Member Article

Big names announced for major NEAA Stadium of Light event

Nissan Motoring Manufacturing UK, Jaguar Land Rover and Komatsu UK are confirmed as buyers at the region’s first Automotive Expo, taking place on Thursday 24th September 2015.

Hosted by major cluster group North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), and supported by Sunderland City Council and Tees Valley Unlimited, the North East Automotive Expo is the region’s only event solely focused on the North East’s automotive sector. It will offer an ideal networking platform for companies already in the industry as well as those looking to expand into automotive.

The event will welcome Jaguar Land Rover to the region for the first time as part of the Meet the Buyer, and with Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK, Komatsu UK, Nifco UK, Gestamp Tallent, Calsonic Kansei Europe, Lear Corporation UK and Faltec Europe, over 150 one-to-one meeting opportunities are available.

Taking place at the Stadium of Light, the one-day event promises to bring together over 200 industry delegates from across the UK to its exhibition, Meet the Buyer event and free technical workshops.

The Expo will feature keynote speakers Lawrence Davies, deputy chief executive of the Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO) and Mike Matthews, managing director of Nifco UK, vice chair of the NEAA and newly appointed president of NECC.

Demand for places at the event is high, with over 50% of delegates already signed up and small stand spaces now sold out.

Paul Butler, chief executive of NEAA said, “The North East Automotive Expo is an excellent opportunity for the vast array of companies within the automotive sector to get together and exchange business contacts, opportunities and promote the great work going on in this industry.”

“Nissan, Komatsu and the tier one suppliers are very attractive to suppliers, however it is a clear demonstration of the benefits the NEAA brings to the region in attracting Jaguar Land Rover to this North East event.

“We are confident that suppliers will see real value in establishing contact with some of our leading automotive buyers, and would encourage companies to register – even those not currently supplying the sector as there is a £4bn supply chain opportunity across the UK and we want North East companies to take advantage of that, particularly those on our ERDF funded SME Supply Chain Development programme.”

Michael Mychajluk, supply chain and external engagement manager at Jaguar Land Rover said: “Jaguar Land Rover is excited to attend this event in the North East as it’s important to focus on the automotive manufacturing heartlands where the suppliers and skills are located.

“Jaguar Land Rover UK production exceeded 450,000 units last year and with the launch of the Jaguar XE in 2015 is set to exceed 500,000 units to 2015. With over 50 per cent of our components sourced from UK suppliers we are always looking for new UK suppliers with the ambition, innovation and quality to grow with us.”