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Super-fast UK sports car maker TVR has announced that although
it will be moving from its present factory site in Blackpool when the
lease runs out in four months, final production will remain in town in
the Squire’s Gate area of Blackpool business park.
The company plans to operate from the new headquarters, also based in
Lancashire, for the “foreseeable future”, where all management,
sales, marketing and research and development will be based. A TVR museum
and archive library will also be opened to the public.
As TVR has continued to hint over the past few months, it remains likely
that “some sub-assembly” will be done off-site and possibly
oversees. TVR has not provided any further details, but say that it is
still under discussion and will be linked to new materials and technologies
that will feature on future TVR models.
There are reports that the company is aiming to incorporate a range of
new technologies and materials in its next line of cars, such as carbon
fibre or hydroformed aluminium for the body structures, requiring in turn
new skill set and tooling.
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The Sagaris is TVR's most
recent production car. It's considered to be the most reliable and
well constructed of their offerings so far and is set to continue
being produced in the UK for "the forseeable future".
New technologies could see future varients constructed out of carbon
fibre or hydroformed aluminium. |
TVR is also looking to refine its engines which are all produced in-house
but do not presently conform to Euro 4 emission standards. This has been
a problem for the company, especially since more stringent guidelines
in the US from 1 January have had the effect of preventing export sales.
David Oxley, managing director of TVR, said: "This is the first stage
of transition for the company. The Squire’s Gate facility will enable
us to increase our volumes in line with Euro 4 approval and with the opening
up of new international markets for TVR. The Lancaster headquarters will
also increase efficiency in our administration, research and development,
aftersales and sales and marketing departments."
The company has stated previously that it ultimately wants to increase
production, going from producing around 5-600 cars per year to closer
to 5,000.
Nikolai Smolenski, TVR's owner and chairman, who acquired the company
in 2004 for a reputed £15 million said: "Our eventual plan
is a brand new state-of-the-art factory for TVR, but our choice of site
for that facility is a decision to be made in the future. We have introduced
a relocation strategy that allows TVR to grow into the international company
that has always been my vision and to continue to build on the improved
quality using a skilled and committed local workforce."
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