English OEM, Tiger Trailers, has used the opening day of the UK Commercial Vehicle Show to announce the construction of a new manufacturing facility in Birmingham.
According to the up-and-coming brand, which has manufactured some 2,500 trailers since being founded three years ago, the goal is to create the most advanced trailer and commercial vehicle body building operation in the UK.
The £22 million (€25.8 million) project will reportedly sit on a 20-acre plot of land – four times the size of Tiger’s current Winsford base – and see the creation of more than 270 new jobs, including up to 80 within the next 18 months.
The company will break ground on the new site in early 2018, with production to transfer into the new facility later in the year. By then, the site will offer multiple production lines and an improved logistical flow for moving materials into and around the factory, according to Tiger Trailers, plus a dedicated trailer showroom.
It will also house a fully-equipped training school to help develop the next generation of talent.
Joint Managing Directors, John and Steven Cartwright, said the investment would facilitate further expansion as the company grows, whilst continuing Tiger’s ethos of containing the entire manufacturing process under one roof.
“For Tiger to achieve what it has in such a short space of time is incredible and testament to every member of the team’s hard work and commitment,” commented John Cartwright.
‘The current factory, although one of the most modern in Europe, was adapted to suit our requirements. The ability to design and build a new factory from the ground up will be hugely advantageous for us, providing a platform for growth and the next phase of the Tiger Trailers story.”
Tiger currently employs a team of more than 200 staff and has the capacity to manufacture approximately 35 products per week in its existing factory, which sits on five acres of land.
With the completion of phase one of the new project, the company will grow its workforce to nearly 300 people – allowing production capacity to rise to approximately 65 units per week. It will also see the installation of the first moving production line for Tiger Trailers, bringing new efficiencies for the business.
Phase two will be “timed to meet business demand” and see the addition of more on-site manufacturing capacity, growing the workforce to a 500-strong team with a production capacity of around 120 trailers per week.
Steven Cartwright explained, “From a design perspective, the new factory will be as innovative and well-engineered as our trailers and bodies. We want to offer the best working environment and facilities for our growing team, plus provide a first-class experience for visiting customers. We’re going all out to make our new home a true flagship for UK manufacturing.”