Sunderland: The UK home of the global automotive industry.
Home to Nissan – one of Europe’s most productive car plants – as well as a dynamic community of suppliers, Sunderland has been at the forefront of advanced automotive manufacturing for almost four decades and is leading the charge in the transition to electric vehicles.
Key to a successful transition will be the competitiveness of the sector. The Supplier Readiness Transformation Programme – a £50m initiative funded by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, and developed in partnership with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority – will play a critical role in helping the region’s automotive supply chain adapt and support the transition to electric vehicles, unlocking innovation and investment, increasing resilience and competitiveness and accelerating growth opportunities across the supply chain.
A multi-billion-pound investment programme is also set to drive forward skills and industrial innovation across the North East, helping to equip the region’s workforce with the skills the sector needs as it moves forward. Harnessing the potential of MADE NE – is industry-led, backed by Sunderland City Council, and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, and hosted by Nissan – together we can power the global transition to electrification and solidify the region’s status as a global investment destination.
Sunderland City Council is at the beating heart of all of this, acting as a strategic delivery partner for the automotive sector by working closely on an ongoing basis with businesses based in the city – as well as with partners regionally and nationally – alongside investors and automotive industry representatives to champion and grow the sector.
The council also continues to work closely with the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) in this pursuit, ensuring businesses in the city are connected to a wider ecosystem to support each other and drive competitiveness, productivity and innovation in the North East automotive sector, boosting its resilience.
Cllr Chris Eynon, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Sunderland is the beating heart of the UK’s automotive sector, so it is fitting that the NEAA Expo is hosted here, showcasing the strengths of the industry in the city, across the NE and the heights the UK automotive sector can reach on a world stage when we all work together.
“We are a city with huge ambition, and one that consistently delivers on this in partnership with colleagues across the region, with government, the private sector and key partners like the NEAA to ensure the region can remain at the industry’s leading-edge.
“Sunderland City Council continues to be a driving force behind this key sector. We have worked hand in glove with Nissan to build a thriving and resilient ecosystem to support its operations in Sunderland for many years, leading on developments like the International Advanced Manufacturing Park and Hilthorn Business Park and supporting with initiatives like MADE NE and the Supplier Readiness Transformation Programme. Our investment in infrastructure – providing fit for purpose spaces for business – is just one part of our commitment to creating the conditions required to support the sector’s needs.
“We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure Sunderland remains a highly attractive location for companies across the automotive sector – from start-ups to those considering relocation, growth or major global expansion, and solution providers, as the sector continues to adapt and transition – and the NEAA Expo is the perfect platform to deliver this message.”
