A global robotics company is set to move its UK headquarters to Sunderland as part of plans to create a new manufacturing plant in the North East.
Yaskawa – part of Japanese manufacturing giant Yaskawa Electric Corporation – is a leading tech supplier of drives, motion controls and robotics and it is keen to take advantage of opportunities in the electric and hybrid vehicles sector. The opportunities in EV tech will see the firm plant roots at Hillthorn Park, next to Nissan UK and the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), where it is opening a 35,000sqft facility.
The company is relocating its UK operation to Wearside in a move which is set to create new jobs, as well as safeguard existing roles. David Walsh, managing director at Yaskawa UK Ltd, said the company is moving here to be at the "heart of one of the UK’s largest manufacturing clusters".
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He said: “We continue to see positive growth and investment changes across our European organisation which includes the continued desire to invest in the growing opportunities for UK markets in the robotics, drives and motion control industries we work in. So, it really is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and our new location in the North East is a huge driver for major industrial investment and opportunities to help shape, create and contribute to innovative automation solutions for several industries such as automotive, food and beverage, logistics, packaging, manufacturing, wood and metal working, etc.
“As a business, being close to customers is extremely important to us and this move binds perfectly with that, putting us right at the heart of one of the UK’s largest manufacturing clusters and some of the biggest names in EV development and production. We also have plans to continue growing our headcount over the course of the next year and this will give us the space required to enable that, as well as ensuring we can continue to tap into the region’s rich talent pool of skilled workers.”
The company has its robotics and drives facility in County Durham, while its motion products are manufactured in Cumbernauld, Scotland. It said 80% of European robot demands are produced at its robot plant at Kočevje, Slovenia.
The £60m Hillthorn Park is being developed by Legal & General and, once complete, will deliver 620,000sq ft of prime industrial space in Washington, with 11 commercial buildings ranging in size from 21,550 – 124,250 sq ft. The site is supported by funding from central government, the North East LEP and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Mr Walsh added “Globally, we’re committed to becoming a more sustainable business and futureproofing our operations and the move to Hillthorn Park is a perfect example of that. As a newly built facility, it is far more environmentally friendly than our previous sites.It’s a real vote of confidence from our HQ for our business plans not only in the North East but the UK as a whole, and we can’t wait until next Spring when we can move in. It’s a really exciting time for the business.”
Yaskawa has been supported in its move to the city by the Business Investment Team at Sunderland City Council.
Coun Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are fortunate as a city to be home to a number of multi-national manufacturers, and we are delighted that Yaskawa will soon join the ever-growing list of businesses that can now call Sunderland home.Through the development of Hillthorn Park and IAMP, our goal was to attract more inward investment into the city and create more highly skilled jobs for residents and in Yaskawa we have a company helping us to achieve just that.
“For the best part of a century, the business has been at the cutting-edge when it comes to developing automation and robotic technology, so it is fantastic to see such exciting career opportunities being created for local people.”
Helen Golightly OBE, chief executive of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “Yaskawa’s decision to invest in Sunderland reinforces our region’s position as one of the most important advanced manufacturing hubs in the UK. The company’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Hillthorn Park will bring more jobs to our region and help attract future inward investment as more businesses look to benefit from our skilled workforce and world-class infrastructure.
“The £2.5m investment from government’s Getting Building Fund, which is managed in the region by the North East LEP, has helped ensure this strategic Enterprise Zone site has the utility infrastructure to meet the needs of incoming businesses. As a result, one of the world’s leading global technology companies has chosen the North East as the base for its new UK headquarters, and the future growth of its business.”
