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Firms promised millions from UK's new gigafactory

Agratas An artist's impression of the Somerset gigafactory factory building and cycle pathAgratas
The factory will create 4,000 jobs once it is up and running

Hundreds of businesses have been finding out how they can work on the UK's biggest electric car battery factory.

The plant is being built at Puriton near Bridgwater in Somerset by the owners of Jaguar Land Rover.

An open day has been for companies wanting to be part of the construction phase as well as the supply chain for the factory once it is operational.

Tata is investing £4bn in the brownfield site near the M5, which will be operated by Agratas - Tata Group's global battery business.

a man in a black and white stripey shirt sitting in the foyer of a conference centre
Jefferson Weber, Head of UK Construction, Agratas was one of the speakers at the open day event

Jefferson Weber, Head of UK Construction, Agratas, said the project will be worth "hundreds of millions" to the local economy.

"We have a mantra to go local first, so our priority is to use local businesses and local people as part of our development," he said.

"Events like this really provide a connection and ensure the local supply chain gets the opportunities that exist on our project.

"It's a really great way to connect and know who has the capability, the capacity, and is interested in participating on our journey," Mr Weber said.

Construction is expected to take two years and require 2,000 construction workers.

Agratas said battery production is set to begin there in 2026 with 4,000 jobs being created once it is operational.

A man in a grey jumper in a conference room
One of the attendees was Simon Jones from steel fabrication business, William Haley Engineering, in Burnham-on-Sea

Sir Robert McAlpine is the leader construction company building the first phase of the factory.

Graham Lill, Project Director, said: "This is a great project. I've done some great projects in my career but this is definitely number one - just the sheer scale of it."

Roger Smith, General Manager, Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce said he wants to see local businesses benefit.

"Whether it be from local cleaning companies who might be able to clean the offices to landscapers that are going to be required, we've seen so much information today that gives so many different sectors of our business community the opportunity to get involved," Mr Smith said.

Agratas aerial photo of a brownfield site of flat land with green vegetation around the perimeterAgratas
Preparation works have begun to clear and level the site ahead of construction

Geraldine Cross, Job Solutions Ltd, a recruitment company in Bridgwater hopes to supply staff to the construction phase.

"There's been a lot of gossip in town about what's happening so it's been quite good to get a clear and concise progress [update] on what's actually happening up the site," she said.

a woman in purple and blue in a conference room
Tanya Rowse from specialist agency ITS Construction in Highbridge, hopes to supply staff to work on the site

Joel Cramoysan, JEC Property Group in Bridgwater provides serviced housing for workers and hopes to supply the gigafactory's staff.

He said the town is experiencing a "huge, huge boom" with the regeneration of the town centre and Hinkley Point C nuclear power station being built 15 miles away. -

"All these big projects coming to town is great for the local area," Mr Cramoysan said.

the backs of heads of people listening to a man on a stage speaking
More than three hundred delegates came to listen to those behind the project, including the lead construction company Sir Robert McAlpine

The site was a Royal Ordnance Factory from World War Two until it was decommissioned in 2008.

The company said by the early 2030s it will contribute almost half of the projected electric battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.

Joe Hibbert, Vice President for Capital Projects at Agratas previously said: "It's a huge construction project. One of the biggest of its kind in the country.

"To give a sense of scale, you could lay the Shard, the UK's tallest building, down twice end to end inside inside the site."

Piling work to prepare the site began in the summer while construction of the first building could start before Christmas.

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