Norton factory will be boost for West Midlands
Classic motorbike brand to open new plant after being rescued from collapse
CLASSIC Midland bike maker Norton is to climb back in the saddle by opeing a new manufacturing plant in Solihull.
The historic bike builder had been in Castle Donington, Leicestershire for more than a decade before going into administration last year.
But it was subsequently bought by India’s TVS Motor Company which has reveaed it is now moving the manufacturer to a new base on Solar Park.
Following a multi-millionpound investment, all its design, engineering, manufacturing and testing will take place on the new site near junction four of the M42.
Norton said the new factory was close to completion and would open in the spring, adding that more than 50 “high quality” jobs had been created and more were expected to follow as manufacturing grew at the plant.
The business was previously working out of the former British Midland International airline offices in the grounds of Donington Hall, near East Midlands Airport.
TVS, which bought Norton out of administration last spring, is the sixth biggest bike manufacturer in the world and part of the £6.2 billion-plus TVS Group.
Sudarshan Venu, joint managing director of TVS Motors, said: “The opening of the new headquarters represents a significant step forward for Norton Motorcycles.
“It will create the foundations for a sustainable long-term future of Norton.
“2020 has been a tough year for the world but we are excited to be moving into our new home and delighted this has been created by the Norton and TVS teams in just nine months.
“This new facility, underpinned by strong quality processes, will produce bikes truly worthy of the illustrious Norton brand and take it into the future.
“We are setting out to create a future for the company, our employees, our customers and our partners that lives up to the highest expectations and enable Norton to once again become the real force its history deserves.”
Norton was founded in Birmingham in 1898 and was bought in 2008 by businessman Stuart Garner, who moved the brand to Leicestershire, building up a strong following for the hand-built bikes.
However, a year ago it became apparent the business was in financial difficulties and administrators from BDO were called in. At the time there were about 100 staff.
The Solihull site will be the central hub for all Norton operations when manufacturing resumes and specialist tooling and equipment previously used by Norton has been carried over to the new site. It is also benefiting from substantial new investment.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the move was a “real vote of confidence” in the region.
“It speaks volumes to the strides the West Midlands has taken forward in recent years that Norton has chosen to come home after more than a decade based outside the region,” he said.
“This investment not only reestablishes our historic partnership with Norton but will set a world-class benchmark for exceptional motorcycle manufacturing at the heart of our region, creating hundreds of jobs at what is an incredibly challenging time economically. This investment represents the start of an important partnership between the West Midlands and TVS Motors.”