Gestamp (www.gestamp.com), a multi-national company that specialises in the design, development and manufacture of highly engineered metal components for the automotive industry, opened a new manufacturing facility last month in South Staffordshire.

The new 50,000m² facility at Four Ashes, near Wolverhampton, has ‘state of the art’ stamping equipment and will house production equipment from Gestamp’s Cannock plant when it is transferred, safeguarding 800 jobs. It is the fifth facility to be opened world-wide by fast-expanding Gestamp in 2018.

The new factory will include one of the largest hot stamping lines in the world in order to provide a better service to customers that include Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan-Renault, Volvo, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Honda. The plant will also manufacture aluminium parts — including battery boxes for electrical vehicles — by means of an innovative transfer press. There will also be laser cells for cutting and welding.

Gestamp chairman Francisco Ribera said: “This new plant is more efficient and competitive; it is a customer-focused factory, with the opportunity for further growth with both existing and new clients.

“ We will continue to help our customers and provide them with the latest technologies, such as hot and aluminium stamping. We are already supporting them with the challenges that they face with electrical vehicles by providing lighter and safer solutions.”

Gestamp UK currently comprises seven production plants — three in the North East, two in the Midlands, one in Llanelli and one in Fareham — with a total workforce of nearly 3,000 people.