Agratas awards contract for construction of UK battery cell facility
The development of Building One will require approximately 2,100 construction roles
Agratas has awarded UK-based contractor Sir Robert McAlpine the contract to build a battery cell manufacturing facility in the UK. Agratas, which is Tata Group’s battery subsidiary, noted that Sir Robert McAlpine will build Building One of the facility and ancillary developments, covering a gross external built area 244,710sqm near Bridgwater in Somerset.
The contractor said it has begun preparations for the development, which is scheduled to be operational in 2026. It added that initial works have been underway onsite for several months, with piling for Building One expected to commence in the coming weeks.
The development of Building One will require approximately 2,100 construction roles at peak times, many across Tier 3 and 4 of the supply chain.
“The beginning of this partnership with Sir Robert McAlpine is another pivotal moment for our nationally significant project. The team brings an unrivalled commitment to technical excellence, client service, sustainability and exemplary project delivery, and most importantly, they live and breathe our shared vision of placing community at the heart of everything we do,” said Joe Hibbert, Vice President for Capital Projects at Agratas.
Agratas said that by the early 2030s the wider facility will contribute almost half of the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.
Grant Findlay, Executive Managing Director for Buildings, Sir Robert McAlpine concluded, “Across our 155-year history, we have always been at the forefront of industrial change in the UK. This is why we are proud to be working with Agratas as its preferred delivery partner.”
