The Chamberlain News

Showcasing West Midlands’ booming automotive industry to the world

Six West Midlands Local Enterprise Partnerships will unite to sell the region’s automotive sector to potential investors worldwide next month.

The strength of the local motor industry will be on display at the National Exhibition Centre to more than 10,000 visitors, as global event Automechanika Birmingham takes place in the UK for the first time from June 7 to 9.

The event, staged regularly across the world, is currently being held in Dubai where a gold-plated customized Nissan R35 GT-R is the centre of attention.

Spearheaded by support programme Drive West Midlands, the LEPs will join forces with the aim of attracting more investment into the area’s automotive sector when Automechanika comes to Birmingham.

The regional delegation – comprising the Black Country, Coventry & Warwickshire, Greater Birmingham & Solihull, Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire – will highlight why the West Midlands is an ideal place for automotive firms to locate and expand.

Key issues including access to finance, the area’s talent pool and ease of doing business will be discussed with visitors to the region’s stand.

Automechanika Birmingham will bring together 550 domestic and international exhibitors, with over 60 seminars featuring key global representatives discussing future trends in the industry.

The event will showcase the latest automotive services and technological developments from the supply chains and aftermarkets and will feature an interactive showcase of latest technologies.

Over 30 countries will be represented by exhibitors across the three days.

The West Midlands has one of the strongest automotive industries in the world with the Drive West Midlands programme – launched in 2015 – working to exhibit the region’s automotive sector.

The initiative supports SMEs and local automotive companies, working together with partners such as Jaguar Land Rover to increase supply chain opportunities in the region.

The West Midlands’ delegation will highlight the £6 billion-pound growth opportunities available for the 1,100 automotive firms based locally.

David Shepherd, Senior Business Development Manager (Automotive) at Marketing Birmingham, which oversees the Drive West Midlands initiative, said:

The automotive sector in the UK is growing rapidly, creating an increasing number of opportunities across the West Midlands. Automechanika’s decision to host its first UK exhibition in Birmingham reflects the buoyancy of the industry here at present.

We will be highlighting to delegates that this region has the highest concentration of automotive companies in the UK – and one of the best supply chains in Europe – making it a desirable place to set up.

To register for the event and for more information, visit: .

For more information about the Drive West Midlands programme, visit: .