Lontra and Shield commit to major new UK manufacturing facility

27 March, 2018

The multi-million Pound project is expected to create 75 jobs in the local area by 2020, producing the engineering firm’s award-winning Blade compressor. The first part of the factory will open later this year, with a single flexible production line complementing the firm’s R&D Technology Centre in Napton. The Lontra and Shield workforce for the project is expected to double to 50 this year, with 25 new engineering and production line jobs.

The project is backed by Shield Group Engineering, one of the largest manufacturers in the UK with contracts to supply components to Caterpillar, Cummins, Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and JCB. £65 million will be invested by 2021, £15 million in development of this and £50 million in a further site, with funding currently being sought for the second phase of expansion.

Steve Lindsey, CEO and founder at Lontra said: “This is a vote of confidence in Britain’s ability to manufacture at volume and high specification at globally competitive prices. We’ve long led the world in innovative ideas, the spread of technology across prototyping and manufacturing means than Britain is perfectly placed to lead the fourth industrial revolution.”

The RT Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy commented: “Significant investments by companies, like Lontra, into the UK’s advanced manufacturing base demonstrate the confidence businesses have in this approach and reflects the huge opportunities that exist both in the Midlands and the UK.”

The RT Hon Jeremy Wright, MP for Kenilworth and Southam, and Attorney General, added: “The Midlands is a centre of manufacturing excellence for Britain. Through the efforts of entrepreneurs such as Steve, we can extend our global influence and boost exports.”

Simon Edmonds, manufacturing and materials director at Innovate UK, said: “This excellent news from Lontra is testament to the strengths of UK high value manufacturing, and in particular the West Midlands region.”