West Yorkshire-based
NG Bailey Group Ltd, a leading independent engineering and services business, has completed a fast-paced installation of mechanical and electrical services at the UK’s pioneering new battery development facility, the £130 million UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry.
Acting as principal contractor, NG Bailey completed the project in just eight months. With commissioning and handover of the facility now complete, NG Bailey has been retained to support UKBIC during the ongoing installation phase of the facility’s specialist equipment.
The publicly funded facility, which combines manufacturing, experimentation and innovation, covers the whole production process from electrodes to cell, module and pack assembly. Its clients span a wide range of sectors, including electric vehicles, rail, aerospace, industrial and domestic equipment and static energy storage.
The majority of mechanical and electrical equipment — including more than 6km of pipework and 140 heavy duty service modules – was manufactured at NG Bailey’s specialist off-site manufacturing facility in Bradford.
Other solutions delivered using off-site construction techniques include production of horizontal multi-service modules which enabled rapid installation and innovative space-saving solutions including a multi-service bridge structure which reduced the amount of space needed to house essential services and maximised useful production areas.
Duncan Smith, NG Bailey’s Midlands operations director, said: “By being involved in the early stages of the project we were able to develop bespoke solutions for rapid delivery. It only took six weeks from developing the initial concept to delivering the first module to UKBIC.”
Jeff Pratt, UKBIC managing director, said: “We are delighted with the progress made on the facility, and look forward to UKBIC being operational, a milestone we are all looking forward to achieving. Once complete, our facility will be accessed by any organisation with existing or new battery technology – if that technology will bring green jobs and prosperity to the UK.”
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council and board director at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “UKBIC is a vital element of Coventry’s drive to lead the green industrial revolution. The facility will be the centre of battery development in the UK and we have all the skills right here to help support the move to EVs.”