A significant milestone was reached at the end of May, as the ‘key’ to the building that will house the new £50 million McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) was handed over to McLaren Automotive (ahead of final fitting out).

The MCTC, situated at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, will be the base where McLaren will innovate the process for making the ultra-lightweight and strong carbon fibre tubs that are at the heart of its family of sports-cars and super-cars.

The finished tubs will then be sent to the McLaren Production Centre in Surrey, where the company’s vehicles have been hand-assembled since 2011.

Ruth Nic Aoidh, McLaren’s executive director (commercial and legal), received the ‘key’ to the building from Owen Michaelson, chief executive of Harworth Group plc, which built it (www.mclaren.com).

On display at the event were the company’s current family of products including members of the Sports Series and Super Series, as well as a rare appearance by the McLaren Senna, all 500 of which have already been allocated to customers.

Around 45 McLaren employees are already housed at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), developing the process for creating the lightweight tubs.

When the new facility at the AMP is fully operational, the team will grow to around 200 people.

Carbon fibre has long been a part of McLaren’s DNA, the company having introduced the very first carbon fibre chassis into Formula One in 1981.

Carbon fibre’s innate strength and lightweight properties mean that the company has never made a racing car, sports-car or super-car without it since.

The new building will now undergo several months of fitting out, which will see all the manufacturing equipment installed, including a large press that will make its way over from Germany this summer.