COVENTRY'S CAR INDUSTRY GETS A BOOST

DUTCH firm Spyker Cars looks set to create 40 new jobs as it began its production of supercars in Coventry this week.

The group switched assembly of its new Aileron supercar from Holland to a new plant at CPP Limited, in Wheler Road, Whitley.

In order to meet new production targets, CPP will look to create around 40 new jobs, taking its workforce to about 150 workers.

The news follows Spyker’s announcement last November to scale up production and reduce costs related to the manufacturing process.

Spyker founder Victor Muller, chairman Vladimir Antonov and managing director of CPP, Brendan O’Toole, visited the plant based on the Seven Stars Industrial Estate earlier this week.

Mr O’Toole said: “Against a general backdrop of decline in UK car manufacture in recent years, this provides very positive news, not just for CPP but importantly for Coventry.

“Spyker is a world renowned name in the design and production of exclusive cars and CPP is extremely pleased to now be playing a larger part in that success story.

“We have established a very good working relationship over the last decade and this announcement allows us to take this relationship to the next exciting stage.”

CPP has established a new bespoke 20,000 sq ft assembly plant close to its headquarters and can produce five cars a week in one shift.

Mr Muller said the move was a “landmark in the history of Spyker” which was founded in 1875.

He added: “This move makes sense on many different levels.

“CPP has been producing our body panels for 10 years and we have an extremely close working relationship with the company.

“More than half our components are sourced from the UK, so moving here will bring us considerable efficiency savings which is vital for a car company of our size.

“In addition, this area has probably the richest heritage in car production of any region in the world.

“CPP has shown that the tradition of quality is very much alive and well in the Midlands region and in Coventry in particular.

“Coventry has been at the forefront of quality automotive design and production and Spyker wants to be a lasting part of that. We are already starting to establish links with the two universities in the city. This marks a new and very exciting era for Spyker.”

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