Talgo will build its first UK manufacturing base at
Longannet, near Falkirk, and is also planning to
establish an innovation centre in Chesterfield, which
will create further high-skilled jobs in the UK
engineering sector. The company make intercity,
standard, and high-speed trains for use from the USA to
Kazakhstan.
Speaking to an audience of more than 100 Spanish and UK
investors and stakeholders at a Spain-UK Transport
Infrastructure Forum in London, Minister for investment
will outline the
£88bn worth of investment that will enter the UK rail
infrastructure pipeline, including High Speed 2 and
Northern Powerhouse rail.
Minister for Investment, MP said:
We’re determined to create higher paying jobs for
people right across the UK. The only way to do it is
by having policies to improve productivity and
attract foreign investment (FDI). So I’m delighted
that Talgo will create more than a thousand jobs
across the UK supply chain thanks to investment in
Longannet and Chesterfield.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is
transforming this country’s effectiveness in
attracting FDI with Trade Commissioners in every
region of the world, staff in more than 100 countries
and a determination to build on our position as the
leading foreign investment destination in Europe.
Talgo’s UK Director, Jon Veitch, said:
When Talgo started this process, we were looking for
just one site. However, we soon realised that all
parts of the UK had something to offer.
We have learned about the many rail-related
initiatives across the UK, intended to boost
capability for research, development, and testing.
There is an engineering renaissance under way, and I
want Talgo to be a leading partner.
Talgo wants to see a steady supply of engineers and
other skilled people enter the workforce, and be the
innovators of the future.
The announcement comes after fellow Spanish rail firm
CAF were announced earlier this year as the preferred
bidder to supply 77 new trains for the Wales and
Borders rail franchise. This followed an investment of
£30m rolling stock factory in Newport, which will
employ 300 people by next year.
The UK is Europe’s top destination for foreign direct
investment, while recent data released by UNCTAD found
that the UK had the second highest level of investment
globally in the first six months of this year.
It also has one of the world’s top five most innovative
economies according to the Global Innovation Index, as
well as four of the world’s top ten universities.
The UK’s advanced manufacturing sector which has over
100,000 companies, while total venture capital
investment was more than Germany, Spain, France and
Ireland combined last year.
