More work could be heading to Muller Holdings’ manufacturing facility in Wednesbury, and Kimber Drop Forging in Cradley Heath, as spending on vehicle electrification is predicted to hit £300bn.

Muller is one of eight Midlands manufacturers that, together with a specialist design agency, make up the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN). The group’s chairperson, Rowan Crozier, told Insider Media: “I can’t remember the last time all members of our group have been so excited about the potential opportunities presented by just one sector … spend on automotive electrification is going through the roof and legislation is driving it.”

Rowan is chief executive of Brandauer, one of MAN’s members, alongside Muller and KimberMills International, Alucast, Barkley Plastics, C-MAC SMT, Grove Design, Mec Com and PP Control & Automation. He explained how MAN helps boost work for all its members:

“We are already supplying a number of firms with electrical steel laminations. Then you also need forgings that could be the shaft and that’s where KimberMills International come in, whilst Alucast could develop the castings for the motor casing. Better still, we have Grove Design and its eight-strong team of designers who can overcome production issues and develop prototype parts quickly. It’s a single-source solution and one we believe could generate in excess of £15m of additional orders by the end of 2019.”

The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act was passed by parliament in July 2018, with the aim of improving air quality, cutting congestion, boosting road safety and creating jobs across the UK. Birmingham also hosted the world’s first Zero Emission Vehicle summit in September 2018, promoting the UK as a world leader for investment in and uptake of zero emission vehicles.

With each electric car containing between 70 and 150 electric motors, it’s a sector with many opportunities for parts manufacturers. MAN is currently contributing to ten projects related to electric motors and battery development, a figure it expects to at least double within a year, bringing more work to all its members, including their plants in Wednesbury and Cradley Heath.

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