Midlands Engine Launches Investor Prospectus at Infrarail
The Midlands Engine will launch its Rail Investment Prospectus at Infrarail showcasing the region’s capacity, capability and opportunities in the rail sector. Investors from the UK and overseas will be able to find out more about investment opportunities by visiting the Midlands Engine stand at Infrarail, the major UK rail show held at London’s ExCel next month.
The event takes place 1 - 3 May with Midlands Engine exhibiting at stand H60. The Midlands Engine partners, including Nine Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) that cover the Midlands region, the Department for International Trade and Midlands Engine Investment Hub will showcase the opportunities UK rail presents over the coming years. The new Prospectus demonstrates that the Midlands is the perfect place to locate to for HS2 and the many other rail projects coming to the UK over the next 15 years.
The Midlands Engine Rail Prospectus, details the many strengths that the Midlands rail cluster provides. These include 6 rail rolling stock OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers); a supply chain of over 250 companies; five rail test centres; Universities investing in rail R&D – which includes the innovative UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) - and information on current and future rail business development opportunities.
The Midlands is a core part of the UK’s £7bn rail manufacturing industry that employs over 80,000 people across the country and helps drive the UK advanced manufacturing and engineering sector. Over 600,000 people in the Midlands work in manufacturing, delivering over 21% of the UK’s annual manufacturing output. Led by companies such as Bombardier, Siemens and Atkins, the region is home to the UK’s largest rail cluster and offers huge supply chain opportunities.
The region is at the heart of new UK rail projects including the £55bn HS2 rail network, mainline electrification, station redevelopments and extensions to light railway networks, along with the expansion of rail freight infrastructure. Overall the UK is investing in excess of £200bn in rail projects across the country in the coming years. This makes the UK an attractive place to locate for overseas companies active in rail, and the Midlands, given its location and strong rail cluster, is the ideal location in the UK to invest in.
Simon Hall, Deputy Director UK Regions - Midlands Engine, Department for International Trade, said:
“The UK has an innovative and thriving rail sector and is something of which we can be proud. The UK is making a sustained and considerable investment in mass transit systems over the next 25 years, making this a very appealing prospect for inward investors. As a location, the Midlands has a lot to recommend it, and I would encourage investors to visit our stand at Infrarail to find out more.
Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine, said:
“The Midlands Engine area plays a huge role in UK plc’s rail sector. We’re home to a young and well educated population and to many Original Equipment Manufacturers, universities, test and development centres and engineering colleges.
Rail is also vitally important to Midlands Engine and our ambitious transport programme Midlands Connect. The combined expertise of our Midlands transport technology sectors is of international significance and Midlands Engine provides a platform for organisations to work across sectors to develop new and improved world leading products and services”.
More information about Infrarail can be found at the website www.infrarail.com/2018/ including details on how to register to attend the show takes place every two years at ExCel in London and brings together thousands of rail delegates from across industry.
