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Schneider Electric announces expansion in Leeds
chneider Electric is set to expand operations at its site in Leeds and will invest £7.2 million in a facility upgrade, as well as creating 110 new jobs over the next five years.
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The company said its significant investment underscores its growth trajectory due to rising demand from the energy transition and the electric vehicle (EV) market Schneider Electric employs 550 people at its Leeds smart factory and Innovation Hub – more than a tenth of its UK workforce. The site specialises in designing and manufacturing medium- and low-voltage switchgear solutions, which protect and distribute electricity in public, commercial and industrial installations.
The upgrade will feature a 3,380 sqm extension to an existing assembly and test hall, and a centralised Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) area. Work is projected to begin in early 2024 and be completed by August 2024. The project is being carried out with cooperation and support from Leeds City Council. Kelly Becker, zone president UK&I at Schneider Electric, said: “Our continued growth and investment are set in the context of a huge opportunity to drive decarbonisation, boost
infrastructure to meet the demands of EV charging, and design, build, operate and maintain our buildings in the face of the energy efficiency challenge.”
Government awards £89 million of funding to develop cutting edge EV technology
he Government has awarded £89 million of funding to 20 cutting edge net zero tech projects, reinforcing the UK as a world leader in zero emissions vehicle technology.
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Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister for Industry and Economic Security, said the 20 projects, across four
competitions, include developers of revolutionary new offroad vehicles, net zero tractors and ground breaking new EV battery systems. She said that funding from one competition alone could create or safeguard over 4,700 UK jobs and save nearly 65 million tonnes of
CO2 being emitted over the next decade.
The funding package includes four collaborative R&D projects, five scale- up projects to assess if businesses in the automotive sector are ready for growth, and seven feasibility studies to prepare projects to develop large- scale manufacturing facilities in the UK. Ms Ghani said: “Together with industry, we’re providing a huge £89 million of funding to drive 20 ground breaking net zero tech projects which will help grow the economy and create UK jobs in the industries of the future.” Winners of the latest collaborative R&D competition funding include Aston Martin, which is accelerating the development of a luxury battery electric vehicle platform.
Schneider Electric eMobility solution powers Birmingham NEC EV charging hub
chneider Electric has installed an integrated eMobility solution to power the charging infrastructure for the EV charging hub at the Birmingham NEC. The end-to-end solution is made up of a range of dedicated Schneider Electric power distribution products and solutions designed to deliver a reliable and sustainable energy source for Europe’s largest public EV charging hub. Schneider Electric was selected and commissioned by The EV Network, a leading EV charging infrastructure development company, as part of a landmark project involving multiple contractors to deploy 180 BP Pulse EV charging devices at the Birmingham NEC.
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Schneider Electric provided the EV charging infrastructure required to power each of the 180 charging devices and a Starbucks Drive-Through on the same site.
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The installation distributes power from the national grid to the site, but it can integrate with microgrids and renewable energy sources, including a solar canopy that is located onsite.
Jennifer Smith, eMobility segment & channel marketing, Schneider Electric, said: “The Birmingham NEC hub has raised the bar for public EV charging sites in the UK and we’re very pleased to have played a significant role in its development. “Our eMobility products and solutions are designed to provide a reliable EV charging infrastructure at various driver destinations, primarily residential and commercial buildings and large hubs like this one. “We aim to increase the number of available charging devices across the UK by working with partners like The EV Network, EV Charging Point Operators and other stakeholders across the ecosystem. This will hopefully remove any barriers towards EV adoption, get more EVs on the roads, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and help meet net-zero targets as the UK transitions to renewable forms of energy.”
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