Siemens gears up with Leeds investment

Siemens has invested an initial £1.2m in transferring its mechanical drives business to new premises on Navigation Park in Leeds.
 

The move is designed to enable the £15m operation handle additional and bigger contracts, including work to support the group's planned major offshore wind turbine manufacturing plant in Hull.
 

Siemens acquired the Flender's gear and gear-motor business in 2005 for €1.2bn.
 

The purpose-built 50,000 sq ft Leeds factory has created 30 per cent more production space, increased height for 25-tonne cranes and room to optimise production cell layouts and materials handling flows.
 

Work there includes gears assembly, geared motors, motors and couplings for the rail, utilities and general industry and for the growing renewable energy sector, including wind and wave power.
 

While many of the site’s 54 skilled employees have transferred from the outgrown Bradford base, Siemens has also created an apprentice scheme in a bid to train a new generation of engineers.
 

General manager Simon Nadin said: "Siemens is committed to investing in Britain’s industrial future, which is crucial in the current economic climate. Mechanical gears are a key element in production of drive train systems and we aim to continue to invest in and develop our capabilities in this area here at our new site in Leeds.
 

"In addition to enhancing our manufacturing capability, we’re also creating a showcase facility in Leeds with a world class product display and training area for our staff, seminars that will benefit others in the industry and Siemens partners, plus an extension of our consultancy services."
 

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for development, added: "Siemens is a global manufacturing company and the relocation of the mechanical drives division to Leeds represents a major investment in the future of manufacturing in the city. The new factory is a world class facility."