Warks jobs secure as UK stays ‘Heart Of Mini Production’

[dutchman]

The UK is to remain the home of the Mini after BMW confirmed it was preparing its British factories – including its one in Warwickshire – to produce a new generation of the cars.



The move will help safeguard more than 5,000 jobs and will support a “major swathe of British manufacturing”, according to the Business Secretary.

BMW is to invest £500m in new production facilities at the Mini assembly base in Oxford, the pressings plant in Swindon and its engine plant at Hams Hall in Coleshill.

The upgrades were proof the UK would “remain the heart of Mini production”, the car group’s chairman Norbert Reithofer said.

BMW’s new Mini coupe is to be launched later this year, followed by the Mini Roadster in 2012.

Both these and future models are to be produced in Oxford, where more than two million Minis have been built since 2001 – three-quarters of them for export.

Speaking on Sky News, the Business Secretary Vince Cable said the Mini was “one of the great British success stories” – and one that wasn’t lessened by the fact it was controlled by a German company.

“They operate in Britain and use British workers and British technology,” he said.

“The fact that the ultimate ownership does not reside with British companies is not relevant.”

The Prime Minister David Cameron said BMW’s announcement was a “tremendous vote of confidence” in the workforce and was helping to rebalance the UK economy.

He will today meet the board of directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) in Downing Street.

Yesterday Nissan said it was investing £192 million to build the next version of its Qashqai model in Britain, securing some 6,000 jobs.

The move will safeguard the jos of 660 workers at Hams Hall but the company says it’s unlikely the announcement will lead to the creation of any more.