News: Reaction to Rolls-Royce's Rotherham plans

Business and industry leaders from across the region have offered unanimous support, following the news that Rolls Royce are considering the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham as the location for two major new production facilities.

One factory, named the Advanced Blade Casting Facility, would make turbine blades used within jet engines, whilst the second "Project PoWer" factory would manufacture large components for power stations.

A third factory is also proposed, which could house one of Rolls-Royce's suppliers, and between them the two main projects are initially planned to employ approximately 350 people.

Master Cutler, Bill Spiers said: "Rolls Royce deciding to use the Advanced Manufacturing Park for two of their new factories would be very good news for the Sheffield Region. It would bring valuable investment in advanced manufacturing and technology and be a vote of confidence in the Region's future. It emphasises our reputation for quality and in addition would create long term employment for our skilled workers. We must do all we can to encourage success in this endeavour."

Denis MacShane, MP for Rotherham added: "The decision of Rolls Royce to come to Rotherham and invest in the Advanced Manufacturing Park facility is a payback for the investment in creating this unique facility over the last ten years. It opens a new chapter in South Yorkshire's history as one of the world's engineering centres and is good news for a new generation of workers.

"Rotherham schools and colleges must now ensure that our school-leavers have the qualifications and skills so that local people are hired at the new Rolls Royce plants."

The planned facilities have the potential to bring sizeable opportunities for existing regional companies that have the potential to supply these industries, and the news has been warmly greeted by local business organisations.

James Newman, Chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "The Sheffield City Region LEP is delighted with Rolls Royce's announcement that it will be making a further investment into the City Region, which further confirms the LEP's belief that the City Region is one of the UK 's leading centres for advanced manufacturing. This announcement, together with the recent statement by the Technology Strategy Board of its support for the AMRC, further supports one of the LEP 's key objectives of creating a National Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials based in the City Region."

Richard Wright, CEO of AMP-based Inertius and executive director of the Sheffield Chamber, added: "This is a tremendous fillip for manufacturing in our region, fully justifying the strategic investment in the Advanced Manufacturing Park and underpins how far this region has come in the last few years. The vast majority of the products manufactured in these factories will be exported; either directly or indirectly, and really aligns to our manufacturing strategy for the region. Everybody should welcome this announcement including the other companies who will form part of the supply chains into Rolls Royce."

Rolls-Royce expects to submit a planning application for their proposals to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council within the next few months, and if all goes to plan site preparation work could commence for the factories in late 2011 / early 2012.

Rolls-Royce website
AMP website


Images: Rolls-Roycek