Recruitment is set to commence next week for hundreds of jobs at the AESC battery plant in Sunderland following a £1bn Government-led investment.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was on Wearside taking a tour of the battery company's under-construction facility adjacent to the Nissan plant. The establishment is expected to supply batteries for Nissan’s electric vehicles, with projections suggesting up to 100,000 vehicles annually could be powered, signalling a substantial growth for the firm's operations in the North East.
About £350m in guarantees from the National Wealth Fund have sparked an investment of £680m sourced from various banks, while the Government's Automotive Transformation Fund has pledged a further £150m grant to the venture.
This news comes off the back of a freshly minted trade agreement with the US, which saw a decrease in tariffs on º£½ÇÊÓƵ automobiles sold stateside, although Nissan witnessed minimal impact from the tariffs due to its primary market being Europe.
Post touring the site alongside North East mayor Kim McGuinness and Washington and Gateshead South MP Sharon Hodgson, Ms Reeves enthused over the significance of the Government's backing, labelling it "incredibly exciting", reports .
She said: "This is one of the biggest investments the National Wealth Fund has made since we came into office. That will support good jobs here paying decent wages - these are jobs paying more than £50,000, one of the team was telling me."
The Chancellor also reflected on her interaction with the workforce, adding: "I met one of the union reps as well who was telling me the difference this will make for young people with apprenticeships, and for the local area."
According to Ms Hodgson, the battery facility would be "truly transformative". Meanwhile, Ms McGuinness stated that the investment showcased effective communication between regional and national governments to attract investment in key areas such as advanced manufacturing in the North East.
AESC's CEO, Shoichi Matsumoto, commented: "This investment marks a key milestone in AESC's ongoing efforts to support the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's path towards decarbonisation and the expansion of its EV market.
"Through close collaboration with strategic partners, we strive to accelerate this transition while creating high-quality local jobs and building resilient, sustainable supply chain.
"We are honoured to contribute to the development of low-carbon economy with our advanced battery technologies."
John Flint, CEO of the National Wealth Fund, added: "AESC's gigafactory will not only help to retool our car industry for net zero it will also support jobs, growth, and prosperity in the North East.
"This investment further demonstrates the significant role NWF is playing to crowd private capital into the industries and regions where its most needed, boosting government's growth and clean energy missions."
