The automotive supply chain in the North East is to be guided on the game-changing range of grants now available for areas such as R&D, process improvement and CAM technologies.
The government funding is available from the Department for Business and Trade’s £4 billion DRIVE35 and £150 million CAM Pathfinder – delivered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Zenzic in partnership with Innovate UK.
The North East Automotive Alliance has already hosted one event for its members on 14 May in collaboration with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA), the APC and Zenzic, with others planned later in the year.
DRIVE35 is designed to accelerate the UK’s transition to electric vehicles and clean mobility, support investment in manufacturing and supply chains, strengthen global competitiveness of UK automotive and help secure high-value jobs and long-term growth.
The £150 million CAM Pathfinder is a UK Government programme focused on developing and commercialising connected and automated mobility (CAM) – in simple terms, self-driving and smart transport technologies.
The Supplier Readiness Transformation (SRT) scheme from the North East MSA is part of DRIVE35 but with a regional focus. It will help automotive suppliers adapt, grow and transition into the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.
Paul Butler, chief executive, NEAA, said: “We are very keen our members understand the real opportunity available to them via these grants. There is financial support for every step of the journey, from SME to large-scale capital transformation and we can offer experts who will guide members as to what is available to them.
“For the automotive supply chain, initiatives like DRIVE35, CAM Pathfinder and SRT are highly relevant as they support regional supply chain growth and overall competitiveness, enable businesses to access funding for process and product innovation and expansion, strengthen the UK’s position in EV manufacturing and create opportunities for skills development and long-term jobs.”
To learn more about the grants, please contact the NEAA team on enquiries@northeastautomotivealliance.com
