Gestamp opens new plant in West Midlands, U.K.

Gestamp, a multinational manufacturer of highly engineered metal components for the automotive industry, has opened a new, 538,000-sq.-ft. stamping facility in Four Ashes near Wolverhampton, West Midlands, U.K.

The new plant will include one of the biggest hot stamping lines in the world for service to customers including JLR, Nissan-Renault, Volvo, Ford, BMW, Toyota, and Honda. It also will manufacture aluminum parts in a transfer servo press, including battery boxes for electrical vehicles. The equipment will comprise laser cells for cutting and welding.

This facility will include the production capability of the existing Gestamp Cannock plant when the existing capacity is transferred, safeguarding 800 jobs.

An investment close to $65.4 million to date will upgrade the company’s industrial capabilities in the region. The manufacturer has opened five facilities worldwide in 2018 including West Midlands.