Auto suppliers to head low-carbon vanguard

THE award of £19m of government funding to spearhead important research and development into low carbon vehicle technology presents automotive manufacturers in the Midlands with a unique opportunity for growth.

Advantage West Midlands chief Mick Laverty said yesterday’s announcement of the Low Carbon Economic Area funding by Lord Mandelson signalled a new era for one of the region’s most important industries.

However, it was up to the manufacturers themselves to make the most of the situation and they had to embrace the new technology now if they were to steal a march on the competition.

Mr Laverty said: “This is great news and reflects the real strengths of the West and East Midlands regions in automotive manufacturing.

“Becoming a Low Carbon Economic Area will reinforce our growing reputation as globally competitive regions, which continue to develop cutting-edge green technologies and high technology industries upon which the future prosperity of all UK regions will depend.”

He said the funding would propel important R&D into low carbon technologies but this had to be followed up by industry.

“We need firms to come forward and embrace the opportunities this research offers.

“The industry is a new one and companies that get on board now and are prepared to be innovative are the ones that will reap the long term dividends,” he said.

Yesterday’s announcement follows AWM’s role in coordinating a successful bid to the new European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which will see a unique consortium of six European regions, including the West Midlands, five of Europe’s top universities and ten major companies deliver Europe’s trail-blazer on climate change – the €750million Knowledge and Innovation Community, known as ‘Climate KIC’.  

“That success is further testament to our growing reputation for promoting innovation and excellence in the emerging low-carbon and green technologies and helping the region to become a centre of excellence,” added Mr Laverty.

John O’Conner, Project Director of Low Carbon Technology at the Warwick Manufacturing Group – scene of yesterday’s announcement – said that the manufacturing industry would dictate the pace of change.

“We are working with the main manufacturers and they want to employ the new technologies because of the benefits it will bring to their businesses,” he said.

“This will obviously mean that their main suppliers will also have to adopt the new practices.

“We are trying to educate the suppliers that if they adapt their processes now then it will be in their best interests.”