Engineering consultancy expands into new Midlands base

Global engineering consultancy Arup has recently opened its new Midlands base at Paradise Birmingham’s One Centenary Way.

The opening event welcomed clients and contacts to commemorate the occasion. With nearly 800 staff and offering over 90 specialist services UK-wide, this multi-million-pound investment establishes a national and international centre for Arup in the Midlands.

Over the past year, the local Arup team has worked on numerous projects locally and globally, focusing on sustainable buildings, infrastructure, public spaces, and communities.

The relocation to the city centre aims to attract local talent and support the growth of the West Midlands as an innovation and skills hub.

The new office location provides closer proximity to educational institutions, facilitating stronger links to education and creating more opportunities to attract, grow, and retain diverse industry talent locally.

Additionally, Arup’s public-facing activity hub on the ground floor, ‘The Gallery,’ will enable staff to collaborate with local partners and neighbours on community-based and charitable activities.

Speaking at the launch event, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Arup’s move back into the heart of Birmingham city centre is a tremendous endorsement of all that our region has to offer a global player of Arup’s stature. This kind of major investment is just the type we envisaged when we worked on the Enterprise Zone more than a decade ago – bringing to life our vision of a new city business district generating jobs for local people.

“I know that this announcement will help equip young people from a wide variety of backgrounds with the skills, apprenticeships and opportunities they need to succeed. I cannot wait to see lives changed for the better in the months and years ahead. My thanks to Arup for helping to make that possible.”

 Cem Budak, Arup Midlands Leader, said: “We are excited to officially open our new Midlands hub located in the heart of Birmingham, the UK’s second city. We are eager to build on six decades of expertise in Midlands and the opening of the new office will bring us closer to key decision-makers, clients and collaborators, helping to foster innovation and creativity across the region.

“We helped to shape and design the space at One Centenary Way, which is undoubtedly one the finest commercial locations in the city. It is a space that our people already love working in and which helps them to engage with our clients and communities while exporting Birmingham skills and expertise around the world.”