Reshoring could supercharge UK electrification

News

Britain’s drive towards electrification presents a major reshoring opportunity according to a survey of 200 senior executives from the European battery industry.

The survey - titled ‘In Charge’ and backed by Protolabs - has revealed that 84 per cent of UK companies are looking to bring parts of their supply chain closer to their manufacturing base over the next twelve months.

Global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a desire to localise supply chains, and an increasing number of firms are looking to increase security of supply and speed to market whilst reducing their carbon footprint.

EV investment secures future for Vauxhall’s Ellesmere port plant

Over three quarters (77 per cent) of UK respondents are also looking to outsource component production to specialist manufacturers, whilst 86 per cent are planning on launching a new battery product or storage system during the next 12 months.

“With just six per cent of battery manufacturing taking place in Europe, we are still heavily reliant on battery cell imports and, with demand for electric vehicles increasing rapidly, there is an understanding this has to change,” said Bjoern Klaas, vice president and managing director of Protolabs Europe.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address