Why Wolverhampton Is A Transformational Tech Hub

A city with a proud engineering heritage rooted in coal mining, steel production and automotive manufacturing, Wolverhampton has transformed into a leading international location for firms developing next-generation green technologies. The city’s Green Innovation Corridor – one of three key sites identified as part of the West Midlands Investment Zone – is set to herald an exciting new era of research and development, leveraging Wolverhampton’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, sustainable construction and green computing.

At the tip of this corridor lies i54; a 300-acre technology-based business park recognised as the most successful enterprise zone in the United Kingdom. The result of an award-winning partnership between City of Wolverhampton Council , Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council , the park employs over 2,700 people and has attracted a host of world-class engineering firms to the area.?

Industry-leading names such as Jaguar Land Rover UK , 穆格 , 阿特拉斯·科普柯 and 欧陆 are pioneering breakthrough technologies from their facilities at i54, each with the potential to change the world as we know it.

A Transformational Tech Hub

Wolverhampton and the i54 business park contribute significantly to the West Midlands’ position as the UK’s heartland of R&D excellence. Transformational technologies are in development here across a host of industries, including automotive, aerospace, engineering and life sciences.

JLR

i54 was selected by JLR for its ￡500m Engine Manufacturing Centre in 2014, providing the home for a new family of engines called Ingenium. These diesel engines were the first to be completely designed and built in-house by the company, utilising Wolverhampton’s talent-rich automotive workforce.?

As the world transitions to electric vehicles, i54 is set to be at the centre of the West Midlands’ green power revolution, with JLR having committed ￡356 million to transform their factory into the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre. Major assembly lines for battery packs, electric drive units and other electrification equipment will be installed, retaining i54’s key position at the heart of JLR’s supply chain. The facility, which employs 1,100 people, will supply the new electric Range Rover models being made just 30 miles away in another part of the region – JLR’s Solihull plant.?

Moog

It’s not just the automotive sector pioneering alternative forms of power. The aerospace industry, which accounted for 2% of all global emissions in 2022, is also exploring cleaner methods of propulsion, such as the use of hydrogen. World-leading aerospace supplier Moog, which manufactures high-performance aircraft control systems from their state-of-the-art, 205,000 sq.ft facility at i54, is leading a ground-breaking project called Future Engine Technology for the Control of Hydrogen (FETCH).

Formed to develop and demonstrate a fuel control system for aircraft hydrogen gas turbines, the initiative will see Moog’s i54 factory play an integral part in its success, with the facility designing, developing and manufacturing an electromechanical actuator. This will need an alternative form of actuation to those traditionally used for gas turbine engines, requiring the talented engineers at Moog’s i54 plant to think creatively to ensure consistent performance at high temperatures, maintenance of sufficient levels of lubrication throughout the actuator’s lifespan and adherence to stringent aerospace standards.?

The three-year R&D project commenced activity in 2023 and is set to result in hydrogen fuel system testing by early 2026.?

Atlas Copco

i54’s companies aren’t just pioneering groundbreaking products and services; they’re innovating the next generation of production facilities to create them.

Swedish-owned Atlas Copco made a six-figure investment in reengineering their existing i54 facility into the UK’s first Smart Factory Innovation Centre, with a sustainable smart manufacturing ecosystem delivering real-time production efficiencies for customers.

The company, which provides industrial productivity solutions for multiple sectors including automotive and aerospace, is also using the facility as a training hub for its market-leading smart tooling, industrial assembly systems and machine vision solutions.

Taking advantage of the West Midlands’ status as the UK’s leading location for 5G connectivity, the centre is enabled by Ericsson’s private 5G network. This delivers unparalleled ‘Industry 4.0’ deployment, combining human-centric skills with a bespoke, secure and real-time wireless solution. It also features customisable, 5G-enabled tool control software, its latest error-proofing product, 3D laser technology and state-of-the-art inspection solutions.

Companies based in the West Midlands can benefit significantly from collaborating with Atlas Copco to revolutionise their manufacturing capability. From strengthening sustainability levels to improving operational efficiencies, they can take advantage of everything they need to gain a competitive edge. ?

Eurofins Scientific

Adding to the diverse portfolio of world-class firms present at i54 is Eurofins Scientific, a global leader in the provision of laboratory testing services. Home to their food testing division, Eurofins delivered another UK-first at i54, investing ￡150,000 into their microbiology test laboratory.?

The facility, designed to reflect stringent standards and working practices deployed by their customers in the food industry, is the first of its kind in the country, with the installation of state-of-the-art equipment including new autoclaves and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) instrumentation.?

This investment and pioneering approach will deliver food testing services to the highest standards and further minimise the risk of contamination in the supply chain.

i54: Where Breakthroughs Begin

With over 25 acres available, it’s not too late for your business to locate alongside this world-class group of innovative firms at i54. Everything you need is here.?

The remaining space, allocated for advanced manufacturing and technology companies looking to take advantage of Wolverhampton’s thriving innovation ecosystem, enjoys unrivalled connectivity thanks to its location at the heart of the United Kingdom. Located next to the national motorway network, i54 also offers swift access to international markets via Birmingham Airport, located just 25 miles away.?

There’s an abundance of talent available too. Over 1.7 million professionals can be found within a 30-minute drive, while the University of Wolverhampton educates 25,000 students every year, producing 5,500 graduates per annum. This globally renowned university, which underpins the cutting-edge research and development ongoing within the city’s Green Innovation Corridor, has a rich portfolio of world-class R&D facilities including the Centre for Engineering Innovation & Research, the Centre of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing and the Cyber Research Institute.?

Of course, there’s also the fact that i54 lies at the tip of the city’s Green Innovation Corridor – one of three key sites within the West Midlands Investment Zone. Investing here means your company would be alongside world-leading innovation-led businesses and part of a state-of-the-art research and development cluster. Add to this the dedicated, tailored business support on offer from the i54 partnership, and you’ll have all the support you need to hit the ground running.?

i54 is the place where breakthroughs begin. It starts here.