Partner Article

Midlands firm awarded £5m RGF Funding

A manufacturing firm in the Midlands has been awarded a £5 million Government grant to build solar PV panels in the UK.

Sunsolar were awarded the grant as part of the government’s Regional Growth Fund, in a move which will create 565 new jobs and apprenticeships over the next five years.

It is now hoped that the investment will enable the firm to become the first solar panel manufacturer in the UK. Competitors currently import products from Europe and China.

Rob Grant, business manager at Sunsolar believes that the investment will positively influence business growth in the UK.

He said: “We all very aware of the effect the credit crunch has had on the economy, as well as the great need for renewable energy sources across the world.

“To be able to create a factory environment that will not only employ local suppliers to work with, but create new jobs and offer viable and inexpensive energy sources to the UK, is something we’re extremely excited about.

“And to achieve government funding, is a true testament to the successful business model we have at Sunsolar and I can’t wait to get the ball rolling.”

Sunsolar was one of only 50 companies to successfully win grants from the first round of the RGF, and have now signed a contract to commence plans on their £10 million factor development.

“As a company, we are working very hard to try and buck the negative trend within manufacturing and are keen to change the decline in the industry, particularly within the Midlands and are actively working towards bringing business back into the local economy,” Rob continued.

“We hope the introduction of much needed jobs, use of local, UK based suppliers and the running of a self sufficient factory will put the Midlands on the map for a significant improvement within the industry in the next 12 months.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .