A Liverpool city region engineering firm says the £100m investment into the Ellesmere Port Vauxhall automotive plane is ‘fantastic news’ for the wider supply chain. Tony McDonough reports

A Liverpool city region-based supplier to the Vauxhall car factory in Ellesmere says the announcement of a £100m investment into the plant is “fantastic news” for the supply chain.

On Tuesday, automotive giant Stellantis said a new generation of electric vans are to be built at the Vauxhall factory in Ellesmere Port. The plant currently assemble 140,000 Astras a year but has been under threat of closure for some time.

This latest announcement not only safeguards around 1,100 jobs at the factory itself but could ensure employment for many more people in the North West automotive supply chain. Knowsley-based engineering firm Tulway is a long-term supplier to the plant.

Tulway is a national fabrication and engineering group, supporting companies with fabrication, mechanical installation, and site maintenance services for almost 25 years. Its blue chip client list also includes National Grid and SNF.

A family-run business, the firm works across a number of industrial sectors including chemical, energy, food, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, water and wastewater. It also hopes to benefit from the expansion of the Nissan factory in Sunderland.

Tulway managing director Kevin Tully said: “As a long-term supplier to Stellantis for mechanical engineering services at Ellesmere Port, this is fantastic news for the local supply chain.

“As Tulway has locations both in the North West and the North East, we hope to benefit from this vote of confidence for the motor manufacturing industry in these areas.”

Earlier this year it as reported that executives from Stellantis had been locked in talks with UK Government officials. It is believed they will receive state support to convert the plant, which at its peak in 1975 employed 12,000 people, to make electric cars.

Chief executive of Stellatis, Carlos Tavares, has already stated the business would not invest in pure diesel or petrol cars at Ellesmere Port. The Jaguar Land Rover factory at Halewood in Merseyside is also being converted to produce electric vehicles.

“Performance is always the trigger for sustainability and this £100m investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to Ellesmere Port,” said Mr Tavares.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: “It’s a huge vote of confidence in our economy, in the people of Ellesmere Port, and in our fantastic post-Brexit trading relationships.”