Longbridge. “Over
the last three and half years Birmingham City Council and MG have
worked together diligently to build relationships and secure the
positive outcomes. We will continue to give our support to make
Longbridge once again become renowned as a by-word for excellence, and
a real centre of high-class manufacturing.”